Golf Victoria is pleased to advise that the 2018 GV Heart Open will be played at the Woodlands Golf Club on Tuesday 13 March immediately following the Victorian Labour Day public holiday weekend.
In each calendar year, Golf Victoria conducts a broad range of Championships and events including the Oates Vic Open, historic State Amateur titles, junior and senior competitions and a host of participation events.
Amongst the latter category, the GV 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 Victoria.
Now in its 29th year, the GV 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 2018 GV Heart Open will be played in the afternoon via a multi-tee start at 12.45pm and be followed by the traditional evening dinner from 6pm for all competitors and guests. Entry fee is $100 (inc GST). and it includes golf and the presentation dinner after the game. Partners are also most welcome to attend and enjoy dinner in the Woodlands clubhouse. Entries for the event close on Monday 26 February 2018 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.
Host venue for major professional and amateur events for many years, Woodlands was the location for the Men’s Vic Open from 2004 to 2007 and also hosted the first round of the 2012 Women’s Vic Open when it was re-launched alongside the Men’s Championship. The club has previously hosted the GV Heart Open in 1996 and 2002.
Entries can be made online at the Golf Victoria website at www.golfvic.org.au/gvheartopen. 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.
Click here for further information and to enter.