Major upheaval as golf club dumps president, vice

The board of a southeast Queensland golf club attempted to take control of the club's millions to spend without member approval behind the changes.

Maroochy River Golf Club members have voted out their president and vice-president.

MAROOCHY River members last week expressed their concern at the direction their board was taking by voting out president Michael Gray and vice-president Alan Taylor.

They also voted down Mr Gray's motion to spend up to $600,000 on a new outdoor deck, and effectively vetoed a board attempt to take control of the club's $4 million "quarantined funds" and spend it without member approval.

Former Maroochy River Golf Club president Michael Gray.

Grant Kimmorley was elected president and Max Garey vice-president. Former president Vern Schilling was elected a director.

No luck involved

After hitting all but two fairways in his round, luck played little part in Michael Goodluck winning Wednesday's stableford competition at Headland with an outstanding 45 points.

For the former Sunshine Coast Scorchers cricketer, who won the 36-hole Division Three nett prize in the Sunshine Coast Open Amateur Championship the previous weekend, it was his best round of golf since taking up the game three years ago.

His round of 78 included three birdies, seven pars, seven bogies and one double.

Win for Joel

Pelican Waters' Joel Stahlhut (71, 69, 70, 79: 289) held on to share the spoils with Lucas Higgins, of Murwillumbah, in the 18-20 years division of the Gary Player Classic at Pacific last week.

In the 16-17 classification, Blake Perkins, also from Pelican Waters, shot rounds of 79, 76, 74 and 79 to be tied 10th, while Tyler Quaill (82, 78, 78, 80: 318) was the best of the Coast contenders in the 15 and under category, coming in 12th.

Hosting honour

Maroochy River will host the Australian Men's Senior Championship from next Tuesday to Thursday. A field of 131 of Australia's best 50-plus golfers will contest the 54-hole event.

The championship has been staged at courses like Royal Hobart, Royal Queensland, Kooyonga, Commonwealth, The Australian and Yarra Yarra, so it is an honour for a new course like Maroochy River to be chosen to host such an important event.

Burns still busy

If there's a golf tournament scheduled you can be almost certain Yandina's Brad Burns will be in the field.

Just back from a week's competition in New Caledonia, the busy Burns teed it up in the Legends Pro-Am at Forbes, NSW on Friday.

And, as usual, he was a contender, finishing tied 8th with a three over-par 75.

Another win

K. R. 'Kevie' Smith, with a brilliant round of 76, has won Mt Coolum's Felix Parry Cup for the second year in a row.

Smith has now won the Legacy charity golf event, played by past or serving members of the defence force, 13 times in the past 19 years.

Morrie Barnes, with 38 points, won the Diggers Cup, a stableford competition played concurrently with the stroke event.

The golf day raised about $4500 for Legacy Sunshine Coast.

Open at Mt Coolum

Mt Coolum's feature event, the annual Men's Open incorporating the zone senior men's championship, will be played on Sunday.

Prizes totalling $1200 are on offer over three grades and the senior division. It's only $20 to play and register by calling the club on 5446 3125.

New look for Cooroy

Visitors to Cooroy will have noticed the clubhouse has a new look.

A themed mural, designed by Noosa Arts and Crafts president Gabi Dick and reflecting wild life on the course, acknowledges the vibrancy of the Noosa hinterland and marks the club's 84 years of development.

Calling new members

After 20 years, the Glenview par 3 Tuesday Gentlemen's Club is going strong. Indeed, it's seeking new members.

Club members play a nine-hole competition each Tuesday morning from 6.30am. Membership costs $10 a year, and the weekly competition fee is $18, which includes the green fee and the cost of prizes. Interested golfers should ring Glendale on 5494 5999, or phone Gordon Young on 0457 918611.

Originally published as Major upheaval as golf club dumps president, vice