GALA DINNER DANCE

SOUVENIR SUPPLEMENT

FREE STICKER

JSGC DHEKELIA GOLF CLUB

1964 - 2014

On behalf of the then Club Capt. Tom Watson and his Committee, Peter Parish was

asked to accept the onerous task of delivering a “once in a life time” formal fifty year

celebration in the form of a Black Tie Dinner/Dance at the Lordos Beach Hotel on the

30th April 2014, coinciding with the Annual Festival of Golf week. As we all know, the

Gala was a first class success, a celebrative occasion that will not be superseded for

some time to come. I’m sure the Club membership and the attending guests will join

TX2 in thanking Peter for his hard work in producing a great 50th Anniversary bash.

That now said here is Peters Gala opener.

DHEKELIA GOLF COURSE 1965.

The scene is 1965 at Dhekelia golf Club in its embryonic state.

No other golf course within 50 miles

No golf courses run by Cypriots i.e. Aphrodite etc.

No Ayios Nicholaos. Only 4 courses on the island. Episkopi, Pendiya, Nicosia (not the present one) and us.

Hence the large number of members recruited

from the “Four Mile Point” establishments.

The membership was brimming with soldiers of all ranks, KRS staff, BFBS staff and the

odd expat.

The Garrison was an exciting and thriving place to be.

No clearances needed to make our only Cypriot born golfer male a member; he was

Nikos Demetrio from Larnaca who just happened to be the Cypriot Ambassador to

Washington.

Vice Capt. 2014/15

Peter Parish

No posh club house. Just a large tin Nissan hut sat precariously on top of forty nine steps.

No locker room, no showers, (what’s new), but a well-stocked bar. No duty on all drinks.

No breathalyzer. Sounds like a combination for trouble. Virtually no traffic on the roads.

No fence and no passes to enter golf club.

No water on the golf course. Very dry.

No Pond hole, Leeway. This area was designated for football, rugby and a running track.

No McGill but the terrible Safari par five.

No restriction on shoes. Everyone carried a”T shaped rod “to scrape the browns.

No scratch golfers.

However a certain Professional Golfer from N.Ireland named David Jones called on

a regular basis on his way to the African tour every January and gave lessons. He is

now a well-known Golf Course designer working in Australia, Africa and Ireland. He

sends his best wishes for the next fifty years.

No trouble in the club.

No slope rating.

No seniors section. Even Nev Clark had hair then.

The Club had many “No s” but it was just beginning and had many issues to

resolve.

After 50 Years it continues to evoke lots of happy memories and thanks to those

original members and especially the great foresight and design of Major R E

Franks for having the bold idea to build a golf course from such a barren area of

land.

Let us hope that the JSGC (DHEKELIA)

continues for another 50 years or

until the very last put has dropped.

“In prehistoric times, cavemen had a

custom of beating the ground with

clubs and uttering spine chilling cries.

Anthropologists call this a form of

primitive self- expression.

When modern man goes through the

same ritual they call it GOLF”

JSGC Dhekelia 1964 [14 Hole Course]. A Description provided by Honorary Life Member Malcolm Newell and 1964 past member

Ralph Burrows

From the rough map below, of the 14 holes produced in 1964 you will see, as many of the

senior members will remember, the following details. The original clubhouse was on top of

the hill overlooking the Larnaca road on the site of the current 3rd hole. It was much higher

then as the cliffs over the road side started to landslide. It was a half round Nissen hut with

outside patio giving a grand view of the “over the road” holes, Larnaca Bay, Stavrovouni, and

Trodoos Mountains.

Hole 1. Current 3rd.

Hole 2. Current Switchback.

Hole 3. Short Par three, the current 18th, but from a tee behind the current 17th

Brown.

Hole 4. Tee just right of current 17th brown amongst carobs. Now the 2nd Hole.

Hole 5. Across the road, Par 5 Dogleg straight down and dogleg 90 % right.

Hole 6. No change.

Hole 7. No change.

Hole 8. No change. The Range.

Hole 9. Short hole to the brown near Larnaca road gate, near the current 4th Tee.

Hole 10. No change, the Playing Field.

Hole 11. As current, the hole running below the new clubhouse.

Hole 12. Long walk over to the next Wadi to the tee near the School playing

fields. A Par 5 slog up the Wadi 500 yards called the Safari, now housing

development.

Hole 13. Short Par 3 called Hell from tee on right of Safari brown across the Wadi to

the current McGill Hill Brown.

Hole 14. The Nunnery, as current hole from forward tee to Brown by the tree below

the current 2nd Brown. The name prompted by a “Tight Squeeze”.

