One of the Sunshine Coast’s most picturesque golf courses has raised its game, with the public golf course now boasting an 18-hole course with completion of the final six holes.
Sunshine Coast Council chipped in $450,000 to drive construction of the latest stage of works.
Mayor Mark Jamieson said council’s contribution, combined with assistance provided to the Maleny Golf Club Association from the Federal Government through Sport Australia ($200,000) and the Queensland Government ($100,000) had resulted in a great outcome for the community.
The public golf course, set in the beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland, operates with a links style setting.
“The upgrade will help ensure the facility maintains its place as one of the region’s premier golf courses,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“Innovatively designed by golf architect Graham Papworth, this course has been built to the highest standards and takes full advantage of its spectacular natural assets, like the gentle rolling hills and expansive pastures.
“This project has been driven by the community from start to finish and I would like to congratulate the Maleny Golf Club committee for their tireless commitment to creating one of our coast’s best community golf courses.”
Division 5 Councillor Jenny McKay also commended the club for their unwavering dedication to the project.
“The first stage of the course was completed in 2015 and I am delighted to now be celebrating the second stage which has been constructed over the past few years,” Cr McKay said.
“The Maleny Golf Club is such a special place in our community, enjoyed by members and visitors, and this upgrade will provide players with a great experience.”
Maleny Golf Club President Jeff Kruse said the club had faced many challenges since plans to establish a golf club in Maleny gained traction in 1999 and owed a great debt to his long-serving predecessor Dr Max Whitten, whose efforts were rewarded with a Queensland Government Sports Volunteer of the Year award in 2015.
“This golf course would never have been built had it not been for the grit, determination and unwavering leadership provided by Max who only stepped down last September after 19-years as president when the finishing post finally came into sight,” Mr Kruse said.
“The conclusion of this project marks the end of the club’s rather long beginning and start of a bright future as the home of golf in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and an exciting focal point for other sporting and community pursuits such as cross country running and astronomy.
“The course covers about 25 per cent of the Maleny Community Precinct – the rest being devoted to other sports, heritage, walking paths, rainforest, and wetlands.
“Our Superintendent Mick McCombe has really worked miracles with volunteers and contractors to oversee the transformation of dairy pastures and some dense weedy patches into a quality course.
“In the process he won two national and one state award for excellence.”
Mr Kruse said so much was owed to the dedicated volunteers who had given everything to ensure the golf course was such a success and he thanked them for their commitment.
Fast Facts
• Stage two works included the design and construction of the second set of 9 holes to create an 18 hole golf course.
• To complete the project, the latest works include new tees, fairways, greens and critical plantings for holes 1 to 7, 17 and 18.
• The club enjoys a state of the art maintenance facility benefiting from shared experiences with other golf clubs on the Sunshine Coast.
• The course is constructed on land leased from Sunshine Coast Council, which forms part of the Maleny Community Precinct, and comprises two former dairy and cattle farms (Armstrong’s Farm and Porter’s Farm) located in close proximity to Maleny.
• MGC Patron, Andrew Powell MP and Councillors Tim Dwyer and Jenny McKay opened the temporary driving range in July 2010.
• Planning and construction of the first 9 holes of the course then began and were completed and opened for play in July 2015.
Image: Celebrating the official opening of the Maleny Golf Club upgrade – Sunshine Coast Council Division 5 Councillor Jenny McKay, Maleny Golf Club President Jeff Kruse, Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson and past Maleny Golf Club President/current Vice-President Dr Max Whitten.
