Brisbane Nomad Andrew Devine has just notched up his 150th game with the club.
The super competitive right-handed golfer reached the mark at the Brisbane club’s September match at Palm Meadows on the Gold Coast.
Born in Kenya but raised in South Africa, Devine arrived in Australia 21 years ago with just two suit cases in his hands.
“My first game with Nomads Brisbane was at Oxley about 14 years ago, around the time that they started the club,’’ Devine said.
“Wayne Richardson took over the old Springaroos. There were about 20 to 30 Springaroos at that first game and it has all grown from there.”
Devine has nothing but good things to say about Nomads Golf in Australia, but he does fear that some members have lost touch with what it is all about.
“A lot of people have left Nomads recently and I think they’ve forgotten what it’s all about,’’ he said.
“For me, it is about the charity work we do. Some people forget that.
“The club is filled with great blokes. The camaraderie is fantastic. We love playing together and Brisbane Nomads I think has to be the best club in Australia.’’
Like all Nomads, Devine tries his best to avoid the dreaded Crying Towel. But he hasn’t always been successful.
“There’s a story behind my first crying towel,’’ he said.
“I think I got it at Brookwater Golf Club and I didn’t come back to Nomads for about a year.
“Laurens Hamman was captain at the time and he phoned me continuously every month. He’d ask: ‘Andrew when you coming back. When are you coming back.’ Well, I made it back.’’
Devine is about to write a new chapter in his life.
For work reasons, he is heading across the country to Perth. He’s already organised his first game with the Perth Nomads Golf club.
“My first game will be at The Cut overlooking the Indian Ocean in Mandurah. It is a links style course – one of the better courses in Australia so I’m looking forward to that.’’
And what will he miss about Brisbane?
“One thing I won’t miss is the humidity,’’ he said. “I think I’ll mainly miss the good mates I have made. Really good people. Salt of the earth.’’