It’s been over a century since the sleepy town of Binalong saw any action (when notorious bushranger Johnny Gilbert was shot dead) but this month it will host international and national pro-golfers for a PGA tour – with a country twist.
This tiny town (population 543), just an hour’s drive from Canberra, has re-invented itself as the home of Australia’s first ever Men’s World Sand Greens Championship with a purse of $140,000.
Whether you like golf or not, this is ground-breaking for both the town and the sport.
Many country towns have had to forge new identities to stay viable – Trundle has its ABBA festival, Parkes has Elvis, and now Binalong has the inaugural Men’s World Sand Greens Championships for the next three years.
What’s a sand green? The opposite of Royal Canberra Golf Club’s lush fairways. Sand greens are perfectly suited to small rural clubs (Binalong’s golf membership is 45) due to the high cost of watering and mowing.
President of the Binalong Golf Club, Michael Brayshaw, said you might not see Tiger Woods on a sand green but come 28 September, you’ll see 120 professional golfers and 40 elite amateurs, all with a handicap of 4.4 or less.
“It’s only just starting to sink in,” Michael said. “We’ve booked out all the local accommodation for the event and we’ve got people staying in Harden, Jugiong, Yass, Young and Goulburn. Some of the bigger names will travel back to Canberra.”
Who’d have thought the stomping ground of notorious bushranger Johnny Gilbert would be up staged by a civilised game of golf? After all, Johnny Gilbert was the worst bushranger of them all, with 630 armed hold-ups. At the time of his death at just 23 (in 1865), he was the most infamous criminal in Australia, a one-time member of Ben Hall’s gang.
Not far from the Binalong Golf Course, Johnny Gilbert was shot dead in a paddock on the bank of the Balgalal Creek. Now Gilbert’s historic gravesite will join the Men’s World Sand Greens Championships as Binalong’s top tourist attractions.
“It’s not only a boon for the town, it’s a boon for Yass Valley,” Michael said. “The tournament on the final day is to be televised on 7Mate, 7 plus free to air and it’ll showcase not only the grounds and the golf course but Binalong and Yass Valley as a whole.”
Playing a professional PGA tournament on sand surfaces is a first in Australia, and Binalong will test the skill and creativity of pro golfers – some of whom will travel from South Africa and New Zealand.
The golf rules are the same with one exception – disturbed sand may be smoothed (not scraped) with the implement provided.
Dress rules are standard at Binalong’s clubhouse (est. 1857) – no rubber thongs or singlets. The old club was actually once a horse racing venue (and clay pigeon shooting) until a nine-hole golf course was set up in the middle of the track in 1927. Today it boasts a bowling green, bar and kitchen.
So come on Canberra, make a daytrip to Binalong and witness Australia’s first ever Men’s World Sand Greens Championships on 28-29 September. Entry is free and there will be coffee vans, barbecue, market stalls and live music. (The town’s accommodation is booked-out but camping is available at the recreation grounds).
