From Foundation to 18 Holes…

Before construction of the course could begin, a further 5800 was needed to finalize the purchase of the 66 acres of freehold land. 938 Pounds was raised from the foundation members. The balance plus sufficient money to start contracting the course became available by the end of 1948 after a concerted and successful drive for new members.

Mr H.V. Morcom was engaged, for a fee of 150 guineas, to design the course and to supervise its construction for the first year. Mr E. R. Tilley was employed as head greenkeeper at a wage of only 9 per week.

In January 1949, work began on clearing the land, some of which was covered with tea tree, native scrub and eucalyptus (mainly stringy bark). Some had been cleared for grazing. The first contractor to be hired used large tractors with rotary hoes to clear dense stands of spindly tea tree three meters tall which, with eucalyptus, covered the 1st, 2nd and 7th fairways.

The Foundation Captain, Jack Leech, cutting felled trees on the 15th fairway - 1949

By September 1950, construction of the first nine holes had reached the stage where only the greens and the tees remained for completion. It was proposed that they should be immediately sown with grass with a view to opening the nine holes by the end of the year. In fact, due to delays including the supply of water to the tees and the greens, the first nine holes were not opened for play till Sunday 30 June 1951.

After two and one half years of effort, of over optimistic forecasts, of delays and disappointing, the first ball had been stuck at Spring Valley. It was a time for celebration.

On the first tee - 30th June 1951 Philip Courtney striking the first ball	The associates' president, Mrs Dorothy Miessner playing the first stroke by an associate

After opening 9 holes for play, work on the course continued. As more holes became fit for play they were added to the layout.

Since August 1962 the 18 holes have been played in the order that they are played in today.