Rotary hosts successful 22nd charity golf event

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KNYSNA NEWS - The Rotary Club of Knysna held its 22nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament from Thursday to Sunday, 26 to 29 May, at five different golf courses on the Garden Route.

Twenty-two years ago, Rotary Knysna president Des Wearne and the director of golf at the newly opened Sparrebosch Championship Golf Course, Jeff Clause, got together and decided to invite golfers who were playing on Saturday at the Knysna Golf Club in the fledgling Rotary fundraising event to play on Sunday at Sparrebosch. All proceeds from the weekend would go to Rotary.

PHOTO GALLERY: Rotary Club's 22nd Charity Golf Tournament

Thus was born an event which has just been held for the 22nd time. Played over four days, the event now includes Pinnacle Point Golf Club near Mossel Bay, Pezula Championship Course (formerly Sparrebosch), Simola Golf & Country Estate, Knysna Golf Club and Goose Valley Country Club in Plettenberg Bay. This year 206 golfers booked and played 696 rounds of golf. Three golfers, Stephen Paulsen, Hercu Smit and Louis Moller, qualified to receive 10-year caps.

The weather for the first three days presented the players with perfection, but unfortunately a very cold, wet Sunday led to some abandoning the greens rather earlier than anticipated.

Action at Goose Valley Country Club.

The purpose of the event is of course to raise funds for the many and various projects that Rotary supports. Some recent initiatives include:

Assistance and mentorship of a local entrepreneur with an IT start-up business.
The procurement of a mobile C-arm X-ray unit for the Knysna Provincial Hospital.
The Seed of Hope food security programme with its ongoing training component – a collaborative project implemented by Knysna Rotary, Knysna Methodist Outreach NPO and Growing Upwards.
A comprehensive early childhood development project, working in conjunction with Knysna Education Trust.
Support for the creation of an indigenous arboretum at Pledge Nature Reserve.

Said Knysna Rotary president Albert Lombaard, "Sponsorship is essential for the success of any charity fundraiser. We'd like to acknowledge the generosity of all our advertisers and prize donors, many of whom support us year after year. A big thank you also goes to the golfers who are after all the backbone of the event – we hope to see you back in 2023!"

Golfers taking part in the day at Simola. From left: Brett Stowe, Bryant Crane, Josh Crane and George Coon.