Blue skies, pristine greens and high spirits greeted keen golfers at Shepparton Golf Club on Friday as the annual Rotary Club of Central Shepparton Charity event once again proved to be a winner.
Raising more than $30,000 towards nursing education scholarships, the day was a success from start to finish, with the support of major sponsors Specsavers, Quicklift, Hot and Cold Shop and Shepparton Jaguar and Land Rover ensuring everything ran smoothly.
With a healthy crowd of more than 100 people filtering onto the immaculately maintained course, competitive juices were certainly flowing as attendees were given a chance to show their skills in the longest drive, straightest drive, nearest to the pin and putting competitions, as well as being put to the test in teams of four for the overall Ambrose tournament.
The laughs were certainly flowing as the golfers made their way around the 18 holes, with large cheers being heard throughout the complex as teams drained long putts and sent booming drives down the middle of the fairway.
But while there was plenty of fun to be had out on the greens, perhaps the highlight of the day came within the clubhouse, as the competitors trickled in for a sit-down lunch featuring a presentation by esteemed crime reporter and author John Silvester.
Changing it up from the usual former athlete, Silvester thrilled the crowd with his in-depth knowledge of famous Australian crimes, beginning with the recent case of campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay before delving into the classic Underbelly stories that made him famous.
Along with the presentation, the Rotary Club had several fantastic auction items up for bid sparking more spirited competition among attendees as many jostled for the fantastic prizes, which included a luxurious five days of accommodation in San Diego, California.
Event organiser Rob Kelly said the entire Rotary Club of Central Shepparton was thrilled with how the day went.
“It was a very enjoyable day, the speaker was very entertaining, the course was in great condition, and everyone just had a fantastic day under bright sunshine,” Kelly said.
“To be able to raise over $30,000 was just brilliant, the money raised goes towards nursing education scholarships and the money raised is matched dollar for dollar by GV Health’s foundation, so it was just a great outcome.
“We have been doing the event for well over 30 years now and it just keeps getting better, so we are all excited to go again next year.”