The then local rules were something on these lines.

1. Free place I club length anywhere if you could

find grass.

2. Free drop if within club length of black snake or

Hornets’ nest.

3. Carry a pocket of grass seed and disperse on the

“fairways” as you go.

4. Throw away as many stones as you can as you

proceed around the course.

5. Only 4 letter word allowed on course is “Fore”.

Happy Golfing Malcolm Newell

Artwork provided by M. Newell

The original “Mouflon” Club Badge was

designed by Ralph Burrows in 1976.

Below, from L to R: Ron Omand

Malcolm Newell and Ralph Burrows

Honorary Life Member Mario Galpin

Open Winner 1982 and 1988

JOINT SERVICES GOLF CLUB DHEKELIA

50th ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER DANCE Held at the Lordos Beach Hotel 30th April 2014

Clockwise From L to R:

The function organiser and

compere: Peter Parish with

Tracey.

Brian Boomer and Ali Ness.

Denies Ravenscroft cutting the

anniversary cake she so generously

backed and decorated for the this

function

Clockwise L to R:

Brian & Susie Rance.

Dick Edwards [USA] with

Anca Lordachescu and

Ashley Martin.

Alistair & Vivian McGregor

And posed correctly is

Frank Roberts

Clockwise L to R:

A selfie with Ginny Cantrell.

Sandra Carr stuck in the

middle of Alan Banks and

Melvyn, albeit she seems to

be enjoying it.

Margot Watt and the baby

snatcher Dave Potter.

Al Cooper honestly thought

Mary wouldn’t mind.

Although Alistair McGregor

didn’t find it too unpleasant

Teresa Bleach and Bob

Archer wasn’t truly

convinced.

Well I

thought it

was funny

A PIN UP EXCLUSIVE

Baked and decorated by Denise Ravenscroft

TASTY

Top L to R: Margrit Burri Dawn & Bob [no head protection] Homer.

Middle L to R: Alistair McGregor into Trisha and Ray Cooper

Bottom L to R: Mary Fry. Vice Capt. Mark Pegler and Peter Parish

I wonder what

Trisha’s doing?

Clockwise L to R:

Brian & Dianne

Thornhill

Calton Johnson &

Eileen Thornley

Corinne & Angelo

Calodoucas

Rod Kershaw

snogging Carole

Short, with her old

man, Mike, waiting

for a turn

Clockwise L to R:

Steve & Elizabeth Lythgoe. Marion & Ryszard Matulko

JRH with more than a handful: Sue Walsh & Kim Laslett

Heather & Dave Barrett

Tony Laslett overseeing Neville & Anna Clark

Top L to R: Tony Laslett Yvonne & Tom Watson [Club Captain]

Middle L to R: Shirley Spark Alex Hamilton Brenda & Jimmy Smart

Bottom L to R Ian & Tracie Barke. Bob and Elisabeth Miller

Top L to R:

Noel Green & Margrit Burri. Maureen Petty & Mark Beggs [GSM]

Middle: Phil Mulligan showing Eifion Jones the way out.

Capt. Jim Sugrue [Club Chairman] Linda John and Kaz Sugrue

Bottom: Eileen & John Lovell with Sharon & Pete Woodcock

Top L to R:

Peter Woodcock with Aleks Brown

Norma & Roy McAndrew

Middle: Pat & Kenny Allen

Bottom:

Kate, Glenys & George Livesey

June & Mick Lynn with Rose Henry

Dhekelia Golf Course

A personal reflection.

By Neville Clark

[First published in JSGC [D] Yearbook

2010/11]

In September 1966 my first sight of

Dhekelia golf course was a little

disappointing, in my memory it could

only be described as a pretty barren

piece of land. What also still remains in

my memory was the welcoming nature

of the members that quickly made me feel that this was a thriving club and I would

enjoy becoming a member. Nothing has changed on that front! Dhekelia Garrison was

a busy base in 1966 and the Club reflected this and had many members.

The Captain of the club in 1966 was a Liverpudlian, named Barney Murphy. A non-

entitled member working in Cyprus as a chemist for the Services. He was a single

figure golfer with a passion for the game. He was ably assisted by Major Dudley Upton

and a Canadian Major, Jim Bowdler.

JSGC DHEKELIA

1966

From L to R: Lois Lane and Jack Bauer with Sheena and Pat Chapman

Between them and the other members of the Committee, a friendly but very

competitive ambiance had been engendered. It didn’t take long for me to lose a few

bets to these wily competitors (again, so what changes?!).

