Trio finishes 72 holes for worthy charity

FROM dawn until late afternoon on Monday, a trio of golfing enthusiasts traipsed the fairways of Curlewis for Cancer Council of Victoria’s (CCV) The Longest Day 2017 fundraiser.

Television sports presenter Andy Maher, one of Australia’s most respected golf journalists Mark Hayes and Maher’s brother-in-law Andy Coldrey took on the challenge of playing four rounds – 72 holes – in one day.

The three men wanted to help raise $200,000 to fund vital research at Monash University to investigate immunotherapy for more effective skin cancer treatment.

The project will explore whether a patient’s immune response can be enhanced, and thus help stop malignant tumours growing and spreading.

Maher said the idea of playing 72 holes of golf in one day was difficult, but people who were fighting cancer were doing it tough every day.

“Andy and I did it last year and loved it, and Hayesy jumped on board this year.

“Everybody at Curlewis has been great, they’ve gone beyond the call.

“They’ve made us feel welcome and the course is great.”

Maher said he hoped The Longest Day campaign, which was in its second year, would grow nationally within a couple of years, so it could raise a lot more awareness and money.

The trio started their day at first light and Maher joked that once finished, they would fall asleep half way through their second beer.

Hayes said he had played 36 enough times, but he was going into uncharted waters after that.

“And let’s be honest, I probably could afford to walk off the odd pie,” Hayes said.

“It’d be no surprise to anyone at Curlewis to know that Dr David Walder thinks I’m officially kidding myself, but he’s had the courage to put his money where his mouth is and I’m prepared to do whatever I can to extract his cash.”

Hayes encouraged others to follow suit if their budgets permitted.

“It’s hard at this time of the year to spare a penny or two, but everyone at Curlewis knows someone who has been touched by cancer.

“It’d be nice to make a difference in someone’s fight.”

Head to longestday2017.everydayhero.com/au/fat-man-walking/wizard/avatar to donate.

The official Longest Day Golf Marathon day is December 18, but participants can complete their rounds earlier, as Maher, Hayes and Coldrey have done.