A brief history of Bowral Golf Club

1901

Established in 1901

Bowral Golf Club was established in 1901. Initially, it had no playing area of its own and for the first two years members of the new club played by invitation on a private nine-hole course owned by Mr. C. J. Royle, one of the foundation members. After this, play moved to a large area of land opposite the Bowral hospital, part of this land now being occupied by Bradman Oval.

1915

Merilbah Estate

The next site for Bowral Golf Club was on the west side of the railway line. It was a nine-hole course with sand greens on the Merilbah Estate near the Gibraltar Hotel. The club was advised in 1915 that the lease on this land would come to an end. While many clubs might have viewed this as a crisis, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as ultimately it brought Bowral to its present home.

1917

The forever home

In mid-1917 an area of 36 acres on Kangaloon Rd was purchased from Edwin Boardman and a new clubhouse was completed on this land in June 1919. A nine-hole course was laid out by Club Professional Dan Soutar. In 1920 members were advised that a further 49 acres of land had been acquired to extend the course to 18 holes. The additional layout was designed by Carnegie Clark. In 1950 a further 5.7 acres was acquired and was used for the present 15th hole.

1934

Hastings Clark

The categories of membership established at the inaugural meeting say a lot about the club and its founders. From the outset, women members were welcomed at the club. The club’s first professional was Sandy Yeoman, a Scotsman. But the longest-tenured and surely the one to have the most impact on the club was Hastings Clark. His father Carnegie Clark, then the professional at Royal Sydney Golf Club, was well known to many Bowral members. Hastings may not have been so well known when he took up his appointment on 18 June 1934, aged 23 years. But by the time he retired, in July 1982 after a record stint of 48 years’ service to Bowral, it is fair to say he was a club institution!

2001

Continuous improvement

The club has continued to invest and upgrade its facilities over the years. Major works were carried out on drainage, tree planting, and improvement of tees, fairway shaping and renovation just before the turn of the century. A major improvement came about in 2001, when at a cost of just less than half a million dollars, the course was fully irrigated. A new bore was sunk near the 15th hole and pumps into the dam. The system at the time was state of the art and as a result the presentation of the course is superb. The club celebrated its centenary in 2001, holding a number of functions throughout the year. Now, well into its second century, it is regarded just as fondly by the local New South Wales golfing community as it ever has been.