GOLF
By SAMUEL DARROCH
THE Traralgon pro-am was recognised as the best of its kind in the state at the Victorian Golf Industry awards last month.
After being nominated for the Victorian Regional Pro-Am of the Year accolade in 2013, Traralgon took out the title for 2014 on the back of the “best pro-am we’ve had to date”.
“We were thrilled and the thing that really impressed me was it was a reward not only for the club but the great group of people I have on the pro-am committee as well,” Traralgon pro-am chair Barry Switzer said.
“It was a bit of a feather in our cap.”
This year’s pro-am, the 23rd of its kind, was contested by the likes of PGA stars Jarrod Lyle and Marcus Fraser, drawing larger than average galleries to the course.
Switzer said their involvement, along with a field brimming with quality, helped push the annual tournament to the next level.
“We had more people in attendance who just came along to have a look… and I think we probably had… some more high quality players,” he said.
“The course was in really good condition and I think this year we probably also promoted it a little better (too).”
Switzer received the award in a presentation evening on 21 June, with guest speaker Ricky Ponting, Sport Minister Damien Drum and Labor leader Daniel Andrews in attendance.
Traralgon won the award over Portarlington and Bairnsdale golf clubs.
Next year’s pro-am will be staged on 26 and 27 March.
