BEING multi-talented across different sports is often an advantage when tackling golf challenges.
Rosewood’s latest A-Grade and club champion Tim Woodford is a perfect example.
Woodford, who turns 35 next month, shared in past cricket and hockey A-Grade successes at school and club level before venturing into the world of golf.
He is one of those naturally gifted sportsmen who can score goals, make runs or knock in a winning putt.
However, the reasons for his latest back-to-back club champion titles are keeping his golf game simple and sharing valuable time on the course with a young family.
Woodford is a stay-at-home dad on Monday and Tuesday while his wife Alyssa works as a full-time paramedic.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Tim teaches PE at Leichhardt State School where he has worked for 14 years.
Tim enjoys the arrangement where he can spend quality time with Henry, who turns two in May, and four-year-old Amelia when she’s not at Prep.
Walloon-based Woodford joined the Rosewood club in September 2021 having previously played at the terrain-challenging Sandy Gallop course.
“The main reason I actually came out here [Rosewood] was I was a full-time stay-at-home dad for nine months,” he said.
“I was a member at Sandy Gallop and bringing Henry out, it just was way too hilly.”
The former St Edmund’s College student needed to push a pram around the course while having a social game.
Rosewood’s relatively flat 18 hole circuit provided just that.
“I came out here just mainly for Henry,” he said.
Tim established a link with former Easts hockey supporter Paul Toohey who is the Rosewood club greenskeeper.
The Woodford family connection continued to grow.
“I just started playing Saturdays with Paul and his group and then six months later, my brother Luke and dad [Greg] also became members out here,” Tim said.
Tim, Luke and Greg played the first three rounds of the latest club championships together before Tim had to join the seeded A-Grade group for the final 18 holes.
“I absolutely love it so much,” Tim said, appreciating his special family time on a lovely golf course.
“I’ll come here of an afternoon with Amelia and Henry and it’s just so peaceful.
“Dad bought us a buggy to stay out here so I don’t have to walk pushing the pram anymore.”
Tim with his children Henry and Amelia on the family-friendly Rosewood course.
Tim enjoyed previous sporting success with the Swifts first division cricket team before it merged with Eastern Taipans in 2017/18.
He also shared in multiple A-Grade and Reserve Grade hockey grand finals with former club Hancocks and current team Easts. Tim was part of the Tigers side that won five premierships in the mid 2000s.
In the latest club championships over four consecutive Saturdays, Woodford finished six over par after scores of 72, 75, 71 and 76.
His most recent win was more comfortable after a last round thriller that came down to the last hole the previous year.
As for why he has done so well on the golf course, Woodford said he adopts a similar approach in all his sporting conquests.
“I just look at the ball and hit it,” he said, having scored more than 800 goals in nearly 600 hockey games with Easts.
“It’s the same in cricket and hockey. You try not to complicate anything.
“People are amazed like how fast I play and how fast I putt.
“The less you think about golf the better.
“Keep it simple, look at the ball and swing.”
Rosewood club championships major results
Club Champion and A-Grade Gross winner: Tim Woodford
A-Grade Nett winner: Wayne Johnston
B-Grade Gross winner: Ben Ferguson
B-Grade Nett winner: Warren Swan
C -Grade Gross winner: Kevin O’Connell
C-Grade Nett winner: Col Gehrke
Ladies Gross winner: Liz Nelson
Ladies Net winner: Annie Finch
Seniors Overall Net winner: Maurie Clem
