Eagles tourney lands at Levin course
Charity event has raised more than $5m for Halberg Foundation since it started
An Eagles Golfing Society charity tournament at Levin last week raised more than $1000, adding a little more to the more than $5 million the society had raised for the Halberg Foundation since it began.
The annual Levin tournament attracted a field of 60 members of the Eagles Golfing Society, contested by Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu¯-Wanganui, Taranaki and Wellington branch members.
The Eagles have 1220 members nationwide. Society members are nominated from their clubs for contributions to golf, and Levin Golf Club has 11 members, including current and former board members.
It was founded in 1956 initially with the aim to foster junior golf. Young players were rounded up and given instructions on how to play, rules, and etiquette. Old bags, clubs, balls were found and given to the needy.
In 1969, the Eagles Golfing Society partnered with the Halberg Foundation when legendary American Olympic Champion Jesse Owens was a guest speaker at the annual ‘Sportsman of the Year’ awards dinner.
A charity golf day was organised where the business leaders of the day paid to play in a tournament with Jesse Owens.
Since that day the Eagles Society had raised $5,460,907 for the Halberg Foundation through its regional golf days. In 2021, it raised a total of $160,823.
Funds were allocated primarily as
grants by the foundation towards equipment, lessons, and camps for physically disabled young people, linked with sporting and recreational opportunities within their communities.
The society also holds annual tournaments for promising junior golfers. US Open winner Michael Campbell was a past winner of the junior tournament, in 1986.
The Eagle Society will hold its national convention in Hawke’s Bay in February.
Meanwhile, Levin Golf Club captain Tony Newling said it was an event the club looked forward to hosting and it was good to see the Manawatu¯-Wanganui team take out the trophy for the first time in many years.