Muree Golf Club is situated at Raymond Terrace NSW, on land that belonged to Ernie Armstrong, who was a man with a powerful presence. Ernie drove an enormous Hudson car. The land is where Muree sandstone was quarried for many fine houses in the area including Tomago House. The sandstone was quarried where the 18th green is now played. The sandstone according to Harry Marshall (Snr) was of such quality that it was entered in competition in England in 1889 and won a prize for quality and durability. The quarry became a dam which Ernie Armstrong had filled from the flats of Muree before the Golf Club was allowed use of any water. Ernie Armstrong used the water for his orchard and a reticulation system.

The handwritten history gives the meaning of Muree which had hereto believed to be "Meeting Place". As far as can be determined the name Muree was a sub tribe of the ‘En Gar Roo Gull’ group – one of the 17 aboriginal tribes that inhabited the Newcastle area. The nearest English equivalent that can be given to the aboriginal word Muree is ‘quiet movement’".

Ernie Armstrong’s figure casts a long shadow over Muree and he was a dominant character in the early years of the club. In the late 1930’s – 1940, Ernie Armstrong developed a 9 hole golf course on part of his orchard.

At the time there was also a public 9 hole course on Boomerang Park and on occasions the golfers would play 9 holes at Muree, 9 holes at Boomerang park and then retire to a pub to settle everything up. At that time the majority of the players came from Newcastle and could wait up to two hours each way on the Tomago Punt.

History from 1940 to the late 1950’s

In 1940 the inaugural meeting of Muree Golf Club took place in the Oddfellows Hall in Auckland Street, Merewether on 28^th March 1940.  Percy Pidgeon was elected President and at the AGM, 12 days later the subs were set at 1 guinea (₤1/1shilling) a year and the green fees at 1 shill and 6 pence (1/6d). 

On 27^th April 1940 Cr Parish the President of Port Stephens Shire Council officially opened Muree Golf Course.  The Parish Cup is still contested annually – a 36 hole competition in October.  On 21^st July 1940 the first hole-in-one was on the 3^rd hole which no longer exists, this was struck by Mr C.K. Thompson, a journalist from Mayfield, who later published a children’s book called ‘Maggie the Magpie’ which described a series of incidents involving magpies and golfers at Muree. 

Dotted through the minutes of Muree are stores of incompetence and slack work.  The first example is in 22^nd October, 1941 when the Committee was presented with a comprehensive report following the resignation of the secretary.  The minutes were confirmed in retrospect by Mr C.K. Thompson – perhaps calling upon his journalistic skills. 

There obviously was a love hate relationship between Muree Golf Club and Ernie Armstrong.  Ernie Armstrong recommended the fees to be charged on his golf course – natural enough. 

On 11^th February 1942, Ernie Armstrong suggested that because of petrol rationing and transport restrictions that Club activities should be suspended.  This motion was duly passed.  For the period of suspension, members annual fee was 3 shillings (3/-) and the office bearers were to act in a custodial basis for the period of the war. 

The minutes for that meeting in 1942 were duly confirmed, 6 years and 4 months later in June 1948. 

The notes record a ‘Clubhouse’ in June 1948 which is suspected of being a dwelling converted for this purpose. During the winter of 1948 the Club recommenced competition and by August 1948 the membership roll was 68 and there was 66 pounds – 16 shillings 7½ pence (£66/16/7½) in the bank. 

The history of the Club from 1955 onwards is another story. The minutes record ‘some difficult times with members’ which understand to mean that earlier trustees, this is from 1942 were not prepared to have anything to do with the Club.  The new trustees were appointed. In 1949 Mr Merv Mayo was appointed Professional / Manager, from the records, he was the first employee of Muree. 

On 6^th January 1949 a Committee meeting at the Embassy Café, Newcastle, was where Ernie Armstrong took strong exception to a letter from the Committee concerning improvement to the Club ‘telling him how to run his business’.  Ernie Armstrong asked for complaints to be directed to him personally and he would see what could be done. 

On August 1949 an AGM occurred where members moved a motion amounting to lack of confidence in the Committee.  The motion was lost 12-28.  The meeting took place in the Legion House, Newcastle.

February 1950, Merv Mayo resigned to work in Liverpool, Sydney.

In March 1950, the Committee negotiated with Ernie Armstrong to eliminate Public or Non-member players on Sundays and the Committee to have complete jurisdiction on this day.  Ernie Armstrong was also asked to install showers in the Clubhouse.  The absence of showers prevented Muree hosting some district competitions.  

