As a club that only has two paid staff — one greenkeeper and one cleaner — Pittwater Golf Club in Tasmania is one of many Australian clubs that simply could not function without its dedicated volunteers.

Pittwater’s volunteering spirit stretches all the way back to its humble beginnings 75 years ago, and today at least 20 members put in a total of around 130 hours every week.

“We are so grateful to have our limited staff, but with so much ground to cover we still need a large volunteer base to run the club,” said Pittwater Captain, Scott Taylor.

“Over time, we have developed a strong, dedicated group of volunteers who look after our club in many ways.

“As it stands now, our volunteers conduct the large majority of upkeep and engage in a number of improvement projects to continue to bolster the high quality of our clubhouse, grounds and continue the daily running of the club.”

This year’s theme for National Volunteer Week is Connecting Communities, and Mr Taylor says that the volunteer group at Pittwater has become a real social hub.

“Many of our volunteers are retired,” he said. “Once they’ve left the workforce, they’re looking for a new outlet. Our club can provide that through new friendships and the camaraderie that has developed is instrumental in giving many of our retired members a sense of purpose.

“We also have many volunteers who still work, have families and things outside of the club to attend to; regardless, they show up every week to hang out with their mates and give back to their club.”

On top of course maintenance, hospitality and club administration, Pittwater’s volunteers have helped to deliver numerous charity events which have directly benefitted the local community.

“Each year we dedicate a couple of events to raise money to support various organisations outside of the golf club,” said Mr Taylor.

“Kids with Cancer, The Menzies Centre, as well as several fundraisers for members that may be doing it tough.

“Recently, we engaged in a fundraiser to support the family of one of our longtime members who passed away, which shows the connected nature of our club and the sense of community we share.”

The group at Pittwater have also helped to bring new golfers into the sport, helping out at come-and-try days which has resulted in a boost to the women membership at the club.

While this week all volunteers in Australia are recognised for their dedication, Mr Taylor and Pittwater acknowledge that the often thankless work deserves more thanks than it gets.

“Acknowledgement is super important. We plan to explicitly recognise our volunteers through a recognition board, and we have events like our appreciation day to ensure that our volunteers are recognised for their contributions,” said Mr Taylor.

“Our mission is to provide a good quality course and an inviting atmosphere within the clubrooms. The presence of our volunteers dictates our mission without overheads of employing staff other than our greenkeeper and cleaner.

“Without our volunteers, we are unable to have such a strong club for all to be a part of.”

To find out more about Pittwater Golf Club, CLICK HERE.