Bambridge awarded life membership
Drouin pro Bambridge a member for life Drouin golf pro Anthony Bambridge has been awarded life membership by the Drouin Country Club at its recent AGM.
With more than 19 years experience in the Drouin pro shop, Bambridge said it was a surprise to receive the award.
“It was a bit of a shock really, when they told me that I was going to be nominated. It was pretty special to be honest, I’m a member for life now and it’s really an honour” he said.
Watching the likes of Greg Norman and in the later years, Tiger Woods, Mr Bambridge said that they were two of his idols growing up as golf started as a career for him.
“Definitely Greg Norman in my day, he’s still my idol and I’m disappointed he doesn’t play as much, as well as Tiger a few years later, love him or hate him, he’s done some amazing things for the sport of golf” he said.
A member of Drouin since he was 13, Bambridge began his golfing career by picking up his dad’s left-handed clubs, despite being righthanded.
“From then on, I’ve been a left-handed golfer since, I actually do everything right handed except golf,” he laughed.
In 1993, Bambridge began a traineeship under the guidance of John Toyne, finishing at the end of 1995 and turning pro the next year.
“In 1996 after I turned pro, I didn’t want to be in a pro shop,
I wanted to try and earn some cash playing golf, so I decided to go and play the Troppo Tour. We travelled all the way through Queensland, it was unbelievably fun,” he said.
However, it wasn’t the high life that some might see golfers living now.
Bambridge and his wife Leanne (who died in September last year) were sleeping in tents as well as travelling many kilometres in the car each week.
“It was definitely different to what you see some golfers doing, it was pretty hard, but we did have a fantastic time my wife and I, we met some fantastic people along the way” he said.
Playing on tour with the likes of Rod Pampling, John Sendon and Nick O’Hearn who all went on to the US tour, Bambridge went a different route and decided that he was ready to return home.
“After two years of doing that tour, I had sort of had enough. It was really draining, financially and mentally and I was a bit over it, so I thought I’d come back here to settle down. I worked at the Warragul Golf Club for two years, before this opportunity came up at Drouin and I’ve been here ever since” he explained.
Now, Bambridge’s sons are taking up the game, with his eldest Lachie looking to take the next step in his golfing journey, with his dad right by his side.
“It’s something that he is looking to do in the years to come, he’s a member down at Metropolitan as well, he’s just got to keep working, it’s definitely his ambition, but whether he decides to be a club professional like myself, or try to play on the tour, we’ll see what comes along,” he said.
For those amateur golfers looking to improve their game, Bambridge said he had one important piece of advice.
“Definitely go and get some lessons, that’s not meaning come and see me, but it’s doing yourself a favour, it’s a very hard game to learn, but if you get a few simple pointers, it can really benefit any standard of golfer, from a beginner, to a professional,” he explained.