Golf fans at next month’s Oates Vic Open will be able to swing a club in the name of road safety under a new two-year partnership between Golf Victoria and the Transport Accident Commission.
Golf Victoria has joined forces with the TAC to enlist the support of Victoria’s golfing community in the state’s Towards Zero mission, working towards a future free of deaths and serious injuries on the roads.
The partnership comes as some of the world’s best male and female players prepare to take to 13th Beach Golf Links in Barwon Heads for the 2017 Oates Vic Open, the world’s only pro golf tournament where men’s and women’s fields play on the same course concurrently.
Among the road safety activities at the event will be a four-hole mini golf course, illustrating the four key elements that will combine to help Victoria achieve its Towards Zero vision: Safer Drivers; Safer cars; Safer people and; Safer Roads.
Golf Victoria Chief Executive Officer Simon Brookhouse says the organisation is excited at the opportunity to help Victoria’s golfing community understand Towards Zero.
“Towards Zero is an important cause and we’re thrilled to be working with the TAC to show golf fans how it can be achieved,” Mr Brookhouse says.
Mr Brookhouse says the TAC partnership also fits in with Golf Victoria’s strategy to promote inclusive golf.
“Part of our inclusion golf strategy is to help empower those that may have unfortunately been involved in some type of road trauma via the sport of golf,” Mr Brookhouse says.
TAC chief executive officer Joe Calafiore says the partnership is an opportunity to highlight to the Victorian public that Towards Zero is more than a campaign.
“Towards Zero is about recognising that we will make mistakes and building a safer system around road users so that those mistakes are not fatal,” Mr Calafiore says.
“We all have a part to play in Towards Zero and we’re thrilled to be working with Golf Victoria to help the golfing community understand how they can contribute to a safer future on our roads.”
Patrons at the Oates Vic Open will be in for a real treat when arriving at 13th Beach this year with the introduction of the Towards Zero public grandstand near the 18th green on the Beach course and the Towards Zero interactive zone located in the spectator village.
The Oates Vic Open is a sanctioned event on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, ALPG Tour and the Ladies European Tour.
The final two rounds will be live streamed on Facebook LIVE and at www.vicopengolf.com.