Shearer, who died in 2022 aged 73, was a lifelong member of the club and to the time of his passing, played regular golf at Southern.

The statue by sculptor Louis Laumen and Cameron McIndoe of Fundere Foundry depicts Shearer striping a 6-iron down the first hole.

It was unveiled by the Shearer family – wife Kathie, sons Bobby and Brett and grandson Jake on Sunday.

“Bob never sought or expected accolades, but I know for a fact he would have been humbled and completely overwhelmed with this statue as a lasting tribute to his memory,” said Kathie Shearer.

Shearer won both the main titles on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia – the PGA Championship and the Australian Open – as well as a New Zealand Open, on the US PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and is one of the all-time greats of the sport.

Beyond tour golf he rode a cart from his Dingley Village home three times a week to play at Southern. Kathie Shearer said that the family knew when golf was on his radar as he would begin humming as he shaved, a few bars of Don’t Worry Be Happy or Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling.

“This was his club, this is what he loved, and I understood it. It was his values, it was the principles, it was the inclusiveness, it was the fun, but mostly it was the camaraderie and the people.”

Southern GC President Peter Anderson observed that there was a deeper meaning deeper to the erection of a statue than Shearer’s fine quality as a player. “I trust when you see this statue, please think about the camaraderie, the friendship, the mutual respect we all have,” Anderson said.

PHOTO: The Shearer family – wife Kathie, sons Bobby and Brett and grandson Jake – at the new Bob Shearer statue unveiled on Sunday.