It could be said there may have been a little divine intervention involved in the return of a set of golf clubs that had been missing for more than a week.
For Sadie Jones, what began as a memorable day spent raising money for mental health turned into a stressful and disappointing ordeal. But thanks to a chance sighting, a community news story, and an unexpected discovery at a local church, the borrowed clubs are now back where they belong.
Jones would be the first to admit she is not an avid golfer.
But when friends invited her to participate in the Cameco Golf Tournament fundraiser for mental health on June 12, 2026, she didn’t hesitate.
Using a set of Callaway golf clubs borrowed from a friend, Jones joined others at Dalewood Golf Club for what she described as a fantastic day on the course. The event combined friendly competition with a worthwhile cause, making it a day she was glad to be part of.
Following the tournament, Jones and several friends headed to Cucina Urbana at the foot of Division Street in Cobourg to relax and unwind after a day spent golfing.
The evening was filled with conversation, laughter and reflections on the day.
Then disaster struck.
As the gathering came to an end, the clubs, which had been stored in the back of a pickup truck along with other golf bags, were inadvertently left behind beside the building.
When Jones went left to go home, the clubs were gone.
What had been a perfect day suddenly ended on a sour note.
More than anything, Jones felt terrible because the clubs did not belong to her.
Without hesitation, she accepted that if they were not recovered, she would replace them. Still, it was an unfortunate ending to what had otherwise been a memorable day.
A report was filed with Cobourg Police, but Jones knew the chances of recovering the clubs were slim.
Days passed with no leads.
Then, nearly a week later, an unexpected clue emerged.
On June 18, Today’s Northumberland published a story about two people who appeared to be enjoying an unconventional round of golf in Victoria Park near King Street East.
Photographs and video accompanying the story showed the pair carrying a Callaway golf bag.
When one of the golfers from Jones’ foursome saw the story, something immediately caught his attention.
The bag looked familiar.
Very familiar.
He quickly contacted Jones.
“I think I found your clubs,” he told her.
Jones said she was thrilled when she received the call.
For the first time since the clubs had disappeared, there was reason to believe they might still be somewhere in Cobourg.
But there was a problem.
Her friend had seen the clubs in the story, but he had no idea where they were now.
All they had was a video showing two people moving south through Victoria Park with what appeared to be the missing golf bag.
Still, it was enough.
When Jones watched the video herself, she immediately recognized the distinctive Callaway bag.
She was convinced the clubs belonged to her friend.
Now the challenge was figuring out where they had ended up.
The answer would arrive from an unlikely source.
Father Matt McMillan of St. Peter’s Anglican Church had also read the Today’s Northumberland story and watched the accompanying video.
The following day, church staff were outside cleaning and maintaining the property around the historic church.
While working in one of the flower beds, they made an unexpected discovery.
A set of golf clubs.
Exactly how the clubs came to be hidden among the flowers remains unknown.
Whether they had been left there intentionally, abandoned, or simply placed out of sight, no one knows.
Recognizing that the clubs could be connected to the story he had recently read, Father McMillan helped ensure they were kept safe while efforts were made to locate the owner.
On Sunday, June 21, following the morning service at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Jones met with Father McMillan.
The moment she saw the clubs, there was no doubt.
They were the missing Callaways.
After more than a week of uncertainty, frustration and worry, the clubs had finally been recovered.
“Thank you so much,” Jones told Father McMillan.
“We’re glad that they got home to you — where they belong,” he replied.
For Jones, the recovery was about much more than a set of golf clubs.
It restored something that had seemed lost.
She said she could hardly imagine such a positive outcome occurring in a larger city where items that disappear often never resurface.
Instead, a series of fortunate events, community awareness and a little persistence helped reunite the clubs with their rightful owner.
As she walked back toward her vehicle carrying the recovered golf bag over her shoulder, the relief and excitement of the moment were impossible to hide.
Raising her arm high into the air, she celebrated the end of the unexpected saga.
“I got them back!” she shouted.
For Jones, what had seemed destined to be a costly lesson instead became a story about community, kindness and perhaps, just perhaps, a little divine intervention.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
