‘We started with nothing but an idea’: Maleny Golf Club celebrates 10th anniversary

Gordon Ferguson on the 18th green pipes the start of the Maleny Golf Club's 10th Anniversary Celebrations with life member Max Whitten and his wife and long-serving volunteer Penny Edwards.

The lilting skirl of bagpipes floated across the misty green hills at the Maleny Golf Club as local piper Gordon Ferguson signalled a nippy early morning start to play and a special day of celebration.

More than 120 members had gathered for a round on Saturday July 5, to mark the Sunshine Coast Hinterland golf club’s 10th anniversary - commemorating the course’s official opening in 2015 and remarkable volunteer effort that made it all possible.

From its formation in 2000, the club’s vision was bold: to create a high-quality community golf course without land or funds - but with plenty of heart.

“Today’s success is a testament to what can happen when a community believes in a shared vision,” said former long-serving president and honorary life member Dr Max Whitten. “We started with nothing but an idea, and today we’re a thriving 18-hole course drawing visiting players from across the region and beyond.”

By 2014, Sunshine Coast Council (SCC) had provided some land, and the promise of a brilliant design by Graham Papworth was in the offing - but still no funding.

Two phone calls from Headland Golf Club Superintendent Ben Tilley were to change all that. Ben provided an “unofficial” link to a presentation by Euan Grant, the former head greenkeeper of the Old Course at St Andrews.

Euan had been recruited in 2007 to build a new links course on environmentally-sensitive land at Macrihanish Dunes on the Scottish west coast. He was forced by circumstances to revert to the principles of “golf as it began”, and created this extraordinary course for just £1.5 million.

This minimalist philosophy of working with nature then became Maleny’s mantra - a win for both public finances and the environment. On this basis, SCC contributed $450,000 in 2014 to a total construction budget of $750,000 for the first nine holes.

The Club’s volunteer army had the first four holes built by September that year when Ben Tilley phoned again to suggest that one of his greenkeepers Mick McCombe might add some value during construction.

Mick was recruited and quickly got the club on track to implement Papworth’s designs as intended and within eight months the first nine holes were ready to play. And there were enough funds left to construct a fit-for-purpose maintenance facility!

By January 2020, the second nine holes were completed - featuring innovations like revetted bunkers made from recycled synthetic turf and a Blindshot safety system developed in collaboration with Farm Safe Australia.

Thanks to additional funding from all levels of government, the entire 18-hole course was completed for under $2 million.

Significantly, Mick has picked up both state and national awards for environment and sustainability excellence and Maleny is now a destination golf course on the cooler hinterland of the Sunshine Coast.

• For more information about Maleny Golf Club, the course and membership options visit the website: www.malenygolfclub.com.au