It says all you need to know about Angela Royal that arguably her greatest golfing honour came with absolutely no preparatory fanfare.
Angela was, as befitting a trusted club stalwart, attentively taking in the recent AGM with no clue that she was about to become just the 43rd life member in the club’s rich 117-year tapestry.
When she turned the run sheet to the appropriate page and saw there was indeed a rare induction to take place – and even again when it became apparent that it was a woman – Angela’s thoughts drifted to who might have the honour bestowed upon them.
This is classic Angela Royal.
Always considering others; constantly hoping for and, perhaps more importantly, driving the Portarlington Golf Club to succeed and be the community’s happy place.
Good friend and fellow life member Marilyn Monroe began her speech to announce the induction anonymously, noting that it was not every year that life memberships were awarded. And only then “to members who have rendered special or valuable services to the club well beyond that of a typical member”.
“The board gave its unanimous approval to the nomination as this person has been tireless in her efforts to improve all facets of our golf club over her 20 years of membership,” Marilyn said.
“The nominee – Angela Royal.”
President Jan Cogger (left) and captain Jenny Edmanson (right) help bestow life membership to their great mate Angela Royal.
Angela “nearly fell off the chair”.
“You could have knocked me down with a feather,” Angela recalled afterwards.
“I remember coming to the club and feeling so young and now I’m of those `oldies’ who has been here for ages, but I never expected that to happen, never.”
Which, again, is a typical Angela. Modest to a fault.
Angela and her husband Garry moved from Melbourne to the Bellarine, partly in 2006 and fully in 2007 when, as a new local, she chose to join Portarlington over her originally intended destination, Curlewis.
Both the move and the membership proved decisions that changed the Royals’ lives.
“I wanted to get involved in the community in my own little way and joining the club not only afforded me that opportunity, but it really changed my focus so much.
“I guess you could say that I always tried my best to contribute to the club, but I feel like it has repaid me in spades – it has become something really special to me and I’m absolutely blown away by this honour.
“The club’s (purpose statement) is about a combination of golf and friendship … and I don’t think there’s ever been a truer word. They couldn’t have put it better.”
Angela’s roles at the club have been many and varied, often going without a title as a trusted volunteer at myriad events.
But her official resume is impeccable.
Angela was elected to the then ladies golf committee in 2008 and then again as handicap manager from 2009-14.
She served on multiple committees – course maintenance, tournament and junior development included.
But in 2019, following the merger of the men’s and women’s committees, Angela stepped towards the role for which she’ll perhaps be best remembered in the years ahead.
After being chosen for the golf committee – where she stayed until last year - she was elected to be club captain in October 2021, a post that she held for two years.
In that time of great change, the captain became increasingly integral to the club’s political practices.
Angela became the first captain to be asked to attend board meetings – a role that she filled with such enthusiasm and success as the golf committee’s representative – that the club’s constitution was altered to permanently have the captain of the day sit on the club executive.
Chief executive Michael Phillips was effusive in his praise of Angela’s role in that change.
“She was so important to that process. She really represented all the golfers so well and it made it clear that the captain should have a seat at the board table,” he said.
“Angela should be really proud of the role she played in changing the way the club operates into the future.”
For her part, Angela “just loved being involved”.
“I loved sitting on all the committees and doing bits and pieces, but I really loved sitting on the board for those couple of seasons, seeing the workings behind the scenes,” she said.
“That’s nice of Michael to say that, but that’s just how I felt. I really found that interesting and was really pleased to be invited to be a part of the meetings - but more than that, to be listened to and always be included - to pass on thoughts from the golfing side.”
Typically, Angela didn’t see herself as a “trailblazer”, instead deferring to her peers whom she said had helped institute the changes.
“I felt there was a group before me with Jan (Cogger) and John (Bowman) who changed the committee’s focus and brought the club much more together. I was lucky enough to be riding along on that wave … that led to that inclusivity.”
Angela paid tribute to those who’ve shared their expertise with her in their respective areas, calling out Steve Burchett for his patient lessons regarding course maintenance and greens.
“And I think one of the huge parts of the club, and its best contributors, is Matt (Milne) in the pro shop.
“What he’s done with the Premier League is adventurous, one of the best things on a Saturday to really bring everyone together.
“It’s created a great spirit, and in my eyes that’s what makes things like that a huge success! The pro-am with the older guys is another example of changing things that has made the event brighter and brought everyone together.
“I’ve really loved watching the club change and develop – of course it’s development around the course and in the clubhouse – but more in the way it’s perceived by so many people from the outside, now.
“I’m absolutely proud, particularly with all those events, that you never have to feel like you’re bringing anyone to a humble country course any more.
“Others always come here and say their course is OK, but that ours is always perfect, you’ve got the best of this, the best of that – and that makes me really proud.
“It’s been great watching it strengthen and become broader. I love the atmosphere of the club and my friends do when they visit. They always say, `We just love coming to Port’, and they mean it sincerely, which is so nice.
“We’ve much to be proud of, the way we’ve developed and present ourselves to people outside the club.”
Away from the public eye, another important job that Angela has helped with is the passing of knowledge to others as they seek to fill her shoes.
Most notably, her fondness for now captain Jenny Edmanson is abundantly clear.
“I’d like to think that I took the next step (from those who came before her), they started the ball rolling, then I just carried it forward and then handed it to the next person.
“In my case that’s Jen, who’s doing such a wonderful job already.
“I was a bit of a person who kept records, which was really relevant for me at the start and something for her to fall back on if she needed to.
“But bit by bit, she has been able to well and truly stand on her own two feet, then the tide turned as it should – she’s wonderful and she calls me as a sounding board now.
“It’s gone from asking for help to not needing to, but still ringing as a friend.
“That means a lot to me – the friendships. Jen, of course, but everyone, really.
“It’s socially really important to me. I mean, to come and get out on the course is terrific, but I really miss the social side of it when I’m not in there. Catching up with the girls, constantly meeting new people, it’s terrific and really important.
“It’s those friendships I have - one day you’re a young person new in the club, then you turn and look over your shoulder and you’re one of those golden oldies you used to see.
“it’s amazing, but that’s what makes great clubs great – the people always coming through.”
For the club, her impact is perhaps best left to Marilyn’s speech.
“Angela’s many qualities come through clearly in all of her golf club responsibilities,” Marilyn noted.
“They include her wonderful strength of character, approachability, commitment to the club and task at hand – and her leadership that is fair, consistent and decisive.
“She’s the quiet achiever and a member most deserving of our club’s highest honour.”
Hear, hear.
