History
Golf officially started in Port Moresby on Saturday 2nd of August 1930, at the Golf Links situated at Konedobu Place. This area is now occupied by the Flour Mill, a Service Station, Lohberger Engineering, Rice Terminal, Post Courier, government Printing Office and Tanubada Dairy Products, just to name a few.
When the World War Two ended, club members found the Konedobu Links still under Government occupation. Through the efforts of Judge L.T. Gore, a lease land at Gabutu was acquired.
This land was situated in the triangle created by Kila and Karius Roads with Kila Kila Hill (commonly called “Old Baldly”) in the background. Part of the land was swampy and some surrounding area was the site of old wartime installations including a small emergency airstrip at nearby Kila Kila.
In the mid 1960’s the administration (government) informed the Club that it had to vacate the land at Badili because it was required for urgently needed, low cost native housing. In order to expedite the movement, the Administration offered land in the next valley adjacent to the suburb of Hohola and not too far from the softball sporting complex in that suburb. The offer of this land was soon followed by another one which was located in the Wards Strip area.
The club was allowed to remain at the Badili course until it had relocated itself to another course suitable for playing golf. The move finally took place in 1970 when the land at Wards Strip was sufficiently developed to allow members to play golf.
After considering the offer of land near Hohola, it was decided by the committee that a detailed inspection of the proposed site should be undertaken. This in itself was not as easy as it sounds because it was virgin bush and the only access would be by way of four wheel drive vehicles. Unfortunately there were not enough volunteer owners of such vehicles available to transport the committee and other enthusiastic members to inspect the offered site.
The administration was having second thoughts on the offer of this particular piece of land just surveyed for a golf course by the Club. Eventually, the Administration did advise the club that it would require the land for housing purpose for a new suburb to be called Tokarara. The club was then offered the Wards Strip area and told that they could have as much land as they required and a promised lease over that land for “ever and ever”.
In the meantime, while this confusion existed between the administration and the club over another piece of land which tio build another golf course, the RSL club at Boroko was quietly going ahead building their own nine-hole golf course. The purpose was to build a nine-hole course purely as a social sporting activity for members of the RSl Club. Their course was completed and in full use by 1967. The RSL Club was officially opened on the 8th of June 1968 at about the same time that the work started on the Wards Strip course by the Badili Club.
Due to the closure and sale of the RSL Club and other associated matters, the Golf club ceased operations in 1985.
When The Administration finally advised the Golf Club in 1966 that the land already surveyed at Tokarara was no longer available, it suggested land in the Wards Strip area which may be suitable for a golf course.
The club was also told that this land would not be needed for any future purposes and a promise of a lease “forever” was given.