THE future of Rokewood Golf Club is uncertain due to a lack of active volunteers, administrative members and players.<\/p>\n
Following their annual general meeting earlier this month, the committee members are calling on the community to help save the club and course.<\/p>\n
Club president Ross Hadling said the club is in desperate need of new members.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we really need is people who want to play golf here on a regular basis and some who are willing to put their hand up for positions within the club,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019d be sad if the club did have to eventually fold. Once something winds up in any area it\u2019s almost impossible to get it back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ballarat-based Trevor Snibson, who took over as secretary of the club last year, said the committee is especially needing to fill an important role.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe two members we\u2019ve got as greenskeepers are just getting too old as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re 70 and 80 years old. They just can\u2019t do it anymore so that\u2019s another reason we\u2019re going to have to close the doors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t get new greenskeepers and it\u2019s all voluntary work. That\u2019s the bottom line of the whole scenario.\u201d<\/p>\n
The club currently gets eight to 10 active members each weekend which Mr Snibson said \u201cisn\u2019t feasible\u201d to maintaining their operation.<\/p>\n
He said the average age demographic of their membership is in the late 40s, and attributes their lack of younger membership to their sandscrape greens, saying younger players would prefer putt on grass pins.<\/p>\n
Mr Snibson also said the club is unable to maintain greens due to their limited capabilities, closing each year over the summer months as a result.<\/p>\n
Vice-secretary Peter Matthews has been with the club for more than 50 years and said the committee has struggled to bring in the next generation of golfers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a bit of a dad\u2019s army with this. What we look at is the next generation of our children coming into this but they\u2019ve moved away for work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur demographic\u2019s getting on a bit and there\u2019s a sense of inevitability with this. We need the younger generation to step up.\u201d<\/p>\n
A public forum is set to be held on Tuesday, 7 March to gauge interest in helping the club.<\/p>\n
Vice-president Charlie Neville said the response has been \u201coverwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had offers from other golf clubs and people in the community offering to mow the grounds,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ll have any worries about that part of it but until we hold our meeting and see what commitment we get, that\u2019s the next stage.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE future of Rokewood Golf Club is uncertain due to a lack of active volunteers, administrative members and players. Following their annual general meeting earlier this month, the committee members are calling on the community to help save the club and course. Club president Ross Hadling said the club is in desperate need of new […]<\/p>\n