Final groups of big events can often be tense and unforgiving.
But this is Binalong.
Yes, the World Sand Greens Championship – a fabulous innovation of Golf NSW – is on the WPGA Tour and is played for a large purse and critical world ranking points.
But there’s something different about being here in the welcoming southwest slopes region of New South Wales.
Little Ruby Holt, knee high to a youngish grasshopper, might be the unofficial ambassador.
The daughter of keen Binalong member Mark “Holt Show” Holt made herself an unexpected business empire today by building and distributing friendship bracelets.
It appeared as though her intentions were originally loving, but when her gestures began to result in return gifts of golf balls, Ruby showed she was a quick learner and soon built a war chest of shiny new Srixons.
Her passion for all in the field even took her out to the 18th tee, and she won new hearts when she gave leaders Cholcheva Wongras and Min A Yoon the colourful bracelets as a gift before they played their final drives.
It was extremely cute.
And on any normal day, it might have been enough to break the ice amid the final group tension.
But this is Binalong.
The players, in just two rounds, have already formed bonds by sharing stories of how they conquered the vagaries of the sand greens.
They “high five” when things go right, they gather around commiseratory beverages in the clubhouse afterwards when things go awry.
They genuinely care about each other, or it at least seems that way to those of us on the outside of their sisterhood.
Twice this week, club sponsor Café on Queen owners “Curly” and Jan have put up $500 for a 50m “shootout” that almost the entire field has waited to play, well after the time they’re expected to be here by tour guidelines.
The excited scene today when Steph Bunque holed out to win the cash was something to behold – almost as if a long-lost sister was being welcomed back into the family fray after a lengthy world journey.
It’s just cosy and heart-warming.
This is Binalong.
And then there’s little Rory.
With any luck, this delightfully chatty young girl will feature in tomorrow’s Kayo TV coverage for her eye-catching outfit as much as her dashing and impromptu ability with a plastic driver off the 10th tee.
The music bounced around the clubhouse precinct, keeping Rory dancing and the small army of volunteers entertained as they kept the tournament flowing.
It’s hard to imagine that in the future we won’t have a few local girls pick up on all this positivity and take to golf to keep the magic of this event bubbling.
It matters not one iota whether they reach the level of the women of the WPGA Tour and our international visitors.
It means everything, though, that they have been given this opportunity in such an unlikely place for a world championship and world-class fun.
This is Binalong.
