Former club president and captain Russell Hollows was made a life member of Balclutha Golf Club at the 116th annual meeting on Saturday.
After a resounding round of applause by all members, Hollows was presented with his life membership certificate by immediate past president Kelvin Stratford, who was standing in for president Steven Balloch.
Hollows thanked his fellow members and described how enjoyable it had been ‘‘to play on one of Balclutha’s, and indeed South Otago’s, best sports amenities’’.
He said he was humbled to have been honoured with a life membership.
He recalled having joined in “about 1962/63” and is the club’s longest serving full member, with about 60 years of continuous membership.
A club spokesman said the present course was largely the result of Hollow’s initiatives and excellent work with the committee and with the present greenkeeper, Ron Davis.
His life membership recognised not only his service to the Balclutha Golf Club, but also his golfing prowess.
Hollows was Junior A Men’s Champion in 1966, winner of the Summer Cup in 1970, Senior Men’s Stroke Champion in 1972 and 1978, Senior Men’s Champion in 1970, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1982 and again in 2002, Intermediate Men’s Stroke Champion in 2001, and Intermediate A Men’s Champion in 1992 and 2004.
Two other life members were on hand to congratulate Hollows — Charlie Ollerenshaw and Graeme Booth.
