Dr. Langan was returned as President and Mr. G. H. Griffiths Captain for the 1950 golfing year. Membership in 1949 was 298 including 160 Members and 124 Associates. The President, Dr. Langan, passed away in June and Mr. G.D. Gummow was appointed as his replacement.

The Annual Report noted that £750 was spent on repairs to the clubhouse, as no contract had been entered into with the builder, and no permits obtained, serious problems occured with the Mulgrave Shire Council. Correspondence from the Bureau of Industry was received stating that as no permits had been obtained and legal action was being taken. Proceedings were instituted by the Mulgrave Shire and the Club taken to court, a plea of guilty was entered. The Club was fined £14/8/0d.

The first Business Girl's Carnival was played in 1951, becoming a popular event on the Members calendar for years to come— it was later discontinued. During the later half of 1951 visitors fees were raised to 5/0d for weekend play, and 4/0d at weekdays. Afternoon teas were raised to 1/3d. The Match Committee at the March Meeting, recommended that Club trophies £1/1/0d for first prize with two balls for second and third prizes.

Margot Allen, joined the Club in 1948, Ron Hastie, joined at the April 1951 Meeting. Club Professional, Leo Corry, resigned from the Club as from the 13th June 1951 and Denis Curby took up duty on 24th September 1951.

The Cairns Club initially provided members, at a fee, with garages, which not only garaged vehicles, but also to store personal equipment. The August Meeting noted that a total of 16 garages were provided. The Membership at the February A.G.M.was 392, including 191 Members and 168 Associates.

The printing of the 1952 Fixture book for the first time included the names of all Office Bearers. The Match Committee advised fields for May comprised – 66 players for the 3rd, 79 for the 10th, 66 for the 17th and 73 for the 24th. These were considered excellent fields. In June 1951 beer rose to 9d for an 8 oz glass and 7d for a 5 oz glass. The August and September Meetings 1952 debated ‘Holes in one,’ — “If a Member, Associate, Country Member or Junior Member of a recognized golf club, accompanied by a marker holed out in one, such person be presented with a bottle of whisky. Club Members will be presented at the Annual Presentations. In other cases, presentation be made on the day of the event, recognition on the Club’s Honor Board is confined to Members and Associates of the club.”

Mr Allen Smith was admitted to the Club in 1952 later resigned and rejoined in 1961. A photograph of the then Clubhouse was presented to the Club by Messrs. H. and N. Harris of Harris Bros. In June 1953, Ian Harris, son of Mr. N. Harris joined the Club. The Photograph was destroyed in the Clubhouse fire in 1973 and in 1998 Ian donated a copy of the photograph suitably framed to the Club where it now hangs in the Clubhouse.

Correspondence from the Associates Committee in the latter half of 1952 asked they be allowed to have their own President. The existing Associates Committee was comprised of a Captain, Secretary and General Committee of five. The Annual General Meeting in 1953 agreed to the request and the Associates Committee would now comprise of 9, including a President, Captain, Secretary and Committee of 6, this existed until 2000 when the position of President and the Committee structure would be changed.

The 1953 Annual Meeting saw Membership totaled 384 with 182 Members and 170 Associates. The February Meeting in 1953 dealt with correspondence from the Regional Electricity Board advising of their intention to construct power lines through the Course. A local rule passed at the Annual Meeting in 1956 gave players relief from overhead lines. The rule would remain in force until the lines were removed in 1998.

A Special Meeting in March 1953 recommended that Club Championships be played in three grades over 54 holes, - 18 holes being played on Saturday 4th July, and the final 36 holes on the following day. The formation of a competition to play Inter Club Pennants was addressed at a Meeting of Clubs in the Far North held in Atherton in March 1953.

The June Committee Meeting decided that garages had outlived their usefulness and should be demolished. The owners, except for one, agreed to the move. Mr. Warner at the 1954
January Meeting advised that the workload of the Secretary / Treasurer had grown, and it was time to employ a paid Secretary.

The Membership for 1953 stood at 424, 206 Members and 188 Associates. During 1954 several motions were put up and lost regarding dress standards on the Course, and in the Clubhouse, with the Committee finally ruling that irrespective of the weather, the correct dress must always be worn. A mini revolt ensured, and at the February Meeting “That in the event of correct dress not being complied with by 20th March, Members who defied the dress regulations would be banned from the course.” A further petition asking that the dress rules be relaxed, allowing for the optional use of long or short socks, to be worn with short trousers outside the Clubhouse, was put to a Special Meeting April 1954 where it was lost on a vote of 38 to 31.

Well known Australian Professional Golfer, Norman Von Nida held an exhibition and clinic on the Cairns course during May 1953. An attendee at the Clinic commented, although not complimentary, are none the less interesting – “I was present at the exhibition, and later when Mr. Von Nida attempted to conduct his clinic, two thirds of the gallery raced upstairs to the bar to get drinks after the conclusion of the exhibition match. Many of these leaned out of the open windows of the clubhouse drinking and watching as Mr. Von Nida commenced his clinic. The volume of noise coming from the bar and lounge through the open windows made it almost impossible to hear Mr. Von Nida. No move was made to stop the noise or close the windows, so Mr. Von Nida refused to continue with the clinic and retired.”

Mr. G. H. Griffiths asked at the June Meeting for permission to erect distance markers but was declined after receiving advice from the Q.G.U. that distance markers were unfair and not acceptable.

Other matters of interest occurring during 1954 were -

1. – The Match Committee reported that Saturday fields averaged between 66 and 80 players.
2. – A secondhand bicycle was procured for the green keeper for changing the water hoses.
3. – To reduce “waste of time” a power point was to be installed near the Proshop for staff to ‘boil the billy.’ This was abandoned when it was discovered that the cost would amount to £40.

The Membership for 1954 was shown at 419, 206 Members and 184 Associates. Green and subscription fees for 1955 were to remain the same as 1954, but visitors’ fees were increased to 3/6d for affiliated clubs and 5/0d if not.

The Meeting also received a quote of £156 for the construction of a buggy room adjoining the Professional’s shop. The room was completed by July and Members were advised that all buggies stored in the locker rooms, and not in lockers, had to be removed. Storage could be obtained from the Professional at a fee of 5/0d per month. Catering had a very black chapter in the Club’s long history of difficulties connected with Stewards and Caterers, which history has been highlighted by only a few high spots. The number of satisfactory Steward/Caterers employed over these early years could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Curries and rice defy description – the Associates purchased the meat to make curry for one special occasion, and personally supervised the cooking of same, feeling that it was impossible for anything to go wrong; however, when the curry and rice was served it was as disastrous as usual; sponge cakes were at their best 1 inch thick; mixing icing sugar and water together and then poured over cakes; where it promptly ran off the top and down the sides.

Mr. McDonagh was appointed Greenkeeper in July 1955 with benefits being free rent and
lighting, plus a weekly wage of £13. The August Meeting also resolved that all players using the new practice fairway must pay green fees.

George Gummow

Ron Hastie

Margot Allen

Ian Harris

Allen Smith

Maud Way Nee Tung Yep

The Cairns Golf Club with Norman Von Nida in the middle of his Clinic