Legends tee off to ease flood troubles
SOME of Australia’s top golfing legends will hit the fairways in Townsville this week in the name of community support.
Senior PGA professionals Peter Senior, Mike Harwood, Tim Elliott and Brad Burns will headline the Ladbrokes Legends Tour that will visit all three of Townsville’s golf clubs which were affected by the region’s devastating floods.
The PGA legends will first play at Rowes Bay Golf Club tomorrow for the Global Hire Rowes Bay Legends Pro-am, and then move across to Townsville Golf Club on Thursday for a unique 12hole tournament.
The three-event swing will wrap up on Friday at Tropics Golf Club, and all three events will each boast $11,000 in prizemoney.
Senior, who has won more than 20 tournaments, including three Australian PGA Championships and three Australian Masters victories, said he was hopeful the legends tour would give the community some financial and moral support.
“It has been well documented the challenges Townsville golf courses have experienced as a result of the floods,” Senior said.
“If myself and the other PGA professionals can have a positive impact by raising some money and putting on a great show for the sponsors, we are happy to oblige.”
Townsville Golf Club general manager Mitch Bligh said the tournament could put Townsville golf back on the map.
“We had a really success
game is the umpire. Without umpires, there just isn’t a game. It is not always an easy task being an umpire.
Depending on how their game is going, players can either love or hate them.
And at times, players can direct their frustrations towards the umpire, which generally earns them a little rest on the naughty chair. ful Ladbrokes Pro-am Series event at Townsville Golf Club last year, though with the likes of Peter Senior and Mike Harwood coming to play this week we are really excited to give our members and sponsors a unique opportunity,” Bligh said.
Rowes Bay Golf Club gen
Umpires are usually volunteers, people who have put their hand up to ensure the games can go ahead. They may be experienced players themselves but umpiring a game is different to playing.
They may be an umpire who allows the game to be free flowing with lots of advantage play, or they may be an umpire who blows the whistle for eral manager Gary Toplis said the chance for Townsville’s three clubs to collaborate in a major event was an important feature of the tour.
“We have all gone through the ups and downs earlier this year, though the golf industry is a tight-knit group up here and these events show that
every infringement. Good or bad, the fact they are there to blow the whistle means the teams can play.
Players who umpire develop a better understanding of the game and its rules.
Townsville Hockey Association encourages junior players from the under 13 divisions and above, to learn how to umpire to not only increase the when we all work together, we can ensure the game of golf continues to prosper in Townsville,” Toplis said.
For a list of the PGA professionals competing in each of the Ladbrokes PGA Legends Tour events in Townsville visit pga.org.au/tourns/ legends-tour/schedule.
number of umpires available, but to improve their overall understanding of the game.
Players, coaches, managers and spectators don’t have to like the umpire’s decision, but they do have to accept it.
They may get some decisions wrong, but they are volunteering their time, so remember to thank them for that.