History of the Royal Park Golf Club
David Hill

David Hill was Club champion at Royal Park in 1979 and 1980. He went on to become Club champion at Northern GC in 1983 and 5 times Club champion at Kingston Heath GC in 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990 & 1991. David was the first Australian amateur golfer to play extensively overseas (Europe & USA) in the late 1980s and early 1990s as an amateur. He became involved in golf administration as a Director of the PGA Tour of Australasia for 8 years. He now lives in the U.S., managing 20 professional golfers, plays in the PGA Tour of Australasia, and is ranked 172nd in the Official World Golf Ranking of Australasia.

"To the best of my recollection, I began playing golf in 1974 and was a member of Royal Park Golf Club within 12 months. My interest in golf began with a round at Rosebud Public golf course (Carrington Park) in the summer 73/74. I was tagging along with Dad and was struck by the manicured nature of the grass, all the trees and the incredible view."

"This prompted me to return to school that year and take golf as my preferred sport. This meant that myself and 4 other boys travelled down to Royal Park with the most hated Math teacher at Coburg Tech each Wednesday. My interest was waning for a couple of reasons . We all hit the ball along the ground and Royal Park with its trains, roads, tram tracks and pedestrian walkways everywhere was a long way from the beautiful vistas that Carrington Park provided of Port Phillip Bay."

"Then my life changed forever one Wednesday afternoon at Royal Park. On the 7th hole. I was compelled to wait for the group in front of me to tee off. I watched as a German gentleman, whose name escapes me but whose face is one I will always remember, teed off. I realised two things as I watched the most beautifully flighted drive sail down the middle of the fairway . The first was, I had never seen a good shot . The second was, this is the game for me."

"I devoted my life to the game that day and it remains a huge part of my life 30 years later. I was able to win several Senior and Junior Club championships in the next half a dozen years at Royal Park. I went on to join Northern and then Kingston Heath Golf Club, winning several more Club Championships along the way . After winning the Austrian Stroke play championship in 1990 and competing in the finals of the US Amateur I turned pro. I have retained my professional status on the Australasian tour for over 10 years with my best major performance being an 8th place finish in the Australian Open in 1995 at Kingston Heath..The eventual winner was Greg Norman. Several minor professional wins also appear on the resume . Over 20 in Australia and three in the United States . Today I manage over 20 professional golfers world wide from my home base of Chattanooga, Tennessee."*

*From an email sent to the Club in October 2003.