How It All Started

In the early 1900s many companies had commercial travellers’ on the road getting their goods throughout city and country areas.

In 1931, a group of travellers banded together to organise a Golf Day at Long Reef Golf Club, and it was decided all proceeds would be donated to the Royal Alexandria Hospital for Children at Camperdown.

In discussion with the Hospital it was suggested to the group that the donations would purchase a cot, possibly each year and agreed upon, hence the annual Golf Day officially started in 1935 and became the Cot Fund Golf Day held by the The Keystone Golf Club.

The thirties saw a number of travellers and friends attend the Golf Days, bringing along trophies such as beer, wine and spirits, as well as many other trophies and although many were not skilled in the game of Golf everyone who attended received a trophy.

Whilst Long Reef hosted the first Keystone Day in the following years, many other clubs such as Manly, New Metropolitan Golf Club, St Michaels, Cumberland, Ryde/Parramatta, Oatlands, Pennant Hills and Carnarvon have been the venue for the Annual Day, now held in November or December each year. In the past the Keystone Charity Golf Day has been held between Christmas and New Years Day as many travellers usually took their annual holidays at that time.

There have been many representatives involved in the organising of the Keystone Golf Days over many years. One notable is our current patron, Vic Kellher O.A.M and Dudley Davies (whom recently past). Dudley became a member in the late thirties and Vic joined in 1948, and after serving on the committee for many years was elected President in 1985. Dudley Davies still holds the honour of being one of our longest serving Presidents.

The Commercial Travellers’ Association are indebted to these people who give their time and effort each year with all proceeds from the Annual Golf Days having been forwarded to the Children’s Hospital Westmead to assist in supporting the Commercial Travellers’ Ward.

The club has now been in operation for 81 years raising money for the Children’s Hospital and will continue to do so over many years in the future with your help.