Longtime Chirnside Park General Manager Barbara Kelly and Royal Melbourne Course Superintendent Richard Forsyth were this week inducted into the Victorian Golf Hall of Fame. In front of nearly 200 people, both received standing ovations at the Arts Centre for their incredible contributions to the game for over 30 years.

Barbara Kelly joined the administration team of Chirnside Park Country Club in 1990 and by 1994 was the supervisor running clubhouse operations. Her achievements at the club resulted in being appointed General Manager and Company Secretary, a role that she holds today after 32 years of service. Between 2002 and 2014 Kelly played the key role in the rezoning and sale of the golf course at Chirnside Park for residential development, paving the way for the establishment of the new golf course facility at Gardiners Run, now ranked within the top 100 courses in Australia.

The Chirnside Park Country Club has expanded its community-based operations to include bowling, tennis, mini golf, hospitality facilities and gaming. Beyond leading their club through major change Kelly has been active and effective in the wider golf industry, and a close friend and advisor to many club managers. She was Clubs Victoria’s Manager of the Year in 2002, has served as a Councillor at Clubs Victoria including positions as secretary, treasurer, vice-president and president and is an executive committee director for Golf Management Victoria. Richard Forsyth’s career has spanned more than 40 years in the turf industry since he began as apprentice greenkeeper at Riversdale Golf Club in 1980.

In 1985, they served as assistant superintendent at Yarrawonga (during the construction of the Murray course) and in 1988 superintendent at Murray Downs Golf and Country Club during its initial construction. In 1994, he moved to Metropolitan Golf Club, and was responsible for rebuilding all of the greens, then in 2009 Forsyth switched to Royal Melbourne Golf Club, during the drought years, restoring that course to world class standing including water installations, water management and renovating the whole course in preparation for The Presidents Cup 2019 and the Women’s Australian Open that followed. Royal Melbourne reclaimed its ranking as the No.1 course in Australia. Forsyth served as president of the Victorian Golf Course Superintendents Association from 1998 – 2000, and in 2011 was named Superintendent of the Year by Golf Digest and the Victorian Golf Course Superintendents Association bestowed life membership upon him. Recently his team at Royal Melbourne Golf Club were responsible for the redevelopment of the Sandringham Links. A host of other major contributors over the last 12-months were presented with awards as follows: PGA Award winners: -Club Professional of the year – Peter Manzie (Southern Golf Club) -Coach of the year high performance – Nick Bielawski (PGA) -Coach of the year Game Development – Tony Craswell (Latrobe Golf Club) -Management Professional of the year – Brett Scothern (Medway Golf Club) -Vic Pro-Am OOM winner – Tim Hart -Legends Pro Am of the year – Portarlington Golf Club -Regional Pro Am of the year – The Sands Torquay -Metropolitan Pro Am of the year – Eynesbury Homestead Golf Victoria Award winners: -Volunteer of the year award – Chris Collingwood (Keysborough Golf Club) -Inclusion Initiative Year Award – Shepparton Golf Club -Golf Club of the year – Woodend Golf Club -Leading Amateur Female – Keeley Marx -Leading Amateur Male – Jasper Stubbs -Team acknowledgement – Victorian Women’s and Men’s Interstate Team. (Winners at Sorrento GC) GMV Award winners: -Employee of the Year – Carly Jehu (Finance Manager - Lonsdale Links) -Excellence in Management Award – Josh Hall (General Manager – Lonsdale Links) Vic Course Superintendents Award winners: -Superintendents Recognition Award – Barry Proctor -Honorary Life Member Award – Steven Hewitt