Sporting Spotlight on Jack Armstrong
Upon meeting Jack Armstrong, I was immediately taken with his friendly, laid-back nature. Jack was raised in and around Charleville, QLD and comes across as a true ‘country’ boy at heart! He grew up on properties, commuted to school and at the age of 15 earned a few bob being a caddy for his two Uncles, Barney and Lal and Mrs Carter at the Charleville Golf Club. Jack started playing golf himself with some mates and despite the challenges of the Charleville Golf Club (which he describes at the time as being a ‘sand course’ with wire grass and sand greens), he found he really enjoyed playing the sport.
As a young man, Jack spent 4 and a half years in the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) and although colour blindness dashed his dreams of being a pilot, he was quickly repurposed as an engine mechanic and worked on the fighter planes such as Spitfires and Lockheed P-39 Lightnings (USA planes based in Australia). He returned to Charleville after the War where he married and had 3 lovely daughters.
These days, at 93 (nearly 94) years young, Jack plays competition golf 4 days a week at the Surfers Paradise Golf Club. That’s approximately 16 hours of golf a week and he’s only been using a golf cart in the last 18 months, prior to that he would walk the course!
Jack attributes his commitment to the sport to the people he plays with and the club. To him golf is companionship and friendship and a “great way to fill in 4 hours of a day!” Although modest in his description of his own game, he admits that he does always hit them straight and stays on the fairway. A credit no doubt to his many years of play.
Surfers Paradise Golf Club has been his golfing home since 28th April 1988 (30 years) and he can’t speak highly enough of the friendliness of the club and its members.
The approach Jack takes to his sport is admirable, he enjoys playing but does not spend time watching it on TV or following the professionals. When asked who he most admired in the sport he referred to some of the players he golfs with regularly in particular Tony Crawn and Billy Crockett.
Jack has managed to avoid injury from golf in all of his years which he believes is due to the warm up practice he does and that he doesn’t push himself beyond his limits. “I would rather avoid injury and regularly play than be injured and unable to play” he states wisely.
To Jack the sport is about exercise, enjoying the outdoors and the improved sleep he has as a result. Mind you, when he does play it is only competition golf and usually it’s for $12 vouchers they can spend at the club where he likes to treat his family to a meal.
When asked what his most treasured memory of golf is, he responds with a shrug “I just love to play. I play in different groups and everyone is friendly. It gets me out and about, it’s good exercise and is a great way to spend 4 hours.”
