A CELEBRITY golf day hosted by the Blue Lake Golf Links last Friday has been hailed a huge success by organiser Bill Burley.
The day raised a huge $20,000 for the Nangwarry Football Netball Club and wider community to help rebuild after the devastating fire earlier this year which destroyed the clubrooms at the Saints’ home ground.
A total of 37 teams graced the public links to play in a field with a star-studded cast of sporting celebrities.
That included former Australian test cricketer Greg Ritchie, former Saint Kilda great Danny Frawley, triple premiership player and Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis, former Hawthorn
forward Ben Dixon, ex-Saint Kilda and Essendon player Brendan Goddard and former South Australian touring golf professional Gary Simpson.
Joining them were Victorian amateur golfers Clint Foster, Simon Goggin and Mat Walkinhorst.
The weather was ideal and with the course in perfect condition, good score were easy to come by.
None were better than the team of Anthony Sneath, John Franklin and Brendon Goddard, who produced a winning score of 52 2/6 net.
Playing alongside the two Limestone Coast golfers, Goddard was in fine form and helped his team go out in five-under 30 off the stick, which included an eagle two on the 338m par 4 eighth hole, as he holed his second iron shot from under the trees.
The plus-two handicapper, who currently plays pennant golf at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne, calmly knocked in a six-metre putt from off the green on the next hole to help his team enter the back nine in a strong position.
With birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, then the short par 4 15th, team Goddard collected another birdie on the par 3 16th.
They finished their round in style on the par 4 18th in front of the ladies marquee to come home in five-under par, for a 10-under total for the day, just enough to give them victory and win a trip to the Presidents Cup.
Finishing in second place and counting themselves a tad unlucky was the team of Mike Millard, Mat Doody and Nick Attwell, who also recorded a score of five-under 30 on the front nine with an impressive eagle-three on the par 5 third hole.
But coming home a bogey on the 333m par 4 18th proved costly, as they finished with a net score of 52 5/6.
Rounding out the minor placings was the team of Ben Wilson, John Howard and Victorian visitor Mat Walkinhorst, who matched the winners with a 60 off the stick, but could only manage a score of 55 1/6 net to finish in third place.
The day was touted a huge success as leading up to the event it was hoped $20,000 could be raised.
The day was full of fun and activities as the ladies marquee was a huge success along with the party hole on the picturesque par 3 fifth.
Burley thanked all the volunteers and those who supported the day and hopes the money raised will be used to help rebuild a community which has been doing it tough in recent times.
OTHER RESULTS
4th: Jay Ilsley, Kieran Ashby, Hayden Schroder 55 4/6; 5th: Brett Perryman, Brett Lewis, Matt Bowd 56 3/6; 6th: Tyson Ploenges, Nick Childs, David Lamont 57; 7th: Stephen Smith, David Johnston, Tim Smith 57; 8th: Josh Pettman, Ryan Paech, Clint Foster 57; 9th: Stephen Bartolomew, Greg Doll, Mat Fenwick 57 1/6; 10th: Andrew Sincock, Trevor Smith and Brad Beaumont 57 2/6; 11th: Mike Rookas, Stacy Fiegert and Nic Clayton 57 3/6.
NOVELTIES
First hole: Clint Foster; second hole: Trevor Smith; third hole: Mike Millard; fourth hole: A – Brad Talbot B – Mike Millard, C – Raymondo Stanton, D – Damian Radley; fifth hole: Closest Jamie Austin, second Paul Scullion, third Simon Perryman, fourth Brett Perryman, fifth Rob Ellis; sixth hole: Ross Jewell; seventh hole: David Boness; eighth hole: Brendan Goddard; ninth hole: David Lamont; 10th hole: Matt Foreman; 11th hole: Brendan Goddard; 12th hole: Ben Dixon; 13th hole: Bruce Morale; 14th hole: Greg Cooper; 15th hole: Darren Earl; 16th hole: Josh Pettman; 17th hole: Joe Clements; 18th hole: A Brendan Goddard, B Matt Foreman, C Raymondo Stanton, D Mick Carne.
