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Golf Australia is pleased to advise that the newly renamed 2019 Victorian Heart Open will be played at the iconic HuntingdaleGolf Club on Tuesday 19 February towards the latter part of the Australian summer.
In each calendar year, Golf Australia conducts a broad range of Championships and events including the Men’s and Women’s Australian Opens, the Vic Open, historic National and State Amateur titles, junior and senior competitions and a host of participation events.
Amongst the latter category, the Victorian Heart Open is a special event for men and women, amateurs or professionals who have undergone a heart procedure (e.g. open heart, bypass, stents, etc) and who hold an official GA Handicap. On this basis alone, the event is as much about celebrating life through golf on top of the actual competition that brings together players from across all parts of Victoria and Interstate.
Entering its 30th year, the Victorian Heart Open was initiated by the late Commonwealth Golf Club member, Con Davie and Don Lawrence, a Victoria Golf Club member and renowned golf writer for many years with the Melbourne Herald.
Lawrence and Davie approached the former Victorian Golf Association in 1988 with the suggestion to start an event for both men and women players who had undertaken various forms of heart surgery after becoming aware of a similar concept in the United States. The inaugural event was held at the Royal Melbourne and Victoria Golf Clubs in 1989, has continued ever since and each year players gather to celebrate their continued participation in the game.
The significant progress in modern medical treatment saw the conditions revised in 2015 to welcome a further range of players that had been the recipients of alternate heart treatments.
The 2019 Victorian Heart Open will be played in the afternoon via a multi-tee start at 1.00pm and be followed by the traditional evening dinner from 6.30pm for all competitors and guests. Entry fee is $110 (inc GST). and it includes golf and a gourmet BBQ presentation dinner after the round. Partners are also most welcome to attend and enjoy dinner in the Huntingdale clubhouse. Entries for the event close on Monday 1 February 2019 or prior if a capacity field is reached.
The male or female player with the highest stableford points and who has undergone an open-heart surgery will be awarded the Don Lawrence Trophy. Additional trophies will be awarded to the best performed men and women, including handicap grade trophies subject to the total number of entries received.
The traditional host venue for the Australian Masters since its introduction in 1979 as well as many National and State amateur events, Huntingdale is a renowned golf facility in the heart of the Melbourne Sandbelt. The club has previously hosted the Victorian Heart Open in 2000 and 2006.
Entries can be made online at the Golf Australia – Victorian website by clicking here. Any golfer that has had a heart procedure is encouraged to play and become part of a truly special golf celebration.
Any promotion which clubs and Districts could provide such as references in e-newsletters/Websites, announcements at major presentations, meetings etc. would be appreciated.