FROM dawn until late afternoon on Monday, a trio of golfing enthusiasts traipsed the fairways of Curlewis for Cancer Council of Victoria\u2019s (CCV) The Longest Day 2017 fundraiser.<\/p>\n
Television sports presenter Andy Maher, one of Australia\u2019s most respected golf journalists Mark Hayes and Maher\u2019s brother-in-law Andy Coldrey took on the challenge of playing four rounds \u2013 72 holes \u2013 in one day.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The project will explore whether a patient\u2019s immune response can be enhanced, and thus help stop malignant tumours growing and spreading.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAndy and I did it last year and loved it, and Hayesy jumped on board this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody at Curlewis has been great, they\u2019ve gone beyond the call.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve made us feel welcome and the course is great.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The trio started their day at first light and Maher joked that once finished, they would fall asleep half way through their second beer.<\/p>\n
Hayes said he had played 36 enough times, but he was going into uncharted waters after that.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd let\u2019s be honest, I probably could afford to walk off the odd pie,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019d be no surprise to anyone at Curlewis to know that Dr David Walder thinks I’m officially kidding myself, but he\u2019s had the courage to put his money where his mouth is and I’m prepared to do whatever I can to extract his cash.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hayes encouraged others to follow suit if their budgets permitted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019d be nice to make a difference in someone’s fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Head to longestday2017.everydayhero.com\/au\/fat-man-walking\/wizard\/avatar to donate.<\/p>\n
The official Longest Day Golf Marathon day is December 18, but participants can complete their rounds earlier, as Maher, Hayes and Coldrey have done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FROM dawn until late afternoon on Monday, a trio of golfing enthusiasts traipsed the fairways of Curlewis for Cancer Council of Victoria\u2019s (CCV) The Longest Day 2017 fundraiser. Television sports presenter Andy Maher, one of Australia\u2019s most respected golf journalists Mark Hayes and Maher\u2019s brother-in-law Andy Coldrey took on the challenge of playing four rounds […]<\/p>\n