Golf Vic Vol 60 No 3 2019

tournament The Trimax Victorian Sand Green Championships is one of the highlights of the Victorian year in golf. This year it is being held at Avoca. Such is the popularity of the Trimax Victorian Sand Green Championships that when it was announced at last year’s venue Maldon that the 2019 host club would be Avoca, accommodation in the town sold out in just 16 hours. Yes, 16 hours for an event 12 months away! First played at Yea for the men’s championship in 1972 and at Avenel in 1975 for the women’s, the championships are now staged at the same venue in the same week – and it makes for a whole lot more activities and fun for participants. This year will be no exception. Avoca Golf Club secretary and captain Brad Gothard says it’s the first time the championships have been held combined at this club, indeed in its district, since the women’s event in 2015. The women’s championship was previously held at Avoca back in 1977 but for the men’s title, this is a first time running here. And all will be in readiness. “A lot of people are very excited because we’ve done a lot of work around the course and it’s coming up great,” said Gothard. “We’ve fixed up a few of the scrapes, added a few mounds both for sand retention and as playing features, and fertilised the course for the first time in about ten years! It should be in beautiful condition for the tournament.” Golfers looking to prepare for the Trimax Victorian Sand Greens Championships can tune up at the Avoca Tournament in the first week of August. Events include a two-person ambrose on Sunday August 4, followed by a women’s fourball on Thursday August 8, a men’s fourball on Friday August 9 and the likelihood of a four- person ambrose on Sunday August 11. Avoca is a former gold-mining town in the central highlands of Victoria, a leisurely 45-minute drive from Ballarat. The golf club itself is set at the base of the Pyrenees Ranges, which form a picturesque backdrop to the course. Non-golfers can take in bushwalking in the area, scenic drives or study some of the abundant wildlife. And when all that’s done, there are over 25 cellar doors in this celebrated winery region from which to choose gourmet wine or food fare. Not to mention the multiple award-winning Avoca Hotel. Owned by a member of the golf club, it serves innovative fare and local fine wines. It is the only hotel to ever win the prestigious Golden Plate Award for Best Dining Overall in the state of Victoria and in 2018 won the Gourmet Traveller WINE award for Best Beer List. “It’s worth a trip just to have a feed and a look,” said Gothard, but added, laughing: “but we don’t really want them going into town; we want to keep them at the golf club!” Entries are now open online for the 2019 Trimax Victorian Sand Greens Championships at Avoca at www.golf. org.au/Victorian-events-calendar. The women’s championship is held over September 4-5 and the men’s over September 7-8. Entry for the men’s or women’s championship is $70 inc GST and includes a light lunch on both days. Optional add-ons include the tournament dinners for the women’s event on Wednesday September 4 and for the men’s on Saturday September 7 ($30pp) and a two-person aggregate stableford ($15pp) on Friday September 6. Entries close at 5pm on Friday August 23. The 2019 Victorian Junior Sand Greens Championship will again be held at Bannockburn, on Saturday September 21. Open to boys and girls aged 17 and under on the day of the event, entries close on September 19 and cost $25. Please direct all enquiries and entries to Alex Nivarovich at alexniva34@gmail.com REDS, WHITES AND SAND GREENS AT AVOCA The 11th hole is one of the picturesque scenes which typify Avoca. Golf Victoria 43