Golf Clubs and golfers across Australia have been active during December embracing the 2021 Longest Day of Golf and Sorrento Golf Club, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, is one such example.

Sorrento’s members have raised over $70,000 towards Cancer Council’s research, prevention, and support services when it hosted its Longest Day on December 13.

Longstanding Longest Day participant from Sorrento, John Fisher provided an account of the club’s 2021 experience highlighting the following:

We tackled the Longest Day on Monday with 12 players and twice as many caddies, drink cart drivers and supporters – the team was very grateful for those efforts. Our team of players included four club champions, three former AFLM players and five other exceptional people. 

It was 48,000 steps and between 32 and 38 km’s depending on how straight you hit them. It was hot at 32 degrees, but we managed to all get through the 72 holes safely. 

There were some remarkable efforts including Catherine McCarthy leading the women’s scores after a recent illness; Club Champions Chrissy Skinner and Julie Martin both playing steady golf with eight rounds between them all in the 80’s; from a handicap of 1, Will Johnson returned 147 points including 16 birdies while Gabe Tokolyi claimed the day’s best 72-hole total with 154 points.

Barry Hamilton, the club’s record score holder of the Longest Day trophy (159 points) again took out the quickest four rounds finishing with John Fisher in eight hours and 15 minutes. He’s a true inspiration to the team. 

Special mention goes to Julie and Nick Martin. Nick was fund raising manager and has worked tirelessly for the cause. As a result, Julie raised over $32,000 towards the team total.

The total funds raised for Cancer research by the club over the past five years now exceeds $370,000. This year’s sponsorship came from over 250 members, family and friends. It shows again another aspect of the excellent culture that is evident in our wonderful club.

Golf Australia’s sincere thanks and congratulations are extended to Sorrento Golf Club for their support of the Longest Day of Golf again in 2021. The club’s efforts mirror what’s currently taking place around the nation where golfers and golf clubs are driving fundraising for Cancer Council’s research, prevention and support services. 

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world and two in three Australians are diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70.

The Longest Day of Golf sees golfers all over Australia playing 36, 54 or 72 holes on a preferred December day to raise funds for cancer research/prevention initiatives undertaken by respective Cancer Councils in each State/Territory with a specific focus on skin cancer. Every dollar raised within a State/Territory stays in that State/Territory.

This year, a new element will see Longest Day challenges recognised when taking place at pitch and putt facilities, mini-golf courses and golf simulator centres. All golf is golf and this new Longest Day feature meets key themes emerging from the Australian Golf Strategy process, particularly our purpose to ‘inspire & support more Australians to play more golf’.

For more information, please visit www.longestday.org.au