Get to Know your Member – John Burns
Posted on: 6 November
The Man from Snowy River Tyrell Creek
“Jim, you’d sooner hold back the tide than to walk behind a Tyrell Creek Man on the golf course”
Burnso was born at St Vincent’s Maternity Hospital East Melbourne on Wednesday 7th June 1944 at 1.32pm (although some in his family argue it was 1.33pm when he took his first breath).
After he was slapped and weighed, he was sent home to Albert Park, for the first 8 years of his life. He then lived in Bentleigh for his adolescent years.
But Burnso wasn’t a city boy! His grandfather came from a small mallee town known as Culgoa on the Tyrell Creek.
It was in Culgoa he developed a passion for horses. His grandfather would often warn Burnso to never stand behind a horse, in case he “spooked” it and got kicked in the head. The jury is out on whether this ever happened, but if you look closely at his forehead, you can see faded hoof print. This important life lesson has stuck with Burnso his whole life; never stand too close behind someone in case you get kicked, even on the golf course.
As Burnso grew into a young man, his mother asked what he wanted to do?
“I want to be a sprinter,” Burnso said who was pretty quick. His mother misheard him and got him an apprenticeship as a “Letterpress Machinist” in the Printing Industry. In 1962 he received a Bronze medal for being the 3rd Best Printer in Victoria. He was a very good Printer, and if Hussain Bolt was a Printer, Burnso would have him covered.
Burnso lived in Dingley Village for 37 Years (over near Kingston Heath). He was ahead of his time and Covid, moving out to Woodend in 2019.
In the golfing world, his lowest handicap was 12 and has had 3 holes in one, which is impressive. He won Back 2 Back Leongatha tournaments in 1974 and 1975 and the Warrandyte 36 hole tournament in 1980.
Burnso has a few interesting passions, including competing in the Clydesdale “Heavy Horse Driving in Long Reins”. He has beaten CUB a few times and taken out the Champion several times.
When the GGC Golf Flags were damaged in a storm in June this year, Burnso volunteered to repair and obtain replacement Flags. Jacqui and Burnso raised the new flags with a small ceremony that I wasn’t invited to on Wednesday 11th August 2021 at 1.32 pm (or was it 1.33 pm, who knows).
Its nice to have blokes like Burnso around the Club and once you get over his grumpy, don’t stand behind me persona, he really is a nice, friendly, and amusing fella, and always happy to pitch in when needed.
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