HISTORY OF TASMANIAN TAXI GOLF.

HISTORY OF TASMANIAN TAXI GOLF.

In 1989 Tasmania was invited to attend the National State championships in Victoria played at the Cobram-Barooga Golf Resort in Victoria. For those who can remember this was the year of the National Pilot's strike. Our committee members of two flew to Victoria thanks to the RAAF so an intersting start to the formation of Tasmanian Taxi Golf. Ray Edmunds and Bruce Harris attended in 1989, 1990 at Liverpool, NSW, 1991 Mount Barker SA and 1992 at Virginia QLD and attended as Observers.  In 1993 Ray Edmands and Keith Watt attended the Council meeting and Tasmania "admitted to Affiliation with Australian Taximans Golf Association"

In 1994 as official Delegates representing Tasmania Ray Edmunds, B. Woodward and Keith Watt represented Tasmania and was granted the 1995 Championships to be played at the Mowbray Golf Club.At the 1989 event Tasmania was invited to run the National State Championships. Committee of two people attended. Firstly Ray Edmunds a name well known to all the current members as the Trophy for the Best Score at Bicheno and is named in his honour. Second person is Bruce "Chopper" Harris who has been instrumental in gaining this information.  Joey Clayton who we all know well who also has helped the Editor piece togeter this early history and Keith Watt who has sadly passed away. Tasmania requested time to discuss and plan for this huge change in past history of Taxi golf in Tasmania.

Tasmanian Taxi Golf committee came into existence in 1994 when several taxi members including the four above named people formed a new committee to run for the first time the National State Championships in Tasmania at the Mowbray Golf Club. It was a major undertaking as it was the first time and the committee had little knowledge of our other States organised this week of Golf and from what I can gather no money. The Official Delegates to the Council meeting were Paul Mansell (President), Ray Edmunds (Secretary) ans Tom Fraser (Captain)

As I was the Northern Sponsorship Manager for J. Boag & Son "Boags" we were one of the first major Companies to to negotiate a Major Sponship package with Tasmania Taxi Golf. J. Boag & Son effectionely known as "Boags" have supported the Tasmanian Taxi Golf Association since the first National Statate Championships held in 1995 at the Mowbray Golf Club. I remember this amazing week of golf and although I never particpated I attended every day and watched many of the fine golfers that attended the event. Back then Boags had a polo shirt for every beer they made and a routine was established with myself taking orders for the differant coloured beer shirts, taking to the embroiders and returning the next day to deliver and collect payment. Sold hundreds of shirts yet to date I have never seen one in all my attendances both here and interstate

Boags have continued to support our titles again in 2001, 2007, 2013 and 2019 and we are so proud that we have continued our support to an icon Tasmanian Company and product.

Believe it or not Chris Johnson (current President of the Tasmanian Taxi Golf Association and with the support of his immediate superior Richard Harrold (effectionately known as Uncle Dickie) was the first Sponsorship Manager Manager that instigated the support for for Tasmanian Taxi Golf. The current Sponsorship and Events Executive , David Charlesworth has continued this support to the current day and we are truely grasteful.

Our long time Sponsor J. Boag & Son (from 1995) has always been our our long time friend and supporter and we thank them for this ongoing support.

From discussions I believe that we had 235 players attended Mowbray and at  functions they had 320 people including wives and partners. Joey Clayton was telling me that he had help from Matthew Wiltshire another Mowbray member as the Coles Manager for the meat department and ran the Sunday BBQ. Joey built the BBQ and the beer eskie and as Tasmanian Taxi had no money this was the only way they could afford to have the opening BBQ. Apparently they kept running out of food and several trips were required to stock up all supplies. As you would guess the bar was close so Joey kept up his fuel and looking after 320 hungry people fuel was certainly needed. As you would expect being the "Boags Rep" I know from bar sales that Mowbray Golf Club certainly benefited from these extra sales. The CEO at the time was Allan Lewis alias "Douka" who was a great help to Taxi Golf.

Another story that I have collected that as very few carts available that Ray Edmunds flew To Sydney and purchased with his own money a three carts plus one for himself to help with the number of carts required. After the event Ray then sold the three carts. Being 20 plus years ago and no computers to record all information stories are becoming harder to collect and verify so I will keeping digging. The Committee has been the most difficult thing to verify with official titles but gaining more information every week of research. so if any body out there can help please let me know.

I would like to thank the following people for all their help in gaining as much of the history of Tasmanian Taxi Golf as possible. Increasingly difficult with the death of three of our founding Fathers in Ray Edmunds, Keith Watt and John Mallett. All dieing in the past 12 months and it was a sad time for the people who knew all of them. They will be remember with fond memories and gratitude.

Tasmanian Taxi Golf Association incorporated on 12th April 2000 and again completed by Ray Edmunds. We applied and received an ABN Number in 1999. Number is 65247882057 and is still active today.

Joey Clayton, Bruce "Chopper" Harris, Kim and Barry Clarke, Murray Green, and myself have been major suppliers of information for this history and as now National Secretary been able to access many old files. A special thanks to Coral Patmore and Wendy Mallett as both their partners have passed away in recent times so it would have added further stress in helping me. Without the support of these people we would have lost our humble beginnings and of course not an ideal situation.

TAXI GOLF TODAY INTRODUCTION.

Tasmanian Taxi Golf plays 1-11 games on a monthly basis during the year at various clubs around Tasmania with the emphasis on playing our members home courses including Mowbray, Llaherne and Exeter to name a few. We also look to play other courses through out the State trying to support smaller golf clubs if possible. 

Our Members fully support our National Championships and on a whole as a State we punch well above our weight. The State titles are held every year and held in six States on a rotation basis. A week of golf and catching up with interstate friends is not only appealing to our members but brings many happy and enjoyable memories that will last a lifetime.

Tasmanian Taxi Golf allows social golfers to play competitive golf in a relaxed friendly environment regularly  although nearly all members now hold a Golf Link number. To play in the National State championships we must now hold a Golf Link number and belong to a recognized Golf Club.

Tasmanian Taxi Golf plays on a monthly basis booking courses in conjunction with our members in mind and with the clubs schedule tee times around 10AM. Membership is $10 per year and has remained on this figure since 1995 and hopefully inflation will never hit us especially in my lifetime.

At this stage of our existence we do not have many active Taxi working personel but our history is based on this Industry and we will continue to honour our past committee and members within the existing frame work of the past.

In 2016 the Committee chose a new logo for our Association which you can now see. No one has been able to let me know who, what and where the old logo came from but I do know that we never had it as picture file (JPEG) so another reason for the change. Along with this logo came a new flag as per this old logo again with no green in it. However out of the past we found the original flag which will suit our new logo far better than the old flag. The other problem we had that the main colour for Tasmania is green and as you can see no green to be seen. We left the old logo in the history section of this page so we will remember our roots.

CHAMPIONSHIP BADGES.

DECEASED ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF TASMANIAN TAXI GOLF ASSOCIATION.

OF COURSE IT IS SAD TO SEE OUR ORIGINAL MEMBERS THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY BUT WE BELIEVE THAT RECOGNITION SHOULD BE SHOWN TO THESE EARLY PIONEERS. WORKED LONG HOURS AND ALWAYS HAD THEIR HANDS IN THEIR POCKETS TO SEE OUR EARLY ASSOCIATION SURVIVE.

THEY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN AND WE ARE HOPING THAT THEY ARE STILL HITTING THE LITTLE WHITE BALL IN THE GREAT BEYOND.