West Coast Golf Club’s History
This history of the club is an edited version of the history written by Paul Foley 30 June 1991; edits have been made to reflect changes of the names of locations and to integrate this history with more recent events. Instead of documenting the names of members added year by year, these have been included in a separate list – see Club membership 1972-2022
Dec 1988 – Front row L-R: F Sorensen, C McPhee, F Partridge, M Bradley, R Overington, E Bestry
Back row L-R: W Whittell, C Nelson, F Edmondson, J Gorham
Paul wrote that, by 1991, new members had enquired about the origin of the West Coast Golf Club, and as a result, these notes were compiled to satisfy any further enquiry which may be made.
By 1972, four retired friends living close to each other near Lake Monger in Wembley, regularly played the Old Course at the City of Perth Golf Complex each Monday and Friday, beginning at 11.00am. These were Les Toohey, Vic Gollan, Frank Enright and Fred Sorenson. Another neighbour of these four players, Noel Akimovich, retired in 1973 and attached himself to the 11.00am group, although there were several other groups playing together at this time at the Wembley Golf Complex. It became necessary, therefore, to break the four into a three and a two to accommodate the additional player, a change that was not too popular at the time.
Play was for Lottery Tickets and after a game, the players adjourned to the Wembley Hotel in Cambridge Street, Wembley which was close to their respective homes, and where they enjoyed each other’s company. ln subsequent years, when some of the new players lived in the northern suburbs, the players moved to the Floreat Park Hotel for refreshment, until the Wembley Golf Course Tavern was licensed.
Dec 1989 – Sitting – C McPhee, Kneeling – S Marshall, Standing L-R: R Overington, C Stale, R Mildenhall, F Sorensen, M Bradley, C Nelson, P Foley, C Parrot, E Bestry
By 1979, the group had grown with the addition of 23 players to that year and a further 11 players in 1980. The total membership in 1979 was 26, increasing to 35 in 1980. That year, recruitment was assisted when the Pro Shop sent retired persons to the club who were seeking a regular game each week. Paul Foley (who had joined the group in 1974), was appointed President and match coordinator, and Bill Marshall (joined in 1978) served as secretary-handicapper. He introduced a basic simplified handicapping system on 23 April 1979, and this was converted the official system in 1986.
Before 1981, the Club was known loosely as the “Wembley Golf Club”, although the bar staff at the Tavern had christened the group as “Dads Army”. Through the efforts of President Paul Foley and Secretary Bill Marshall, an established club had evolved and the first Club Championship was arranged by Bill Marshall in December 1981, acting on a suggestion from resident Pro Len Thomas. The winner was Les Medwin. Subsequent trophy winners are listed on pages for each range of years as shown at the bottom of this page.
The Club Championship in 1981 marked the acceptance of the name “Wembley Golf Club” and this appeared on the first Club Champion’s trophy. When a new Championship honour board was introduced in December 1986, it was resolved that the official name of the Club would be the West Coast Golf Club. The 1986 honour board was retired sadly in 2016 because there was insufficient space allocated in the new 300 Acres clubroom for the proliferation of clubs and honour boards which have evolved at Wembley.
Life members Fred Sorensen (with guest), and Paul Foley (R) with Bill Macdonald in Nov 1994
Prior to 1980, competition winners were rewarded with $1.00 lottery tickets but from September 1980, players contributed 50c each game to provide for cash prizes for competition winners. The fee was increased to $1 in 1987. Since January 1991, members who play regularly pay an annual subscription to the Club – initially this was $5 pa, but after Golflink handicaps were introduced, we have joined Golf Australia and subscriptions were increased to cover the cost members’ insurance and registration fees – currently $55 per playing member.
In December 1985, the two 18-hole courses at Wembley were designated the “Old” and “New” courses. The ‘New’ course was renamed the Tuart Course in the 1990’s. Previously the outward nine holes of the present Old and New Courses were known as the ‘East Course’ whilst the inward nine holes comprised the ‘West Course’. [ED: There has also been a reversal of the first and second nine on the Tuart course since it was known as the East Course which make this difficult to visualise on the current layout.]
The inaugural president Paul Foley was absent in 1987/88 during which time Bill Whittell acted as president. Prior to 1991, the club’s secretaries were Bill Marshall, Frank Edmondson, Syd Clark, Frank Lenegan and Don Adair. Frank Edmonson introduced the novelty award ‘Nearest the Pin’ on 27 February 1987, donating a set of Jack Nicklaus golf instruction books for the winner at hole #3 on the Tuart – the winner was Fred Sorenson. Subsequently, winners were included with the distribution of prize money.
1991 Presentation – L-R: (unknown bald head), Frank Edmondson, Keith Minkey, Don Adair, Jock Ohlers, Graham Guy Snr, Paul Foley
From the 1991 season, a match committee was appointed to select the type of game to be played on each day and also to fix the order in which each playing group should begin play – the original match committee comprised Graham Guy (Snr), Don Adair and Ernie Bestry. Since 1988, the Championship events provided for the best net score in A and B Grade handicaps (B grade being those exceeding 18) and there has been an annual eclectic competition.
The 2017 season saw the club post three holes in one – an achievement we believe is quite remarkable since they occurred within 32 days of each other in April and May – congratulations to Terry Morgan, Garth Irvine and Michael Spencer (Club Captain) for this achievement. In addition, Gerry Gillett carded a round of 85 off the stick, scoring 46 stableford points, on 29 September 2017 aged 91 – shooting under his age by 6 shots – congratulations, Gerry! The attached article appeared in the Cambridge Post on 28 Oct 2017, page 69).
The club record for the best score at Wembley is uncertain, but the attached scorecard from Derek Alton on 19 September 2003 is thought to be the record holder unless anyone has better evidence! His score was 74 against par of 73 on the Old Course at that time. Frank Cnapich also recorded an impressive gross score of 76 on the Old Course on 24 September 2004. In more recent times, Rolfe Heldt scored an impressive 74 on the Old Course in windy conditions on 29 December 2023 including a hole-in-one on the 2nd hole – his card is attached. Tony Fisk scored 74 on the Old Course on 13 February 2023, after scoring 69 on the Tuart Course on 1 April 2022, whilst Tom McClain scored 75 on the Tuart Course on 1 March 2019 and Richard Russell has twice carded 76 on the Tuart Course – on 6 Nov 2015 and 9 Jan 2017.
Trophy winners and scorers of Holes-in-One are shown on the Honour Board.
1994 Committee – L-R: Ray Dale, Graham Guy Snr (seated), Keith Minkey, Bert Welfare (seated), Tom Goddard
The website manager needs some help as there are quite a few gaps in the above – please send along old photos and information to [email protected]
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