The E. F. Doyle Memorial Trophy acknowledges the enormous contribution E. F. (Pat) Doyle made to the Southport Golf Club. The trophy is for an aggregate nett stroke event for teams of four.

E. F. (Pat) Doyle
Ernest Francis (Pat) Doyle was born in Brisbane in 1917 and attended Brisbane Boys’ College and the University of Queensland, graduating with a degree in dentistry. He served in the R.A.A.F. as a Dental Officer during World War Two.

Pat Doyle joined Southport Golf Club in 1946 from Brisbane Golf Club, when he established a dental practice in Nerang Street.

Pat Doyle’s contributions to the Southport Golf Club
When Pat Doyle joined Southport Golf Club, the course was under pressure from increased demand to play on the nine-hole course, and the members were calling for another nine holes. In 1948, the Club bought the golf course and undeveloped land from Southport Golf Recreations Ltd and set about planning the second nine holes.

Pat Doyle was instrumental in organising the construction of the second nine holes. The 1950 Committee Report at the Annual General Meeting stated the new nine holes were playable in under six months from the date of commencement. “Full credit for this is due to the Greens Director E. F. Doyle and the Contractors.” Doyle was very pleased that the construction only cost £750 due to the members supplying so much of the equipment for free. His contributions to the design of the second nine holes was officially recognised in 1951 when he was named the Club’s first Honorary Life Member.

Doyle was Greens Director or on the Greens Committee from 1949 to 1958; an exceptional contribution to the Club. His role as Greens director was very hands-on as he advised the Committee [the Board] on all course matters, including fertiliser, grass cutters to be purchased and problems with staffing.

In 1960, Doyle and four others were appointed as a Course Committee to oversee development of a new 18-hole course at our current site. The new course was commenced in 1961 and completed in 1963.

Doyle also held the office of Club Captain in 1948 and President in 1958. Doyle was the Patron of the Club until the time of his death in 1979.

Doyle’s Golfing Prowess
Pat Doyle was a scratch marker who played a dominant role in Brisbane and local A grade Pennants for many years. He won the Darling Downs and South West Championship played in Toowoomba, a gruelling matchplay event over four rounds in 1949. He also won the Championship at Southport Golf Club six times.

Doyle’s Legacy
Throughout his time at Southport, he always took an interest in course improvements and Club affairs, and he was most supportive of members. He wrote a weekly column for the South Coast Bulletin, updating golfing achievements and covering the local golfing scene.

To many he exemplified the pioneering spirit at Southport in the early years of the Club. According to a 1996 edition of the Tee to Green quarterly, his greatest contribution was undoubtably the esprit d’corps he inspired during his term as Greens Director. As Ray Croxford noted, “He was a top bloke.”

Early life in Victoria
Ray was born in 1937 and took up golf at age 13, starting on a handicap of 16. By 1955, he was down to scratch. In Victoria, Ray won the championship at Box Hill Golf Club nine times, before joining Patterson River club and winning the championship once.

Ray’s successes at Southport
Ray Croxford has won the Club Championship at Southport seven times – 1967, 1968, 1972, 1983, 1984, and 2000. This makes him the most prolific winner of the Men’s Championship, eclipsing E.F. Doyle’s six championship wins.

Ray has won a plethora of other titles including the Senior Championship, the Pegler Shield, the E.F. Doyle Memorial Trophy, five Mixed Foursomes Championships, and the Foursomes Championship eight times, including in 1988 with his son Trent.

Legacy
Ray is respected in the club by those he has helped on their golfing journey. He is a supporter of the junior golfers, as well as many of the members. He has also been very supportive of new members to the club. The Business Women have great admiration for Ray as he is a great supporter of the women who play golf at Southport, and as a result, his trophy is highly valued.

The women will be competing for the Williza Park Trophy in coming weeks. The competition is run over two weeks as a Four Ball Best Ball competition in teams of two.

This trophy was donated by Elizabeth Fraser, a long-time member of the Club. Elizabeth joined Southport Golf Club in 1988 and she died in 2018. As well as being a keen golfer, Elizabeth was an avid horse breeder. Elizabeth owned the Williza Park stud in Clagiraba, which continues to be a thoroughbred and racing enterprise.

Elizabeth Fraser was a great supporter of the Golf Club and she left a generous bequest to fund prizes in the name of Williza Park. Her bequest also assists in providing prize money for the Women’s Club Championships.

In 2022, Tony and Nancy Stenton established the World Carpets Cup, with first place receiving 3000 Southport dollars in sponsorship to the winner’s trophy account. The tournament is held over five qualifying rounds. Each player’s best three scores are calculated to determine the top 50 players. In the manner of the Fed-Ex Cup, the top 50 players then contest a sixth round to determine the top 16. The top 16 play off in the final round and receive a share of the 10,000 Southport dollar pool in their trophy account. The Stentons also generously contribute $2000 to refreshments on the final day.

Tony and Nancy Stenton, through their company World Carpets, have been prominent sponsors at Southport Golf club over a period of 20 years. Since 2005, they have sponsored Associates’ functions. In the early years, that sponsorship was worth $2000 annually for the Women’s Foursomes Championship. Now they also sponsor the Women’s Monthly Medal rounds. Seeing the need, they also donated the digital clock at the breezeway.