The Clubhouse was in those days located precariously on top of the hill at the side of

the tee for the “48 Steps Hole”. It was basically a tin hut with, importantly, a bar, a

changing room and a small patio facing seaward overlooking the main road. That

Clubhouse holds many fond memories, some of them not too clear in detail. Maybe it’s

my age or perhaps alcoholic amnesia!

The course was barely recognisable from the neat fairways of today. Although

individual holes were clearly defined, the fairways then struck me as lacking in any

vegetation of a green colour. Grass was rarely seen except on the present “Playing

Fields” hole. The composition and the shapes of the browns were virtually as they are

today. There were only 15 holes in existence in those early days.

The playing order of the course was very different from today’s layout. The opening

hole was our present “48 Steps”, the Clubhouse and car park only being a short walk

away. This par 3 was virtually laid out as it is today. We then moved to play

“Switchback “as the 2nd hole. Following that was the present 18th

hole but played as

the third hole from the ladies’ tee. I played this hole with a visiting professional, David

Jones from Bangor, Northern Ireland, where he holed out for a 1. No stopping skill!

The 4th hole was our present second, “Plateau”. Just as awkward and difficult a par

five then as it is today. Moving across the road quickly, no fence in those days, we

played a hole that no longer is part of the layout. The ‘Road hole’, ‘Pickford’s Pylons‘

and the ‘Avenue’ holes were not yet in existence. This 5th hole then was a dogleg to

the right, a par 5. The tee was the one used presently for the ladies playing ‘Pickford’s

Pylons’. The brown was the one that is used today as the ‘Avenue’ target. It was a real

risk or reward hole. Driving off straight down the ‘Snake’ fairway, the big hitters then

had the decision to hit either across the same parallel copse of trees that are still there

and hope to land near the brown and then get a birdie or, you could play conservatively

to the end of the trees and then hit a third shot towards the brown and hopefully get

your par. It was a risky gamble, as you can imagine all the trouble that could ensue if

you miss hit your shot.

The next 3 holes the ‘Draw’, ‘Carobs’ and the ‘Ranges’ were virtually laid out as you

play them today. However, when arriving at the present tee for the ‘Snake’ hole, this

was laid out as a par 3. The observant ones will have picked out the remains of the oval

shaped base of the brown about 180 yards directly from the tee. It was rather a non-

descript hole and a good decision by the Committee was made to eliminate it. As there

were no other holes on that side of the road our next hole was the 10th

hole, i.e. ‘Playing

Fields’. This hole always “somehow” managed to get water from the adjacent football

fields.

As Ross Clunis only joined the Club in 1969, the present mens’ tee for the following

hole ‘Clunis Creation’ was not in existence in those early days. The hole was therefore

shorter as we all played from the ladies’ tee. Following this hole, more significant

changes have taken place. Using a tee somewhere near the present practice putting area

there was a tricky par 3. Its line was towards a point near land somewhere close to the

present 18th

tee for men. I am sure most members will remember the next hole namely,

‘Safari’. A really good par 5 and a sad loss. The definition and the tee boxes for this

long hole of nearly 600 yards long can still be seen as one drives to the Club up Barlow

Heights road and if you glance right. It was a monster but a fair challenge. When you

eventually completed ‘Safari’ there followed a short par 4. Again, little grass and many

rocks.

Leaving those 2 holes we crossed the hill walking behind the then non-existent brown

of ‘McGill’ and played ‘Nunnery’ as our 15th

hole. As mentioned before, the course

only consisted of 15 holes, the next 2 holes gave you a second chance to play

‘Switchback’ and ‘Barlow Heights’ again. The last hole was back towards the ‘Plateau’

brown and the Clubhouse on top of the hill. This time the 18th

tee was situated directly

behind the present brown of ‘Barlow Heights’ and, as it was relatively short, it was a

par 4. On a good day it was a drive towards the Plateau brown and an iron to the

brown. Thus, the round was over and once more up those 48 Steps into that Clubhouse

for well-earned refreshment.

The course has undergone many changes in my 45 years association. Grassy fairways

were not there in 1966 and there certainly a lot more stones on the course. The browns

have remained relatively unchanged. I believe those members of yesterday including

the Dowcett twins, Charlie

Patterson, Clarke, Ian Campbell,

Trevor and Menna Evans, Ralph

Burrows, Malcolm Newell and

many more would all agree that the

ambitions of the original developers

have been largely achieved. For

myself I feel that this Club is unique

in its capacity to engender a pride in

so many members past and present

about the progress that has been

made and, is still making, in this

special Club. Long may it continue.

Neville Clark