Harden’s Eric Kuhn playing in a master’s match against Binalong in 2015. Tim Davis is pictured in the background. Kuhn’s career commenced in the 1950s. He was a constant for the Harden side over 2 decades.

Eric Kuhn was the victim of extreme weather and a great golf shot on Sunday, when long grass on the 14th hole at the Temora Golf Course caught fire. The superb stroke sparked a small grass fire that was quickly extinguished by Kuhn and playing partner Herb Manwaring as Harden went on to record a nice win in the Scott Fuller Shield. 

After 2 rounds the Pool A pointscore is Harden – 93.38, Temora – 84.5 and Tumut – 64.31. 

Prior to teeing off and after Round 1 only, the leaders in pool B were 0.6 points ahead of Harden, however, the overwhelming difference was the massive travel bonus Cootamundra took out of their Gundagai round to get to this.  By comparison, Harden achieved its round 1 score at home with no travel bonus.  At the time of writing Pool B scores had not been distributed.

Eric Kuhn was referred to as the ‘Mighty Atom’ in his playing days for the Harden Hawks.

He was a magician on the field in the glory days of the Maher Cup and his talents have not weakened.

Although they may have transformed.

Eric, front row far right with his brother  Frank, front row far left playing for Weethalle in the 1950’s.

The Octogenarian was representing Harden with life-long mate, Maurice ‘Herby’ Manwaring

in Sunday’s Scott Fuller Shield.

Kuhny hit a slightly wayward ball in to the grass at the Temora Golf Course and headed off in the cart to find it with Herb.

As with most country courses, Temora was suffering from some longer grass that had dried out over summer. The 14th hole was the place for something special to occur and Kuhny didn’t disappoint.

With the mercury at a balmy 43 degrees, Kuhny needed a nice shot to get out of trouble.

He reached for the “big wood” and swung the stick in to the ball, hitting a beautiful shot which landed a long way down the fairway.

Kuhny looked up to see ‘Herb’ sitting in the cart a few metres away, before looking down to see the grass around his legs on fire.

The fire spread rapidly before Kuhny and Herb sprang in to action to put it out.

The duo ripped some branches off a green tree and starting swatting at the fire, eventually bringing it under control after it had burnt about 15 feet.

Kuhny said “I’ve never seen it happen before and probably won’t see it again. It didn’t hit a rock or anything to spark in the grass, but it caught fire and away it went. It may have been the friction off the stick but I’m not sure.”

The wind was going in the right direction to assist both men in their attempts to put it out.

Kuhny said, “If it had been on the other side of the fairway it would have got away.”

There has been plenty of ribbing directed at Kuhny since the strange occurrence, however, he won’t be deterred and will no doubt line up with Herb in the next round of Scott Fuller Shield.

“They’re calling me the fire bug.” he said.

One thing is for sure, it was a hot round of golf.