History

Gawler Golf Club was established in 1904 and was one of the founding member clubs of “The South Australian Golf Association” on 20 August 1904.

The club had operated at several sites before the present Sandy Creek area was purchased in 1960.

The site of the original course was on land rented from William Sedgley at Para Para. The Observer of 8 September 1906 reported that the New Gawler Links were “situated in the beautiful Para Para Estate, where a nine-holed course has been laid out by Mr Scott, the professional attached to the Adelaide clubs … The visitors were delighted at the excellence of the course, in particular with the turfy nature of the lies and the good state of the greens.” An article in May 1907 described the course as a few minutes’ walk of the town on the River Light. “The course is a most sporting one of nine holes, of 2,947 yards in length … The links are most picturesquely situated on the banks of the river, with trees, large and small, affording there a pretty view of the town in between.”

In 1925, a golf links was laid out by Kooyonga professional Rufus Stewart on part of the Quindoo Park Homestead then owned by Bruce Kerr who was president of the club at the time. Quindoo Park ceased to be available in 1928.

The Bunyip newspaper of 3 August 1928 reported that the Club secured 80 acres of land owned by Mr Will Berrett near the Sandy Creek railway station and that “dozens of motor cars may be seen parked near the Links on every day during the week”. However, in May 1930 it was reported that those links would have to be abandoned owing to drift sand which buried many parts of the course, and clearing the fairways and greens would be too expensive.

In June 1930, the Club moved to links on land owned by Mr Sparrow of Sandy Creek. The 9 hole course was described as picturesque with “an out play of 2281 yards, made up of 410 yards, 103, 334, 212, 268,118, 351, 177 and 308 (the last a dog-leg). The greens have been specially prepared, and offer an excellent putting surface over slag, procured from Port Pirie. ” The “bogey” for the course was 37.

The Club went into recess after the commencement of WWII. After the war ended, the Club began again in Concordia on land owned by Mr L. H. Springbett along the main road to Lyndoch . The sub-division and sale of that land in 1960 necessitated yet another move for the Club. 

The Club purchased the land at its current Sandy Creek site in 1960, and officially opened on Sunday 30 April 1961. 

The original course was a 9 hole scrapes course designed by club member Nolan Kokegei.  Early on, sheep were grazed on the course in winter to keep the grass short. After a few years, the course was gradually extended to 13 holes and eventually became an 18 hole course.

In 1972 the club started converting the scrapes to greens and by the end of 1974 all 18 greens were in play. The popularity of golf and the subsequent increased membership meant the upgrading of the clubhouse and bar facilities.

In the mid 1980s the club purchased an additional 23 acres of land to construct two new holes. During the ensuing years more land was purchased adjacent to the present course. In 1995 the club embarked on a major redevelopment program and to eliminate the hole known as “Cardiac Hill”.

Construction of what is now the downhill 13th hole (formerly the uphill Cardiac Hill)

In September 2015, the Club’s trading name was changed from Gawler Golf Club to Sandy Creek Golf Club – Barossa Valley to eliminate confusion as to the Club’s location and the then Gawler Par 3 course, and also to capitalise on its location within the Barossa Valley.

The Club has come a long way since 1937 when this was the clubhouse.