13 Dec 2023 | Clubs and Facilities |
A community gem beyond the greens
by Patrick Taylor
The Kyabram Parkland Golf Club, which boasts a stunning 18-hole par-3 layout, is a treasured part of the community for more than just the course. The clubhouse is a popular function venue for the community and social hub for golfers, and recent redevelopments and upgrades have ensured this continues for generations to come. Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland recently travelled to Kyabram to officially open the new clubhouse and play the testing, and in parts not-so-short, short course. “The golf club’s commitment to innovating and looking forward is inspiring," said Sutherland following his visit. “Kyabram Parkland is much bigger than an 18-hole golf course. It has become extremely relevant to the broader community in the way it serves the town and encourages newcomers to golf.”
Club member Don McKenzie successfully applied for a $200,000 Federal Government grant in 2020, with a further $200,000 in funding matched by the club. An astonishing $150,000 was raised through community fundraising in Kyabram, and the remaining efforts (estimated at around $200,000) was provided by extensive and generous volunteer work which epitomises the community spirit in the town. McKenzie said the clubhouse upgrades had not only transformed the facility, but put it on the map. "It's given us so much more exposure to the wider community," he said. "Since re-opening, we've had over 20 reasonably significant functions, whether it be parties, to weddings, to funerals." Having employed a full-time greenskeeper in recent years, the course has been going from strength to strength, and it now has a clubhouse to match. The highlight of the upgrades is the new al fresco area, which is now often filled with many people who have never seen the beautiful course before. Not only beautiful, the course provides an appealing option to those wanting to start their golfing journeys in an accessible and affordable way. "People are time-poor and to get a specialist par-3 course is quite significant," said McKenzie. "We believe now we've really got something to market because the facilities are excellent. "We're one of Victoria's best kept secrets." That may be the case now, but word is getting around about Kyabram Parkland Golf Club.
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