They were gentlemanly golfers who played courses throughout the Central West for decades — rain, hail, or shine — and were named after the ageing soldiers who defended Britain during World War II.

Significant contribution of this extraordinary group of friends, who are sadly no longer with us, will be honoured with the return of the highly-anticipated Dad’s Army Golf Day in Narromine this week.

First held in 2019, the annual Two-Person Ambrose event — traditionally played on the Labour Day Long Weekend in October — was initially interrupted by the pandemic restrictions and, later, by the staging of the Dolly Parton Festival at the Narromine Golf Club on that weekend.

With the festival concert relocating to Cale Oval this year, however, the door has opened enabling the Dad’s Army Golf Day to make a welcome return to Narromine Golf Club.

The moniker “Dad’s Army” was given to a group of well-known local figures who, over several decades, played at both the Narromine Club (and further afield): Jack Cale, Sid McCutcheon, Jack Burgess, John Gainsford, Geoff Swane, Bryce Crawford, and Bill Burke.

Coming from a variety of professions including farming, earthmoving, stock and station agent, rose breeding, and even a chemist, Dad’s Army also spent many hours working and contributing to their community through volunteering.

But their shared passion was golf, with this group of golfing gents so dedicated to the game, that they insisted on playing every weekend, regardless of the weather.

“Whether playing on a freezing July Saturday or a scorching 44-degree January Sunday, they could always be found on the course, enjoying the challenge of the game and each other’s camaraderie,” a spokesperson for the Dad’s Army families said recently.

But weekends spent on the course weren’t enough for these diehard golfers, who also travelled to Dubbo on Wednesdays to tackle their most “formidable challenge”, the spokesperson, who has requested anonymity, revealed.

“[This encompassed] the grass greens, fine-tuning their handicaps, and creating many enjoyable memories with a fair share of interesting trips home,” they added.

With the passage of time, the ranks in Dad’s Army quietly thinned. Geoff Swane, who spent thousands of hours volunteering at the Narromine golf course over the years, was the last surviving member of the group and passed away in 2021.

The Dad’s Army Golf Day was started by the members’ families in their memory, and they have generously donated the prizes — supported by event sponsors Inland Petroleum and Macquarie Valley Fuels — as well as the Narromine Golf Club.

Importantly, the Dad’s Army families have purchased the prizes on offer at the event from local businesses, ensuring funds remain in the community, the spokesperson added.

The annual event will ensure the memories of Dad’s Army remain.

“Their legacy lives on through their children and grandchildren, who started this annual event to support the local golf club and community, while honouring the extraordinary group of men,” the families’ spokesperson said.

The first event in 2019 attracted more than 80 players and the families are hoping for an equally-impressive turnout for the return of the Dad’s Army Golf Day to Narromine on Saturday, October 5.

Full details of the event, which includes a barbecue lunch and the chance to win over $4000 in prizes, can be found in the Classifieds section of this issue.