Longest Day Golf Challenge – Cancer Society New Zealand
TAUMARUNUI GOLF CLUB INC.
‘TARRANGOWER
Longest Day Golf Challenge – Cancer Society New Zealand
The Cancer Society runs a fundraiser called the Longest Day Golf Challenge, which involves signing up to complete 72 holes of golf (4 rounds in case you can’t work it out) at any chosen course on any day in December or January, as the longest day is the 21st of December.
My vision was for myself and a couple of friends to embark on this challenge, but after talking to the Club Captain, we decided to open it up to all members of the Taumarunui Golf Club and that it would take place on the 24th of January 2024 (8 weeks to tee off). This involved members signing up and chasing up family and friends for donations.
Twenty-two members registered (4 females and 18 males) from young to old and high to low handicaps. We encouraged the team members to walk at least two of the four rounds to challenge themselves. The team members completed their own individual training over the last 8 weeks and will be much fitter for doing so.
All set to go
With a 6am tee off, the day started cool and dewy, and the pace was steady with 2½ hour rounds with quick food stoppages, meaning the groups were well into their third round by noon. The afternoon got hotter, and the pace slowed as people realised they had plenty of time to complete the next two rounds before dark. There was plenty of excitement and energy as family and friends supported the team out on the course. Plenty of laughter could be heard, and music was also ringing out. The atmosphere was electric, with some good golf played despite the occasional bad shot, with many a fore being called while some of those not-so-good tee shots failing to make the Ladies Tees with fines then being paid; lucky the ladies don’t have that pressure. The last team returned to the clubhouse at 5pm, with at least 3½ hours of daylight left. Overall, it took around 11 hours to complete four rounds of golf. Over half the team walked the entire distance (averaging 32km).
On the course.
Everyone was well fed and watered each time they passed the clubhouse, thanks to the team at the clubhouse who prepared and served the food, always with a smile and encouragement.
This fundraiser was only possible with the support of the Taumarunui Golf Club and their members, which I would like to thank.
All done.
The heroes of the day were the team that signed up for this challenge and chased up family and friends for donations. We have raised over $23,000, the second-largest fundraising group to register. To date, the national total has raised over $640,000. Being a small club in a small community with a big heart, we had a lot of support.
Karyn Prestage, Taumarunui Golf Club member