30/04/2026
Newcastle Golf Club Member Owen Beldham has sadly passed away at the age of 79. Owen was a Life Member of Newcastle Golf Club and made major contributions to our Club both in representative golf and as part of the Newcastle Golf Club Committee.
Owen joined Newcastle Golf Club in 1962, but his association with our Club began well before that, when he started caddying at eight years of age. His commitment to the game of golf was unmistakable. Owen was the only Member to have represented our Club across Junior, Senior, Masters, and Super Seniors pennants, spanning four generations of competition over more than five decades. Owen’s competitive record is extensive and distinguished:
In 1972 Owen won the NSW Open held at Newcastle Golf Club where he defeated a field that included Australia’s leading touring professionals. Becoming only the second amateur in history to achieve this.
He represented NSW from 1973 – 1976. Winning Australian medals in Perth in 1973 & Sydney in 1976.
In 2002, Owen completed a rare full circle moment when he won the Australian Senior Amateur Championship, 50 years after caddying here as a child.
Qualified five times for both the NSW and Australian Championships. Finishing runner up in the NSW Medal.
At Newcastle:
Owen won nine club championships, including becoming the youngest winner at age 17, and had 10 runner-up finishes.
He also Won nine Summer Cups, nine Club Foursomes, nine Mixed Foursomes & Multiple Champions of Champions titles.
Beyond his own results, Owens contribution to the game has been enduring. He served on our Club Committee from 1978, captained senior pennants sides and contributed over 20 years of service to the Newcastle District Golf Association. His mentoring of junior golfers alongside Mark Patterson at Cessnock Golf Club helped lay the foundations that later formed part of the Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation.
In 2025 Owens lifelong contributions to sport was formally recognised with his induction into the Hunter Region Sporting Hall of Fame.
Our club has lost a legend and a friend, our thoughts are with his family through this time 🤍
