76th GALA Golf Day

NATIONAL

THE 76TH ANNUAL GALA GOLF DAY WAS HELD ON MARCH 7 AT THE KEYSBOROUGH GOLF CLUB WHERE 24 GROUPS PLAYED A RELAXED AMBROSE COMPETITION.

The GALA committee played a large part in making this day a success yet again, and the voluntary committee contributed countless hours of hard work.

The GALA Golf day remains a key industry event and is well supported by retailers, corporate partners, supplier partners and the wider industry.

The weather was turned on for the event, despite rain the prior day and the players all enjoyed the 10.00am ‘shot gun’ start, with play ending shortly after 2.30pm.

The course was in extremely good condition, with the team at Keysborough Golf Club (KGC), supporting in everyway possible to make the day a great success.

Suppliers went the extra mile to dress up their sponsored holes with umbrellas, flags, eskyies, tasting tables, and competitions, which all added to the great atmosphere of the course.

The range of competitions on the course were varied – Ritchies with the major hole in one to win a choice of: $50K of Ritchies vouchers, $50K in Gold Bullion or a $50K Flight Centre voucher. Holes in one were also supported by Golf Select, Lion and CUB, which were not won again this year. Longest Drive, Straightest Drive, Nearest the Pin, chipping and putting competitions rounded out the day.

The winning teams on the day were: 1 Brown-Forman | Net score 54 | Julian Haines, Toby

Middleton, Darren Schmidt 2 Lion | Net score 55 | Aaron Scalzo, Adam Macpherson, Rob

Mantel, Dean Matthews 3 Premium Beverages | Net score 55 | Theo Kyriacopoulos,

Ari Dimitrakis, Liam Ganley, Jonathon Rayson-Hill

A BIG THANKYOU AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO OUR SPONSORS ON THE DAY.

• Platinum Sponsors | Metcash & MGA • Gold Sponsors | Adroit Insurance & Risk, Asahi, FoodWorks,

Premium Beverages, Lion & Aussie NRG. • Hole in One Competition Sponsors | Major—Ritchies—with a very generous $50k, Lion & CUB—24 cases of beer, Golf

Select—$1,000 travel voucher. • Donations and in kind support received for the numerous raffle items were all greatly appreciated • Our volunteer golf pro Ryan McCarthy • The Reach Crew for support around the course and 2 of the crew who managed to sink a drinks cart in the bunker on the ninth! Fortunately, no one was hurt and both crew members have a spirited story to tell.

After play was followed by an early buffet dinner at 3.30, where our MC for the day, George Kovits, MGA Liquor President, introduced Fred Harrison CEO of Ritchies and GALA Patron, Fred spoke strongly about GALA, the independent sector and ensuring industry was connected. Our MC then introduced the special guest on the day, Ross Henshaw, who is a former Australian Rules footballer who played for North Melbourne in the VFL. Henshaw was a tough defender and played in either the back pocket or half back flank for North Melbourne in the 70’s and early 80’s.

The day's format proved very popular with players, sponsors and supplier partners and will continue to be a key industry event supported by a strong independent sector creating new friendships, strengthening existing ones and providing funds raised on the day donated to the Reach Foundation. Reach work tirelessly to deliver workshops for over 40,000 young people around the country every year.

Thankyou to all who participated and helped make the 76th GALA Golf day a huge success.

The Supercart team at the chipping competition

Aaron Scalzo – Lion, Jan Allat

MC George Kovits & guest speaker Ross Hensaw