Congratulations to John Nichols
A very big congratulations to John Nichols who was awarded the Col Irvine Volunteer of the Year Award on Tuesday night. Please see below the following that Mark Dodd read about about John’s very deserving win. Congratulations John!
“Volunteering is often described as the backbone of any great Club or community and for good reason. It’s the countless unseen hours, the early mornings, the late nights and the unwavering commitment that keeps a Club like ours running smoothly. While many are willing to lend a hand from time to time, there are those special individuals who go well beyond — the ones who seem to always be there, always stepping up, and always doing it, not for recognition, but for the love of the club and its members. These are the people who set the tone. They lead by example, offer their time generously and inspire others around them. The Col Irvine Award was established to recognise exactly that kind of selfless, consistent and outstanding service. It’s not handed out lightly. It’s a tribute to a legacy of giving and to those whose passion and effort help shape the character and success of our Club. We are incredibly fortunate at this Club to have so many selfless volunteers. Their efforts, both seen and unseen, help keep things running and create the welcoming and supportive environment we all enjoy. This year we had many worthy members nominated for this award, each of them having made enormous contributions to the Club. But as with any award, we are asked to make a very difficult decision and narrow it down to just one. This year’s recipient is someone who embodies the spirit of the Col Irvine Award. From the moment they joined our Club, their dedication has been unwavering. But the journey didn’t start here — he brought with him 18 years of golfing and community experience enriching our Club with his knowledge and commitment. He was appointed to the Board in 2014 and served for 8 years, including a 4-year tenure as Club Captain from 2018 to 2022. Throughout that time, he contributed to various committees, never shying away from the hard work that comes with leadership. He was also a passionate supporter of Junior Golf, championing both club level development and district competitions. And I guess everyone has guessed who we are talking about by now. Then of course the challenges of COVID — a challenge for us all. John’s efforts stood out during an especially challenging period. Navigating constantly changing regulations, helping to restructure tee time bookings and ensuring fair access to competitions required patience, strategic thinking, and countless hours, all of which were given freely and with one goal in mind, to serve our members. Beyond the Club’s day-to-day operations, John also stepped into major event coordination. When we hosted the two significant Ladies European Tour events — the NSW Women’s Open and later the Australian Women’s Classic —John took on the demanding role of Chief Marshall. Coordinating volunteer teams, programming shifts, and ensuring everything ran smoothly was no small task, his leadership was instrumental to the success of these high-profile tournaments. John has also been a stalwart on the Golfing Veterans Board for over a decade — holding positions as Vice President, Captain, and now Treasurer. It’s people like this who remind us of what makes our Club so special, not just the game we all love, but the community that surrounds it. So, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the recipient of the Col Irvine Award this year is… John Nichols“
