Fore the love of family

What might have started as Beryl Kelly wanting her six men out of the house for a few hours has turned into a devoted, annual commitment to golf, frivolity, and, most importantly, camaraderie between a father and his sons.

“It was Beryl the wife, it was her idea,” Owen Kelly said.

“Instead of having a party, (she said) to take the boys for a golf trip. I think she imagined we were going to the Gold Coast, but I booked all of us into Las Vegas for a week.”

That was back in 2008 and Owen and his five boys — Glen, Peter, Craig, Scott and Chris — dressed in their own tour caps and shirts - have taken a golfing trip every year since. This year, they’re going to go to the Sunshine Coast.

“They (the boys) have a suggestion and say, ‘Okay Dad, here’s where we’re going — you pay’. It works brilliantly,” Owen said.

Second youngest son Scott, who also lives in Shepparton, said the final destination isn’t always the same as the boys’ first suggestion.

“We normally try to aim a bit high and then reality kicks in,” he said.

The group are usually also joined by a cousin of the boys, Paul Thomson, and a friend of Owen’s.

They’ve played golf through right-angled wind and hail on King Island in the middle of Bass Strait, and while dodging rattlesnakes in the American desert, but Owen says it’s all been great fun.

“The bonding with all the boys, and naturally, when you’ve got dad and five sons, there’s got to be a fair bit of sledging, but it’s all good. It gets you closer together. Argue like hell, and then have a beer,” he said.

“They’re all fantastic boys. Very proud of the way mum brought them up because when we were younger, I was generally trying to do two or three jobs to get ahead.”

Scott said his Mum sees the benefits of the golf trips.

“She’s totally supportive. There’s absolutely no doubt that Mum loves that we do this,” he said.

“Probably, in her mind, it’s not quite the pathway that she thought, that it’s evolved into, but she is so encouraging. She just loves her boys. You reckon Dad’s a character. Mum is an absolute legend. She’s a cracker.”

Scott said his Dad’s zest for life is an inspiration for the brothers, and it all plays out in stereo on tour.

“We just say, gee wiz, if we can live half the life the big fella’s done we would have done really well,” he said.

Owen, who has worked in banking, the media and advertising and owned Telstra stores, turned 80 in May and loves the time he can now spend with his family.

“We go away for four or five days,” he said.

“I know a lot of people can’t do that, but Christmas — get together. Just make sure you make time. That’s the message, just make time. Life’s too short.

“Luckily, I’m in a position, I’ve worked pretty hard and made some right investments and whatever, and I can do it (the golfing trips), but the main point is, make sure you get together.

Owen confesses that he’s not the best golfer on their tours, but for him, that’s not the motivation of the trips.

The personal interactions during long walks searching for golf balls in the rough and the meals and drinks in the evening are more important to him.

“I’m not a good golfer, but I enjoy the company, the comradeship, and just being out there,” he said.

The conversations can be silly or serious, but he said it’s just important that people, men, talk about what’s on their minds.

“It doesn’t matter what it is, if you can talk to your brothers or to me or whoever, that’s one of the most important things in life. Don’t bottle it up. It’ll kill you,” he said.

Scott agrees that the time they have together is precious and not to be taken lightly.

“You’re only here once and these experiences, they’re not going to go on forever, so we embrace them and we’re just so lucky to do it and God forbid when the big fella’s not around, but the memories we’ll have forever are just amazing,” he said.

This story originally appeared in Don. You can find the full publication at tinyurl.com/DON-Mag