By Richard Owen

Adam Scott, the world’s number 6-ranked golfer, launched Maleny’s golf course onto a global stage last Friday using his Instagram profile to live broadcast a 9-hole match-play round with good friend and club pro-manager Wayne Perske.

Billed as “Nine Holes with a Mate” Adam, 39, joked, chatted about strategy and answered questions posted on-line while riding solo in a cart during the 80-minute social media event viewed by thousands of fans around the world.

The 2013 Masters’ champ has been at home on the Sunshine Coast with his family during the pandemic lockdown away from tournament golf and welcomed Wayne’s recent invitation to play at Maleny’s 18-hole course.

Adam, who played the course beforehand with Wayne and son Billy, some other lucky juniors and his father Phil, said the charm and appeal of Maleny’s Par 68 golf course was that it was created and maintained by an army of volunteers.

“Maleny is a really fun story that I stumbled across through Wayne. The passion of the membership has given a real heartbeat to this club,” Adam said. “They deserve a lot of credit and I just want people to come and experience it with a game.”

The broadcast was Scott’s first attempt at livestreaming using Instagram and he has promised to use the platform to show off more “hidden gems” like Maleny on the Sunshine Coast where he grew up playing golf.

Wayne said Adam’s generosity and patronage had given Maleny Golf Club a “massive credibility boost” which had put the course on the international golfing map.

“It was a fantastic experience, not only for me, but for our golf club during these times when everyone’s doing it a bit tough with social distancing in place,” Wayne said after the match which the “Maleny Masters” duo squared.

“Australia’s doing a fantastic job because one thing we can all still do (almost everywhere) is get out and play some golf.”

Club President Jeff Kruse said the committee and membership had been overwhelmed by Adam’s Scott’s generosity as a result of his friendship with Wayne Perske.

“Adam is a true ambassador for the sport and a great Queenslander, and we can’t thank him enough for the boost he has provided during these difficult economic times,” he said.

“So many golf fans will now be motivated to add Maleny Golf Club’s course to their playing bucket list as a result of this unexpected but very welcome media exposure Adam has provided.”

To ensure Covid-19 social distancing protocols were observed the club urged members to watch the match at home online and asked Maleny police to be present while Adam was on the course. The assignment proved to be an enjoyable and trouble-free country outing for the officers on duty.

The course, serviced by a top-drawer maintenance facility, is comprised of two Par 5s, 10 Par 4s and 6 Par 3s featuring unique revetted greenside bunkering, Tiffdwarf Bermuda Grass greens and Kikuyu fairways within a peaceful, scenic hinterland setting.

Trailer for the video of full 9 holes: YouTube: 1m 41s Quick snippet

Link to Golf Australia for the video of the full 9 holes: Golf Australia page with 2 x 40 minute coverage

Dear member,

The Management Committee completed a further review of our constrained operations today, taking into account developments with the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two weeks.

I am pleased to announce competition golf will now re-commence on Saturday 9^th May 2020. It will be a gradual return, initially limited to Saturdays only, and will involve introduction of a modified scoring system using a special app on your smart phones. This is being done to avoid a need for the Match Committee to handle score cards and face exposure to associated COVID-19 risks.

These new scoring arrangements will be a big shift for many of us, and for everyone to become comfortable it is felt best we steadily ease back into our full competition program. In this regard feedback from members will play an important role in shaping the way ahead.

All of the safety protocols outlined in earlier newsletters will remain in place. Captain, Robin Hay, will shortly write to you in more detail about revised plans for running the competitions, including arrangements for those members who do not have a smart phone for recording their scores.

The Management Committee’s decision today is a start toward normal life again at our golf club and, without wanting to dampen the moment, progress with the pandemic will remain under close watch.

With everyone continuing to observe all the safety measures, for which we thank you, let’s hope earlier limitations imposed on our sport will gradually become a thing of the past.

As always please continue to take care.

With kind regards

Jeff Kruse

President

29 April 2020

Perhaps the only upside of the COVID-19 pandemic for Adam Scott is getting to come home to Australia and spend some time relaxing with his family and friends away from the pressures of the PGA Tour.

And so with Queensland’s regulations allowing golf to be played, albeit under strict conditions, Maleny Golf Club pro, Wayne Perske, finally got his wish for his old mate to come up and play his course in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

45-year-old Perske, a winner on both the Australasian PGA and Japan Tours, and Adam Scott are only six years apart and grew up in much the same era with Perske in Brisbane and Scott’s family moving from Adelaide to the Queensland’s Sunshine Coast when he was nine before settling on the Gold Coast a few years later.

This story first published in Golf Grinder and is available here www.golfgrinder.com/news/AdamScott

It will probably come as no surprise to you that the operational changes that we have had to make to allow play to continue has had a severe financial impact on the Club.

Whatever happens over the next little while we need to maintain our course so that when the Covid-19 situation ends we are ready to go straight back to full playing conditions. Whilst we believe we may be eligible for some Government support for part of our wages we still have fuel, fertilizer and all the other costs that go into maintaining the course to cover.

To assist us continue to meet our costs we have developed an Art Union with a first prize of $10,000.00 and 10 prizes of $50. In summary tickets are $50 each or 3 for $120. There is to be a minimum of 500 tickets sold and a maximum of 600 tickets. If at the date of the prize draw we have not sold the minimum number ticket purchasers will be offered a refund.

Tickets are available for purchase in the shop and you can order tickets by email to treasurer@malenygolfclub.com.au.