All Standards Welcome

The Canungra Area Golf Club has a story as colourful as its rolling greens, with roots planted in some quite unexpected soil. We sat down with Kim Sami, secretary of the club and captain of the ladies’ section for 11 years running, along with a welcoming bevy of the club’s members, to dig up a little history on this town staple of sport and community.

by Kyle Hitchmough

How did you get started working at the Golf Club?

My mum and dad both play and they’ve always been in community positions, so I think it just runs in the blood.

Is it true that the golf club used to be owned by the Army?

It used to be called the Canungra Army Golf Club for the Jungle Warfare Training Centre and the army ran it. I wasn’t around then but my dad was, and you could just turn up and play golf and the army dealt with everything. Then they didn’t want to do that anymore in about 1991, so we started leasing it off the army, and we run it as a separate entity now. 

Is the club aimed more at beginners or more at serious golfers?

I’d say beginners. There’s no crowding, you can come out here and play two balls against yourself and improve. You don’t have to book, there’s nobody behind you trying to hurry you up, it’s very good for learning. At other courses there’s tee times every five to ten minutes, which is really nerve-wracking when you’re learning. Here, you can almost get the place to yourself, and it’s beautiful. Pro players come out here for the solitude. Since the closure of Hills at Jimboomba and also Arundel Hills, people are desperately trying to get onto a course that’s not busy, so we’re getting a few extra people coming along. One of our members likes to tell a story about when she first joined. She came along with some friends who enjoyed golf, but she was still new and wasn’t sure she was good enough to join a club. But she saw a sign on the front of the old clubhouse that said, “All Standards Welcome”, and she decided to give it a try. And she’s still here today!

Do you offer classes to teach newcomers to play?

We do have a pro who’s been with us for a long time, he comes and does lessons. David Merriman is his name. We’re going to be running introductions to get people in, have an open day. He does this really good trick golf show.

You do still have a strong competitive scene, though, correct?

We run a Saturday competition for mixed, Thursday for men, and Tuesday ladies. Then we also have the open, we have vets’ competitions, we incorporate our club against other clubs in pennants, and then we have Chicks with Sticks. That’s a ladies’ tournament we brought in once a year to support small clubs, like Boomerang Farm, Tallebudgera, and Tally Valley— which we won this year! There’re opportunities for competition, which is great. The beauty of it is, you can join and be competitive and play in tournaments and fixtures, or you can just join and come and have a hit whenever you want.

What facilities do you have here?

We used to have a beautiful big old Queenslander two-storey clubhouse which was part of the lease, but Defence demolished it. Thank god we have such a good base of skilled volunteers, because we built this new clubhouse. We have a licensed bar, too! We do sell the little stuff like tees, balls and shirts, and we hire out golf clubs, but we don’t have a dedicated shop. The course is a nine-hole composite course, which means we’ve got nine greens, but eighteen separate tees. You can play the course twice, but from a different angle the second time. 

Are there any particular trends in your clientele?

The majority are retirees, particularly the Thursday men’s games. It’s such a good platform for them as far as friendships and camaraderie. The other groups are the same, everyone hangs around afterwards and has a chat. There’s no rushing, it’s very laid back.

Are you a local? What’s your opinion on the Canungra area and community?

I live at Beechmont, so it’s still Scenic Rim. I love it! I really like Canungra. Even better than Beechmont! It’s just got a nice country town feel to it. It gets hectic on the weekends, but I like the people. It’s a really good feeling. It’s like living in the country, but you’re still close enough to suburbia or the Coast. 

What do you think the golf club really provides to the area?

To the area it provides a recreational outlet, not only a sport, but an option to be competitive, to exercise… We raise funds for Turning Canungra Pink day, we’ve done that for the last five years. Nora, one of our members who runs the Shoe Vault in town, she sponsors the day. We usually raise a couple of thousand dollars for that each year. It’s always a good feeling. We do other days in honour of people who have passed away. It’s a nice way to honour people who have been a big part of the club. 

What do you enjoy most about doing this?

I really enjoy being able to keep the club ticking over, seeing people happy and enjoying what we’re providing for them. It is a good buzz when you introduce someone to golf and they take it on, enjoy it, and they’re improving. It’s a great feeling.

What’s been your most memorable moment in your time here?

I’ve never had a hole in one, but I was with someone when they did. It was Pam, one of our members, and I did a whole photoshoot with her holding her ball. It was a really exciting day. I really enjoy the Pink Days. They’re a lot of work, but when everyone gets into it and dresses up in pink, it turns into a really good day. 
We are always looking for new topics for our blog. If there’s something you like to see more of, email your suggestions to: social@professionalsserendipity.com.au, or email the writer at kyle.hitchmough@hotmail.com.