New venture awaits as golf pro says farewell

The time has come for Luke Ryan to move on, after nearly a decade as the golf pro at the Gunnedah Golf Club.

Luke’s last day as the Gunnedah golf pro was last Sunday, before his planned move to East Lismore where he will take up a similar position at Lismore Workers Golf Club.

Luke said it was “bittersweet” and that he was “a bit sad to leave (Gunnedah)”, while “it’s not often you leave a job you love”.

Luke’s wife Ellie, son Buddy and daughter Bella moved into the new family home early this month, enabling the youngsters to start the school year at Wyrallah Road Public School.

Having done his traineeship at Ballina and Sanctuary Cove golf clubs, Luke became a qualified golf pro in 2014 and helped run the Pines pro shop before a chance arose at Gunnedah.

Ellie’s dad had visited Gunnedah while working for Tennis NSW, and Luke recalled him mentioning that Gunnedah “was a good town with plenty of sport”.

Remarkably, a golf pro position for Gunnedah was advertised online only a couple of weeks after this conversation, and it provided an opportunity that Luke didn’t want to miss.

“We came and had a look,” he said.

“It was meant to be, I suppose.

“We took it with open arms.

“We won’t regret it ever.”

Buddy was four months old when his parents made the move, before Bella was born in Gunnedah a couple of years later.

“It was a massive change in our life but we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Luke said.

Junior golf was Luke’s major focus during his time in Gunnedah, as he coached more than 100 juniors in his time there.

“Without junior golf, you don’t have a future at the club,” he said.

Ellie meanwhile forged her own path as she worked for Tennis NSW in the North West region, and also helped with accounting and computer activities at the Gunnedah Golf Club.

Buddy and Bella also immersed themselves in a variety of community sports, with Buddy making his mark in tennis and golf while also playing cricket.

He represented the North West zone in tennis, and the Western division in golf.

Buddy has already transferred his tennis career to good effect in Lismore, having recently been selected for the Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA) North Coast team.

Bella also played tennis in Gunnedah, and was involved in dance and Gunnedah Physical ‘Physie’ Club activities. It was not unusual for her to perform cartwheels at the golf club, whether outdoors or indoors.

Now doing competitive cheerleading, Bella “seems to have found her calling” according to her dad.

As for what prompted the move to East Lismore, Luke said “it was in the back of our minds to return home sometime” while fate also played its part.

Luke felt the desire to move closer to home after the passing of his dad late last year, while his mum lived alone at Wollongbar.

Coincidentally, former Gunnedah golf pro Peter Jaeger chose to retire after spending 32 years in the position at Lismore Workers Golf Club.

“He’s been my mentor since I was eight,” Luke said.

Peter arranged for Luke to start on March 31, with the latter saying “Peter didn’t want me to start on April Fool’s”.

Luke anticipated that his role at Lismore would be much the same as in Gunnedah, although his new position may involve overseeing a bit more with the golf management and the greenkeepers.

Luke said “humankind” was what he enjoyed most about Gunnedah, with the family making many lifelong friends and connections while many golfing members virtually took on a grandparenting role for Buddy and Bella.

“The best thing we ever did was move to Gunnedah,” Luke said.

“It’s great to know we’ll always be welcome back.

“We’ll definitely be back to visit.

“We won’t be strangers.”

Stay tuned next week for a story on the new golf pro in Gunnedah.