Marissa Newman |
When members of the Grafton District Services Westlawn Golf Club found out that the 9-hole course situated within the Grafton Racecourse complex would be closed on December 31, they were outraged.
However, a lifeline has been offered to members of the club with the very real possibility that the lease will be extended.
The members of the club have recently become incorporated and the club is now known as the Westlawn Golf Club Incorporated.
This Saturday, November 16 members will come together to elect office bearers for the new club as well as iron out the business plan that they have formed to present to the Clarence River Jockey Club.
The Westlawn Golf Course is an important social hub for many returned servicemen in Grafton as well as many senior golfers as they enjoy the flat course.
Charles Doggett is just one of the members of the club who attends the golf course on a regular basis and will benefit from the lease being extended. Mr Doggett has been a member of the Returned Services League for 58 years, after flying 87 missions in Lincoln bombers as an air-gunner.
When Mr Doggett found out that the club may be closed, he felt like he had nowhere to go.
“I came back here, I’m an ‘extreme disablement adjustment’ (EDA), next to a ‘totally and permanently incapacitated’ (TPI), I came her like everyone else to play golf and now I feel as though I have been kicked out, I served the country and now, I can’t go anywhere, it doesn’t seem right,” Mr Doggett said.
Member of Westlawn Golf Club Incorporated, Jason Casserly said the Clarence River Jockey Club (CRJC) have been very supportive in extending the lease and liked the business plan that was initially presented. Once Westlawn Golf Club Incorporated elect office bearers they will once again meet with the CRJC to discuss the business plan in more detail, but things are looking promising.
Jason Casserly also said that while the Grafton District Services Club did not support the renewal or extension of the lease. They have offered to support the club in other ways such as machinery and sponsorship.
All members of the public who wish to support the Westlawn Golf Course are invited to attend the annual general meeting of Westlawn Golf Club Incorporated which will be held this Saturday, November 16 at the Westlawn course, commencing at 1pm.