Having served with the Australian Army in Vietnam, Geoff was assigned to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in 1968, at the end of the “year of living dangerously”, and has been here ever since.
At that time there were limited choices for golf, Senayan or Rawa Mangun. Geoff didn’t get to play much as duties took him to some of the remotest places, pioneering the installation of Indonesia’s communications infrastructure. This included two years in Papua.
On returning to Jakarta, Geoff started his own business, which became so successful, he could play more golf. He joined the Rawa Mangun Golf Club where it was not uncommon to be playing at the same time as former President Soeharto. As time went on many more golf courses sprang up such as, Sawangan, Pangkalan Jati and Ancol then there was a flood of new courses. This gave Geoff the opportunity to really enjoy the game.
Geoff played most Sundays at Pangkalan Jati at the same time as Tee Set and eventually joined on a regular basis in 1993. As you will see from our history, here, Geoff eventually became Tee Set President, saving Tee Set from certain demise on one particular Sunday at Riverside, when only four players attended and the then President announced that he was quitting and returning to Canada. Like everything he does, Geoff took control, organized and innovated, and helped build a solid base for the society we have today. He also founded the Bandung Bash Easter weekend event, which he hosts every year – not to be missed! He is back on Committee as Finance Co-ordinator during 2021 and President for 2022 and general guardian of good process!
Now a very virile 78, Geoff spends some of his time in his beautiful home on the Gold Coast, but is still an active member of Tee Set and doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon. His loss of hearing has meant that his voice is louder, prompting some fellow members to sarcastically dub him “the Caddie Whisperer”, as he is often talking to his caddy while others are trying to tee off. Geoff is a prolific contributor to Tee Set and a true character, featured in several novels about Indonesia. He tragically lost one of his beloved sons in the Bali Bombing in 2002 and worked tirelessly to help victims of terrorism and natural disaster, for which he was nominated Australian of the Year in 2005.
Tee Set 