Golfing great Sir Bob Charles will officially open the Wanaka Golf Club’s (WGC) new short course during the club’s 18th Hirepool Charity Classic Tournament later this month.

Kahu Youth has joined forces with the WGC’s junior and beginner development project to be the recipients of the funds raised at this year’s annual charity tournament. 

WGC board chair David Smallbone said while the five-hole short course, opposite the police station, is primarily designed to enable junior golf development it’s also a community asset available to any beginners wanting to learn the game. 

He said it was “a bit of a coup” to have legendary New Zealand golfer Sir Bob Charles opening the new course.

Sir Bob, who has played at the WGC on several previous occasions, will play one round of the charity tournament on the Sunday (March 21) and will officially open the new short course afterwards by hitting the first ball off the first tee on the course, David said.  

The new short course has five holes and is designed for beginners and juniors. PHOTO: Wanaka App

The project to create a short course started in 2020. After major irrigation works were installed across the golf course front nine it meant that irrigation could be economically installed into the land below the clubhouse which had been set aside for a short course. 

At the same time local painting services company No Limits Wanaka came on board to sponsor the project, with additional funding from club fundraising. 

The three-day charity tournament is oversubscribed, once again, with 56 teams already lined up and more players waiting in the wings.

Club manager Kim Badger said the tournament’s mixed format is popular with teams, drawing mates together for three days, and added that organisers Barry Mowat and Bill Hore are well liked and their committee does a great job that’s always appreciated.

The teams will play 18 holes per day with a different format each day, including ‘American Foursome, ‘Two Ball Ambrose’, and ‘Scottish Foursome’, all of which are designed for a bit of fun and to mix things up with participants not always playing their own ball.

“It’s always tight competition too; the scores can be so unpredictable,” she said. 

“It’s always for a good cause and [players] can also get their hands on some unique auction prizes, the types of prizes that aren’t for sale anywhere else, like experiences with famous cooks, or stay and play packages that are paired together well.”

The main sponsor is Hirepool which has supported the Charity Classic since its inception in 2004.

Previous organisations which have benefitted in recent years from this annual charity tournament include the Upper Clutha Hospice Trust, the Wanaka Fire Brigade’s Road Crash Rescue team and last year the tournament raised over $23,500 for the Upper Clutha Children’s Medical Trust.

The tournament runs from March 19-21 with the big auction and prize-giving on the final day.