Sport
30 October, 2023
Maryborough Golf Club aiming for big local participation in annual tournament
The Maryborough Golf Club is gearing up for the 107th annual tournament, with locals being urged to join before the opening event on Friday. The tournament begins on November 3, running until Sunday, with a full schedule of events. Friday’s...
The Maryborough Golf Club is gearing up for the 107th annual tournament, with locals being urged to join before the opening event on Friday.
The tournament begins on November 3, running until Sunday, with a full schedule of events.
Friday’s opening event will see the women and men play a four-ball better ball stableford round, while Saturday sees the four person Gentsomes competition.
On Sunday, the Andrew Maggs Memorial will be held, with a men’s handicap for 18 and 27 holes, as well as a men’s 27 hole scratch competition, while women’s golfers will play an 18 hole stableford competition.
After floods and COVID has ruined the last few years of the tournament, Maryborough Golf Club men’s captain Dave Kerry is excited for the event to return.
“We’re very excited that it will go ahead this year, and we’re looking forward to it,” he said.
Off the course, an Australian rock band, headed by Brian Maddix, will play classics in the bistro, with Kerry encouraging people to come in and enjoy a meal.
“We’ll have the tournament starting on Friday with a four-ball event. On Saturday night, we’ll have a big night planned in the bistro with live music, with an Australian rock show base, which should appeal to many people around here. People can turn up and enjoy a great meal,” he said.
Kerry says prizes and raffles will also be handed out, and is encouraging local golfers to join the tournament.
“We’ll also have raffles and Melbourne Cup sweeps. Prizes will be handed out from Taltarni Wines, and Lion Nathan are donating prizes too. There’s plenty to keep people happy,” he said.
“We’re hoping for as many as we can get to enjoy it. We have some ladies visiting from New South Wales and central Victoria, and we’d also like to see more men enter.
“We have a few visitors coming from the likes of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and as far as New South Wales, but we would also like to see a lot more locals enjoy the weekend too.
“A lot of the things we’re putting together around the tournament should be great. Saturday’s event will kick off with everyone together, so we’ll have big groups taking part in the raffles and looking to win prizes.”
Kerry says the course is in top condition at the moment.
“The golf course is looking spectacular, and people can enjoy the best of everything. The new facilities have been looking great, and it’s fantastic to see people getting to experience them,” he said.
Women’s captain Wendy Carmody says it’s the first time the club has operated the annual tournament on the Melbourne Cup long weekend, and is interested to see how it pans out.
“We have changed the tournament from the June long weekend to the Melbourne Cup long weekend, and we’re trying to find out if it will work or not,” she said.
“COVID and the floods have meant that this is the first year that we’ve conducted it on this weekend. But the course is in beautiful condition and we’re hoping we get a few more numbers this week.”
Carmody says there is a good field of women for Friday’s event in particular, and a program to encourage more women to participate has seen beginners recently win competitions, which will culminate in participation in this week’s annual tournament.
“We’ve had a couple of beginners playing competitions and they’ve reduced their handicap by nine shots. They’ve also been winning, and they’ve been a big asset to the club,” she said.
The tournament starts at 9 am on Friday, while Saturday’s start will be a shotgun start from 11 am, and Sunday’s competition begins from 8 am.
For entry details, visit the Maryborough Golf Club website at www.maryboroughgolfclub.com.au