RETURN VISIT: Bob Waldon, from the Rich River Golf Club, will compete in the City of Orange Veterans Golf Classic for the 15th year this week. Photo: STEVE GOSCH 0310sgvets2
RICH River Golf Club veteran Bob Waldon epitomises the kind of golfer you’ll see buzzing around Orange’s three golf clubs in the 2013 City of Orange Veterans Golf Classic this week.
Moving to Australia from Newcastle in England 42 years ago, Waldon loves his golf.
A former member and tourist on the national veterans tournaments scene, the Moama resident has played in vets classics from Coolangatta down to his home town on the Murray River, and just about everywhere in between.
“But this one is by far the best,” Waldon said in a broad Geordie accent.
“It’s the best I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to a lot in NSW. I used to travel around to all of them.
“It’s the people you meet here; they’re friendly. It’s a good town.”
Waldon will be one of an anticipated 60-odd men competing in the City of Orange Veterans Golf Classic C grade competition today, set to start at Duntryleague and finish with rounds at Orange Ex-Services’ Country Club and Wentworth.
In total, over 400 veterans will be in action across men’s and women’s grades.
There will be new faces, but the field will predominantly be made up of a host of players who can’t get enough of the Orange event.
Waldon is one of those golfers in love with Orange.
When he tees off today at Duntryleague, it’ll be the 15th year the Moama golfer has competed in the classic.
“I’ve had a couple of wins in my years, but I’m a C grader. The best golf I play is on this course,” he said pointing out to the Wentworth course.
“It’s the hardest of the three. I always seem to come up with a good score here.”
The classic’s ladies’ event kicks off at Ex-Services’ today, with rounds at Wentworth (tomorrow) and Duntryleague (Thursday) to follow.
There’s plenty of low markers in both men’s and women’s fields, with Steve Bray and defending champion Alan Gordon tipped to feature prominently in the men’s division one action.
“Mine? I’ve got false hips,” Waldon laughed when asked about his handicap.
“I used to play off a low handicap but after I got my hips done I’m not swinging through the ball. Some days I play back to my old handicap, it just depends on how I feel.”