Verne Sharpe demonstrating a “perfect swing”. Photo: Nikki Bailey.
As a 12-year-old boy, Vern Sharpe trudged behind his parents at the former Norseman putting green taking every opportunity to have a hit with his steel shaft golf club.
Now 90, Mr Sharpe owns a more modern set of putters which he carts around in his buggy at the Esperance Golf Club.
He has been a member of the club for more than 60 years and said the greens are his favourite, made even better by the fact he “helped build it.”
Alongside his brother Kevin, Mr Sharpe helped transform the course into its state today.
“The early days when they were allocated this block, the farmers came out with their ploughs and they made the fairways,” Mr Sharpe said.
“When we came down here there were 18 holes but only nine holes that you could play on because it used to flood.
“We got it going into 18 holes of sand greens with a lot of work and then that got flooded so we started again and put levy banks in.”
The Sharpe brothers were awarded life memberships for their efforts.
Mr Sharpe is now the club’s oldest member, though he said holding this title came with its challenges.
“I played once a week for quite a few years and now twice a week,” he said.
“I could play three times a week, but when you get to this age the younger people don’t want to play with older people and being 90 is even worse.
“I’ve got about six people here that swap around and make sure I get a game.
“It’s a good game and you meet a lot of nice people.”
Mr Sharpe said he never took part in a golfing tournament because “there’s always somebody better” but years of practice had given him confidence in his swing.
“You don’t really have to hit the ball, it just caresses up,” he said.
“The [holes] are all the same difficulty – I just go down the middle.
“You see some of these younger fellas hit a long ball and as you get old you don’t hit as far so that’s where I’m at.”
The Esperance Golf Club was the only club in Esperance until 1982 when members of its committee departed and opened the Pink Lake course.
