Horsham’s John Ackland has stepped into the manager role for the time being and is one part of a new plan to help ensure the future of the club. 

“I’m here to assist the board for a few months with their new strategic plan and putting that in place from a management point of view, to secure the future of the club,” Mr Ackland said. 

“We have a magnificent course in Horsham, as good as anywhere you’ill find in the state.”

Mr Ackland, who enjoyed 12 months of retirement throughout 2016, is a local, and he hopes his knowledge will contribute to the golf club’s success.

“I’ve worked in the region and am born and bred in the region so I’ve got a good understanding of the Wimmera and the people of the Wimmera,” he said.

“Having local knowledge, you understand the club, the people that play here, their needs and what they want here.”

The golf club recently created a new strategic plan which involves trying to market the club more widely to attract visitors from across the state.

“The challenge for us is to market the club widely and let people know we are here and they can come and use it,” Mr Ackland said.

“With the disappointment of the fire in 2009, volunteers did a fantastic job to get the club where it is now. We want to build on that.”

This year is shaping up to be a big year for the Horsham Golf Club. 

They recently hosted the state-wide Four-Ball Championships and will welcome the Western Open later in the year.

“There are a lot of really great things happening around the club with tournaments and potential tournaments – it’s looking very good,” Mr Ackland said. 

 Although Mr Ackland does not mind playing a game of golf, he has other things to work on for now.

“I enjoy the odd game of golf and I’ll enjoy it when I get out there,” he said.

“I’ve got other priorities at the moment.”