Manchester United had the Busby Babes. The St George Dragons had Bath’s Babes.
Now Bexley Golf Club have their own version. The Bexley Babes.
Bexley Golf Club are celebrating their first Sydney Metropolitan Junior Pennants title in more than 25 years after Bexley downed Pymble in the final at Pennant Hills Golf Club last Sunday.
The competition is for boys and girls up to under-18s. But when the tournament started in early October Bexley’s squad included one 13-year-old, five 12-year-olds and two 10-year-olds.
Bexley, made up of Jeffrey Guan, Josh Todd, Sebastian Sara, Marco Perin, Oliver Davis, Arki Valdy, Kayun Mudadana and Aaron Valdy, won their division undefeated to advance to the semi-finals where they beat Eastlake 5-1 at Castle Hill Golf Club.
They then met Pymble, with Bexley winning 4 ½ to 1 ½ to seal the club’s first junior pennants title since 1991.
Bexley’s head professional Paul Davis, who was in the Bexley team that last won the competition 26 years ago, said it was a unique achievement.
“Absolutely, we’re very proud of them,” he said.
“There wouldn’t be another team in the competition anywhere near our combined age and how young it is. They might have one player here or there that is 12 or 13.
There wouldn’t be another team in the competition anywhere near our combined age and how young it is.
- Paul Davis
“It’s unique because it is match play and done on handicap and you’d think because of our ages we’d be given starts. But every single match we had to give our opponents a start even though they were much older and bigger.”
Davis credits the strength of Bexley’s junior program to former member John Turnbull, who donated money to the club when he passed away about five years ago.
“We were able to start a more intensive program for our juniors and get kids interested in golf,” Davis said.
“And they’re fantastic kids. Incredibly polite and well-mannered and obviously good players.
“They all work so hard as well. Every single weekend they’re out playing and they go to the driving range after school.”
Bexley will now play for the NSW junior pennants state championship at Newcastle Golf Club in January.