Who is Priscilla, “Queen of the Green”?

If you were strolling past the Coober Pedy Golf Course on Saturday 4th October you may have thought that filming had begun for Priscilla Queen of the Desert 2. How wrong you would have been!! It was actually nine “lovely lads” from Positron, sub contractors at Prominent Hill, all decked out in their ‘Saturday Best’ ready to tackle our unusual golf course.

Contender 1 - for Priscilla, Queen of the Green, hits this one home to Prominent Hill

Contender 1: demonstrates here that after working hard at Prominent Hill it was time for a bit of fun  on their day off.  With a bit of clever improvisation on a budget of $20 each for a visit to the Op Shop, the macho miners were ready to impress the ladies who play golf on Saturdays!

Surprised Golf Club President, Bev Staines and and Ladies Captain, Chris Comer thought they were seeing a mirage as the colourful group approached, all done out in their ‘Saturday Best’.  After all our unique Golf Club does have recipicrocal rights with the prestigeous St. Andrews Golf Club in Scotland, so of course the astonished pair of committee members Bev and Chris stifled dignified laughter with disbelief and their composure in tatters as the visiting troupe introduced themselves.

Contender 2 - "Sledging the Wedge"

The ladies explained the rules, gave them an esky and showed them the way to the first hole. What a sight –  frilly frocks flapping in the wind, revealing mini skirts, wigs that would not stay on – it was hard not to laugh as they took turns to seriously tee off.
 
There were some very impressive shots from the hill to the first scrape.  A few balls made it to the fairway, with some ending up in the creek and others becoming lost.  Clearly some were golfers and some were not.

Contender 2: “Sledging the Wedge”, found out for possibly the first time, what it was like to juggle slipping panty hose against a chiffon dress, thongs, and a wig, whilst concentrating on hitting a golf ball with mates jeering on a windy day. No-one was really sure where this ball went.

Bev showed the visitors how to use the roller before putting. The ladies then went back to the clubhouse to watch whilst the femme fatales played the next eight holes, realising that beneath the frocks and makeup were a group of fine young men needing to break loose from the industrial routine.

The sight from the clubhouse was indeed intriguing as these “lovely blokes” made their way around the course. 

Contender 3 - "The Wood-chopper"

Contender 3: looking pretty in a pastel pink knickerbocker ensemble, was an obvious newbie to golf, inventing an exciting swing, now adopted as the “wood-chopper”.  This ball is currently still circling the globe.  Hat and ribbons were brought back later by the neighbours dog. along with some of their misplaced balls.

Contender 4: was the inspiration that everyone should have a little black wrap-around dress and of course the sunnies – but where is that flaming ball?  (Obviously a footy man)  Try as one may, this one went to the creek and the wind took yet another hat.

Contender 4: "Little black wrap-around dress"

After a few hours of some dynamic golf the cheeky Positron crew returned to the clubhouse for a chat and a few lights drinks before heading back to their camp at Oz Minerals, Prominent Hill.  All said they had a great time and will be back in a few weeks for another round. We are all looking forward to a game of NIGHT GOLF some time soon. 

Contender 5: "The Hacker" with a wig and a split

It’s very likely that golf in Coober Pedy could take on new meaning if current members catch on to this new invention we could call, “Surprise Day”.  (Although some of the members are still checking to see if there is a dress code written into the club’s constitution!!)

The “entertaining golfers” were not keen to have their names attached to photos so we agreed we wouldn’t.  After all who would possibly recognise common names found on a remote golf club register like: Brad, Cameron, Cannon, Damien, Ben, Andrew, Paul, Levi and Robbie coming out of a large place like Positron at Prominent Hill in the far north desert of South Australia.

Positron site supervisor Scott along with Bev and Chris, hidden here amongst the Positron/Prominent Hill cross-dressers

 Wonder if their friends can pick Brad, Cameron, Cannon, Damien, Ben, Andrew, Paul, Levi and Robbie out of this line up?  Chris doubted that even their mother’s would recognise them.

Much debate went into the choosing of a Priscilla for the “Centrefold” in the latest edition of the Coober Pedy Regional Times.

Priscilla candidate - smooths the way to a vote

Cheeky favourite for Priscilla

Finally an agreement was reached with the male committee members out-voting the females!  Reason given, the excellent smoothness of the putting area! 

The compromise in having  a male dominated member-ship was, the next time our Golf Club President Bev Staines visited St. Andrews Golf Club in Scotland she could take the newly recruited team, as all things considered some tradition breaking new styles were introduced by the enthusiastic Positron golfers.

The Positron winner has not come forward yet to claim his/her prize for the committee vote and we  still can’t put names to the faces. 

See you on the green sometime soon!

Chris Comer for Coober Pedy Regional Times