Golf club closure marks the end of an era in antisemitism

At some stage late on Saturday afternoon, the last putt will be sunk, handshakes will be exchanged, and doubtless, tears will be shed as the Cranbourne Golf Club ceases operations.

Cranbourne was a creation of its time, but its closure after nearly 72 years of operation, while sad for Melbourne’s Jewish golfers, is also a welcome sign of the times.

In the late 1940s, golf was as WASP-ish a pursuit as there was, and Melbourne was no different to other major cities. Jews were largely excluded from membership at private clubs, in this case, the world-acclaimed sand belt courses (known for their unique, natural, and sandy, loam-based soil) in the city’s southeastern suburbs such as Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Victoria and Commonwealth.

It was often made clear to the handful of Jews who were accepted that they were the exception rather than the rule and not to expect too many of their brethren to join them.

In 1950, Syd Kaufman was a member of Huntingdale Golf Club, one of about 30 Jewish members, and it was made clear that there would be no more Jews admitted.

As explained in former Cranbourne president Les Kausman in his excellent 2004 history of the club. What’s Golf?, Kaufman wanted to be welcomed at a club, not merely tolerated, and so began the process of creating a golf club for the Melbourne Jewish community, just as Sydney’s Jewish golfers had with the opening of the Monash Golf Club in 1950.