 |
HISTORY OF THE WANDERERS GOLF CLUB |
|
Many words have been written about Victor Kent, whose vision was probably the most important single factor in ensuring the survival of The Wanderers Club after the Second World War.
Felix's task was daunting. He had insufficient ground with which to work and there was no natural source of water. His only recourse was to build a narrow, tree lined, parkland layout and the course he created was, from a broad perspective the course we have today. It varies very little from his design if one ignores the technical advances over the years in the design of greens and bunkers in particular, and the use in recent years of different strains of grass for fairways and putting surfaces.
|
|
The
first hole-in-one was achieved by Bill Trollip, a founder member
and subsequently captain, chairman and an honorary life member.
This took place on 20th March 1940. In those days the achievement
of the ultimate perfect fluke was marked by the affixing of a small
silver plaque to the wall of the main bar, recording the name of
the player, the hole and the date.
|
FELIX OLIVER |
|
|
|
Felix
Oliver was a former Transvaal amateur golf champion, and also an
engineer capable of constructing golf courses. That combination
of talents, which is sufficiently rare to provoke comment, has been
of profound importance to The Wanderers Club in general, and to
the golf club in particular. When historians come to assess the
work of the men who built the golf club, Felix Oliver's name will
stand high among them. For his own personal contribution was remarkable.
Nor was it confined to the physical construction and building of
the course and its amenities. Great though his share in that, it
is the least important part of his work. Oliver's main contribution
was to take a leading part in establishing the tone of the golf
club. Naturally, with Wanderers sportsmen as members, the task was
not difficult; but golf, nevertheless, is not like other games,
and is in fact notorious for the extent to which the unwary or untutored
often crash into unsuspected pitfalls. Oliver, in close co-operation
with Victor Kent, nursed the club over that "teething age,"
created the basis for the right kind of traditions, and made sure
that the character of The Wanderers Club would become also the character
of The Wanderers Golf Club. It is significant that any stranger
who visits The Wanderers Golf Club detects at once an atmosphere
and a spirit that one finds in few others. The members themselves
are confident that they have got something which few other golf
clubs possess. For that, they owe much to Felix Oliver.  |
SNIPPETS FROM THE PAST |
|
Extracts from minutes of
committee and special general meetings 2nd march, 1939
In finalising the rules and regulations governing the running of the new golf club, the following was approved:
The men membership of the club shall not exceed 350, except as provided for in rule 20 hereof, exclusive of country, temporary and associate members, and also absentee members domiciled outside the province of the Transvaal; the lady membership shall not exceed 150, exclusive of country and temporary members; the country membership shall not exceed 100 men.
The deposit of one guinea submitted with the application for membership
shall form part of the entrance fee, if any, or of the annual subscription
of any candidate elected to membership; such deposit shall not bear
interest.
Forfeit of deposit In the event of a candidate not being elected a member of the club, or should the candidate withdraw his or her name, the committee shall have the right to retain the deposit of one guinea referred to in rule 7 hereof.
|
|
