Sport
26 October, 2025
Hargreaves' hours putt top volunteer award
CHARLTON Golf Club stalwart Anthony Hargeaves has been honoured as Golf Australia’s Victorian Volunteer of the Year.
CHARLTON Golf Club stalwart Anthony Hargeaves has been honoured as Golf Australia’s Victorian Volunteer of the Year.
Hargreaves, 60, has been a member of the club for 45 years, and has increasingly spent his time helping at Charlton.
The accolade was presented to him at the Southern Golf Club in Melbourne last Thursday as part of the Victorian Golf Industry Awards.
This year has been one of Hargreaves’ busiest, with Charlton hosting the prestigious Victorian Sand Greens Championships in August.
He took responsibility for the course preparation for the event, which was a major success, with Boort’s Andrew Kane taking out the men’s title.
“I didn’t count them, but I was doing probably 30-40 hours’ work every week,” Hargreaves said.
“Lucky I lease the farm.”
Charlton’s nomination for the award said in part: “As a small club, it was a brave and bold move to apply to host the Victorian Sand Greens Championships.
“Charlton, being a seasonal course, is totally dependent on autumn and winter rainfall to green our fairways.”
It said he repaired the walking tracks between holes, reinstated protective contour banks and replaced all the sand cups.
“When rain finally fell in May, Anthony organised the resowing of golf tees and bare areas approaching the sand greens.
“Then, when further rain was not forthcoming, Anthony could be found, after work, carting water and watering these newly germinated areas.”
The citation said he was at the course almost every day in July and August.
“As the course is carved out of a grey box gum reserve, we have a constant battle with branches and limbs dropping following strong winds, consequently Anthony could often be found with his chainsaw and front-end loader clearing this carnage.”
And when the club honour board had run out of space, Hargreaves, a talented woodworker, made a new one to match the existing boards. “Thanks to the hundreds of volunteer hours Anthony gives, also bringing his machinery and fuel for no cost, he has saved our club thousands of dollars,” the citation read.
“These savings have been crucial for our financial survival.”
Hargreaves was made a life member of the club six years ago in recognition of his service.
Despite all the volunteer work he still finds time to play – “I’m just average” – off a handicap of 13 and has represented Charlton at tournaments.