With Father’s Day approaching, it is a great time to celebrate the joy that sports such as golf bring to families. The benefits of togetherness in a family sport far outweigh the trophy collections. Western Australian family the Holdsworth’s can attest to that. It is true that we are not all going to reach the heights of the Korda’s, Molinari’s, Ablett’s, Waugh’s or Lee’s but families can still experience a shared passion that golf can offer.
Patriarch Pat Holdsworth aged 54 took up golf in his twenties after moving to Perth from North Queensland. Describing it as having caught ‘the golfing bug’, he joined Point Walter Golf Club. Today, Pat calls Royal Fremantle Golf Club his home and his wife Shauna and two sons Dallas and Ben are also proud members.
Dallas said, “golf binds our family together. We enjoy competing against one another and the sport motivates to learn and grow as individual competitors and as a family.”
Twenty-two-year-old Dallas first picked up a golf club at the age of six and now works at Royal Fremantle GC as part of their Junior Development Team.
“Dad was definitely the one that got us started into golf. He always kept us motivated and had a never-give-up attitude. We were lucky, he was very present in our lives growing up and I think this has had a very positive impact on both of us.”
Dallas goes on to gleefully share, “we have always had a friendly rivalry going on in the household for bragging rights over who the better golfer is! The handicap says I am miles in front, but I still think Dad has the mental strength to grind out any game of golf that I don’t quite have yet. It is something I still strive to have one day.”
Younger brother Ben is in his second year at Melville Glades Golf Club as an apprentice greenkeeper.
I love my job at Melville Glades, and the golf course was such a familiar environment for me to move into as a career. Dad introduced me to the sport and growing to love it definitely influenced my choice to work in this environment.
Camaraderie, togetherness and a competitive spirit is evident in the Holdsworth family. A father and his two sons demonstrating a closeness, respect and bond that is a pleasure to be around. Togetherness; yet another way that golf makes life better.
Happy Father’s Day all. What better way to celebrate than with another round of golf!
