What a fantastic four days away in the Hunter Valley! 

We were blessed with near-perfect weather – just a sprinkle of rain here and there – and even the sun came out to shine on us for a couple of days. Considering all the rain the Hunter Valley has had recently, we were very lucky to be able to enjoy such beautiful courses in great condition.

The trip kicked off in style at The Vintage, where Sally and her team looked after us superbly. It really set the tone for the rest of the trip. Day two at Cypress Lakes proved a real test with its long fairways and monster bunkers, but there were still some cracking scores on the board. The afternoon wine tasting was something else – a cultural experience for many, and a great chance to relax over a few bottles and cheese boards.

We wrapped up at Hunter Valley Golf Club, where the weather turned it on again (apart from one cheeky thunderstorm). That third hole over the water was a crowd-pleaser – I’m still wondering how Greg Chin’s near hole-in-one didn’t drop!

Special mention also goes to Matt Lynch, who hurt his back just before the trip and reluctantly came along thinking he’d only be watching from the sidelines. He still turned up for all the social events each day, and after a miraculous massage was swinging a club by the final round. Despite only taking it easy, he played some great golf – maybe there’s a lesson in that for all of us: swing easy! It was fantastic to finally have him along after wanting to make the trip for the past couple of years.

Also a big shout out to our substitute Club Captain, Mark Nightingale. Your contributions to each day was much appreciated and your presentations were inspiring.

Congratulations to our winners:

• Day 1 (Vintage): Jim Middleton

• Day 2 (Cypress Lakes): David Murphy

• Day 3 (Hunter Valley GC): Glenn Harris, who also sealed the overall championship with 104 points, just edging out Jim Middleton on 102.

A big thank you to everyone for making the trip such a success. It was great to see people meeting new members, sharing stories, and playing some terrific golf.