Kialla Golf Club to amalgamate with the Shepparton Club
L-R: SC general manager Wayne Sutton; SC treasurer Ray Williams; SC executive assistant Lynn Merkesteyn; SC vice president Maria Wright; KGC president Beryl Krake; KGC treasurer Simone Gale; KGC secretary Barb Reiners; and KGC vice-president Brian Reiners. Credit: Supplied
Members of the Kialla Golf Club have voted in favour of amalgamating with the Shepparton Club.
Shepparton Club general manager Wayne Sutton said the two clubs have had a long-standing relationship, with Shepparton providing sponsorship and support over the years.
Sutton said Shepparton Club will take over operational and financial management of Kialla’s facilities, while guaranteeing the golf club’s long-term future under a new memorandum of understanding.
“We’re creating an MOU that will pretty much guarantee that the land can’t be sold,” he said.
“It’s two-fold: we’re able to guarantee their future going forward, and we’ve now got a facility that our existing membership base will be introduced to the game of golf.”
He added one of the club’s key reassurances was that Kialla Golf Club’s business model would remain intact. Describing Kialla as “iconic to country Australia”, Sutton said the club stood out for its strong community spirit and volunteer base.
While some small improvements will be made over time, Sutton said the focus for now is on providing support, with plans to eventually assign some staff to help grow the business side of operations and ease the administrative burden on volunteers.
“There’ll be little things done initially, but I think it’s more about that handshake and camaraderie, so they know they’ve got someone behind them now,” he said.
The amalgamation is expected to be finalised before the end of the financial year.
