Rotary Club
of
Dunfermline
Golfers' flag day!
Sydney-based millionaire George Drysdale played Rotary ambassador when he paid his 28th annual pilgrimage to his home town of Dunfermline. Down the years the retired metals magnate has provided financial sponsorship for a raft of good causes and individuals, ranging from the Pars' players of the year to the millennium children's gala.
As a guest of Dunfermline Rotarians, along with his wife Robin, Mr Drysdale this year flew the flag for the Rotary Club of Morisset in New South Wales, who had asked him to act as their envoy in exchanging pennants and fraternal greetings. Morisset is a small town in central NSW, named after a major who camped there in 1823 while making the first overland journey from Sydney to Newcastle.
Now aged 89, Mr Drysdale explained, "I own the property which contains the Morisset Country Club. It operates an 18-hole golf club, which I lease to them, and Ian Taylor, who is secretary/manager of the golf club, is presently president of the Morisset Rotary Club."
President David Gemmell, who last year captained the District 1010 Rotary golf exchange to Western Pennsylvania, plays much of his golf at Pitfirrane and Canmore, as well as the La Manga Club in Spain.
In exchanging pennants with George, he joked that as the Morriset Rotarians' president was secretary-manager of Morisset golf and country club, he would try to play the course on his next visit to Australia, where his Melbourne-based twin brother has lived for the past 30 years.
George - who over the years has sponsored a raft of Dunfermline good causes, including the millennium children's gala - quipped, "You will need to ask me - because I own the course!"