• Keilor, Taylors Lakes, Sydenham Star
• St Albans, Deer Park, Caroline Springs Star
• Sunshine, Ardeer, Albion Star

8th December 2009 11:05:11 AM

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TO SAY that I am very proud at this point in time would be an understatement. Last Saturday night at the Lakes Golf Club in Sydney in front of a who’s who of the Australian golf industry, this column Golf by George was for the fourth successive year announced as the winner in the category of Best Feature Story or Column in a Provincial or Suburban Newspaper at the presentation of the annual Australian Golf Media Awards.

Of the three columns that were submitted for the judging of the awards last August, the one selected by the judging panel – which consisted of some of the country’s most senior journalists and golf administrators – was published on 12 May this year and was headed, “Bid for U.S. Handicaps.” The lead item referred to the Board of Golf Australia discussing and consequently adopting the U.S.G.A. “slope” handicapping system for men and women. It was mentioned on Saturday night that since the inception of these awards, this is the first time that the same award has been presented to anyone four years in a row in any category and that too is something to be proud of.

I dedicated my win to you, the readers of the column, as it is very difficult to put a column into words week after week. My sincere thanks go to the Star News Group, to Sanctuary Lakes Resort for its support and sponsorship and most importantly to my wife Sue and my family for their help and assistance. One thing is certain though and that is with the support of the clubs in our region, I will continue to try and keep you up to date with stories of golf clubs and golfers in the Star each and every week.

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FOR the record, the winners of the 2008/09 Australian Golf Media Awards were as follows. Photojournalism - Best Photograph Newspaper, Michael Klein Herald Sun Melbourne. Photojournalism - Best Photograph Magazine, Brendan James Golf Australia magazine. Television - Best Feature Story or Report, Bruce Young Sky News. Electronic Media (Internet) - Best Feature Story or Report, Stephen Pearce ABC News. Electronic Media (Radio) - Best Feature Story or Report, ABC Grandstand. Print - Best Feature Story Newspaper, Mark Hayes Herald Sun Melbourne. Print - Best Report Newspaper, Martin Blake Fairfax Media. Print - Best Feature Story or Report Magazine, Tony Webeck Australian Golf Digest. Print - Best Feature or Story on Amateur Golf, Tony Webeck Australian Golf Digest. Print - Best Feature, Story or Column in a Provincial or Suburban Newspaper, George Begg Star News Group Melbourne and Print - Best Feature Story or Report in a Trade Magazine, Brett Robinson Australian Turfgrass Management.

A new award was created this year to reward excellence in golf journalism and it has been named in honour of one of this country’s most respected golf writers Tom Ramsey. The inaugural presentation of the Tom Ramsey Award was given to Brett Robinson the editor of Australian Turfgrass Management, the official journal of the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association, for his fine work on the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires and how they devastated the Marysville and Horsham golf clubs.

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WHILE in Sydney for the past week another very important event took place and that was the annual Australian Golf Writers Association championships which were held at the re-vamped Lakes Golf Club, which will host the 2010 Australian Open. Each year the golf writers from both Australia and overseas who are members of the AGWA gather to do battle for the A and B Grade titles, which are keenly sought after by the associations members. I have been fortunate to win the B Grade title twice before, once in 1993 and again in 1997 at Victoria and Southern Golf Clubs and now I am pleased to say that I can add a third trophy to that list with my win last Tuesday at The Lakes in very windy and trying conditions. I have said in recent years that it is difficult to organise an event and then expect to play well in it, but on the day it all came together. Oh, what a week it has been!

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ANOTHER winner last week was David Tapping the golf business manager at Eynesbury Golf Course. Playing in the annual Victorian PGA club professionals tournament at the magnificent Sorrento Golf Club, after 36 holes Tapping tied with Dan Hyndman and Sorrento resident professional John Horvath which resulted in a three-way play-off to determine the winner. A two-metre birdie putt on the first play-off hole gave David the victory over his opponents and with it the coveted title and entry into the 2010 Cellarbrations Victorian PGA Championship which will be played the Sandhurst Golf Club in February.

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IN Sydney, I was able to catch up with Richard Green and tell him about the changes that have taken place at Kooringal Golf Club where his golf career started. He was surprised at the changes that I described to him, but then agreed that in relation to the safety aspect of the 13th green and the 14th tee, the changes were necessary. He said that although he tours the world on the golfing stage, he has a lot of fondness for Kooringal as it was there that his long golfing journey started.

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AND so to the Australian Open. Although there was a problem with the wind on day two, no one can deny that the New South Wales Golf Club was a great venue at which to hold the country’s premier golfing event. The Open next year moves to The Lakes which has been given a facelift by Michael Clayton, whose work on co-designing Barnbougle Dunes many of you will be familiar with. Unless you will be visiting Sydney and plan to have a game at The Lakes you will have to wait until this time next year to see what a great course it now is. The Lakes president Tony O’Rourke told me last week that the club cannot wait to show off their re-vamped course and there will be no better way to do it than to stage the Australian Open, and I agree with that.

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IF YOU want to pass on news and views from your golf club or for any special feats, I can be contacted at 0409 381 192, Fax 9749 2481 or e-mail beggolf@optusnet.com.au.

www.sanctuarylakes.com.au

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