A copy of the 1991 Official PGA Tour Guide for the PGA Tour of Australasia (pictured above) was handed to this reporter by veteran Queensland journalist Jim Tucker on Saturday of the Australian PGA.

Opening to the player profiles to find a youngish Mike Clayton, a younger Craig Parry, soon to be major winner Ian Baker-Finch and more, the book was passed around players, caddies, tournament staff and others to amazement. Even more so for the more experienced golfers and those in the pages.

Clayton, at Royal Queensland this week showed the book to his boss for the week, Elvis Smylie. Then Baker-Finch wandered over to take a look and memories flowed.

Soon after, Adam Scott finished his round and his caddie this week and next Steve Williams, once filling the same role for Clayton sauntered over.

Then came the Chairman of the PGA of Australia, and one of the cover stars of the guide, Rodger Davis.

Stepping back with the book in hand, in that moment it was as if looking at some of the likely contenders of the 1991 Australian PGA.

That year Wayne Grady was victorious at Concord, reversing the order of things with runner-up Brett Ogle who claimed the Kirkwood Cup the year prior in front of Grady and Davis.

That result was part of Davis’ 1990 when he won the order of merit with a total of $375,026.

That amount is $35,000 more than what the winner will take home from Brisbane this week.

Some of those chasing that money and the trophy fascinated by the contents of the guide, perhaps more so than Clayton and Baker-Finch and the other’s featured inside.

Geoff Ogilvy thumbed through every page of the player profiles, remembering tid bits on nearly every one.

Smylie, born in 2002, couldn’t believe the looks of some of the players he has only known as men sporting grey hair.

Tour pro turned commentator Ewan Porter, a lover of golf history, was like a kid on Christmas day looking through the pages and inquired as to whether he might keep the book for a deeper dive into its contents.

The excitement over something seemingly so trivial, the way it started conversations and an unlikely golf lovers dream reunion near the car park, those are the parts of golf tournaments few see but are so special.

And after the COVID years and the effect on Australian golf tournaments, it was cause for a moment of reflection that it was a true sign big tournament golf is back in this country.