The Committee approached Ernie Armstrong, and by June 1950 had a lease with an option to purchase arranged with Ernie Armstrong.  With the lease agreement in place Mr Helmore – the Club’s solicitor – was asked to obtain a liquor license.  Mr Helmore reported to a meeting in September 1950, that the Bowling Club has applied for a license simultaneously to Muree and Ernie Armstrong was mentioned as President of the Bowling Club.  Muree’s application for a license has been deferred.

When the license matter was heard again the Bowling Club was successful and Muree failed because (1) the Club was privately owned and (2) only 14 of the 300 members live in Raymond Terrace.  The fee for the license application was £82/2 shillings. 

June/July 1951, Committee meetings made representations to Ernie Armstrong about control of groups on the course, position of the holes on 3^rd, 17^th and 18^th holes and lack of showers.  Ernie Armstrong replied that ‘he had tried to be conciliatory with the committee but most of the complaints were not worth a damn’.  Ernie Armstrong insisted an agreement was still in place. On 20^th September 1951, Port Stephens Shire Council (PSSC) wrote to Muree, advising the PSSC objected to the Roads Transport Association (RTA) relocating the Highway to the East of Raymond Terrace and PSSC would do all it could to avoid Muree being bisected by the road works. 

In December 1952, Ernie Armstrong had a plan for a two floor Clubhouse to cost between 10-12 thousand pounds, he had intention of limiting his invitees (ie non-members) playing Muree, and it would be some time before he formulated any more plans. Later Ernie Armstrong stated ‘he did not propose to proceed with the Clubhouse while there was a district possibility of a new highway being constructed through the course’. 

AGM 19^th March 1953 – President summarized the new agreement with Ernie Armstrong who had tripled his dues from £1/1shilling per annum to £3/3shilling per member.  At the meeting Ernie Armstrong refused to install showers in the Clubhouse and he would not ‘build anymore shacks around the place’.  Ernie Armstrong repeated the statements about the highway. At a meeting 13^th August 1953, Ernie Armstrong challenged the committee to prove their charges concerning his staff (the matter of poor supervision, public players, etc).  Ernie Armstrong also reported that the present Clubhouse be removed for the new building to start in October 1953.  

The new Clubhouse plans were shown to the committee.  In January 1954 the committee was of the opinion the Club could not afford the new terms that Ernie Armstrong had set.  In discussion with Ernie Armstrong it was made plain that Ernie Armstrong would as a result of the terms not being accepted treat all of Muree’s members as casual golfers and charge them accordingly.  The committee’s response was a counter-offer of £1,000 per annum for the use of the Clubhouse, water and power.  This offer was flatly rejected.  The President approached Ernie Armstrong again and no resolution was achieved. 

AGM 1954 – 17^th March.  The President commented how the opening of the Hexham Bridge had not resulted in a huge influx of new members – in fact there had been a decrease of 64 probably due to the doubling of the annual fee to £4/0/2.  The members commended the committee’s stand in the negotiations with Ernie Armstrong.

In May 1954 the President and Ernie Armstrong had further discussion regarding a poker machine. In June 1954 Ernie Armstrong accepted the Club’s offer of £14 per week rent with the Club receiving 25% of the profit of two poker machines and this agreement was confirmed in July 1954.

On 26^th January 1955, a lease agreement with Ernie Armstrong was reached for a period of 5 years until 28^th January 1960 of £4,500 per annum (owner to spend £500 per annum on fertilizer).  The Club have the option to purchase the land during the lease. 

Special General Meeting – 9^th September 1955 – confirmed the lease arrangement with Ernie Armstrong.  10 acres of land that adjoined the cemetery and had been a rubbish tip were leased from the Crown Lands Department in 1955 for £32 per annum, being finally purchased in 1978.  So between 1955 and when Muree paid £40,000 to Ernie Armstrong for the Club, the course was on two separate parcels of land.  From that time/moment Ernie Armstrong is not mentioned in the minutes.   

Allan Cox has talked about his experiences with Ernie Armstrong when building the Clubhouse.  Allan had just completed the Library in 1953 when he began the Clubhouse designed by Norm Valentine.  The site had been cleared and the foundations dug by Ernie Armstrong.  Geo Halverson laid the bricks.  The toilet downstairs, are part of the extension.  Allan Cox said building commenced at the end of 1953 and was completed by 1954.  The contract price was £13,000 and there were £3,000 of extras which Allan added £300 commission and profit.  When presented with the account Ernie Armstrong studied the figures for a while and then said ‘what is the £300’.  Allan replied that ‘it was profit and commission’.  Ernie Armstrong said ‘we all have to make profit’, and wrote a cheque for the full amount.  Allan Cox and Ernie Armstrong had many business dealings from then on and Ernie Armstrong never asked for a price in advance.  Ernie Armstrong obviously a complex character. 

In 1962 the Club purchased the land and building for £40,000 with £8,500 being raised by members in debentures and the balance from the bank.