The new Harden Country Club will be one facility, available to the whole community
- Chris Longbottom
The Harden Country Club welcomed their new full-time Manager, Chris Longbottom and his family to the community last week, with a 'meet and greet' held at the club.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Longbottom, originally from Queensland, has spent many years living overseas as a professional golfer, before returning to Australia with his wife Dom.
"We returned to Australia in 2014 and lived on the Gold Coast for a while, before I took a position in South Australia, as a golf pro at the South Lakes Club in Goolwa. " Mr Longbottom said. "That was a big club,with a beautiful 18 hole golf course and 600 members."
Mr Longbottom said that although he enjoyed being a golf pro, he realised that he wanted to be on the decision making side of the business.
"As a golf pro, you have very limited involvement in the decisions that benefit golf." Mr Longbottom said. 'There is little opportunity to push golf and the clubs in the right direction. Coming to Harden and being involved in a project like this one is a very unique and special opportunity."
Mr Longbottom said that when he was looking at making a career change, he was lucky to receive several offers, but was drawn to Harden, because of the new facility being developed.
"It is very rare in the golf industry to have the opportunity to be involved with a project like this ; 'creating something from nothing'; so to speak." Mr Longbottom said. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to do the best job I can. I hope to establish good management practices that will be transferred when the new facility is completed."
Mr Longbottom said that one of the messages he wants to get out to the community is that the construction of the new Country Club is not about amalgamating all the clubs in Harden Murrumburrah.
"The new club facility is not about taking control of all the clubs in Harden Murrumburrah." Mr Longbottom said.
"It is about building a community asset, that is available to everyone in the town, with the ability to cater for all community clubs; like the gardening club or the senior citizens."
"I also would hope that as the golf course already has such a wonderful reputation of being one of the best in NSW, that having the new facility will bring more visitors to the town. And that will benefit everyone."
Mr Longbottom said he and his family are looking forward to getting to know the community members better in the coming weeks.
"My family and I arrived in Harden four weeks ago, and we have found the people extremely kind and welcoming." Mr Longbottom said.
"Harden Murrumburrah is a very family based community. We have two young daughters and it is a very positive sign that we already feel part of the community."
