Golf club’s greens go blue for charity fundraiser

Organiser Ali Green at the "Blue for the Blokes" event on Sunday morning at the Gore Golf Club....
Organiser Ali Green at the "Blue for the Blokes" event on Sunday morning at the Gore Golf Club. PHOTO: GERRIT DOPPENBERG
It was blue in everything but the mood at the Gore Golf Club on Sunday, as people got together for a special round for charity.

"Blue for the Blokes" involved a round of nine holes, a barbecue and a raffle, with the majority of the proceeds going to prostate cancer charities.

Organiser Ali Green said the funds raised were fantastic, but the real message was to encourage people to get out there and get checked.

"For me it wasn’t just about the money, it was about raising awareness for all the men who came to the golf day, getting them to go get their bloods done, and just checking," she said.

Ms Green had a personal reason behind the drive, after her father’s diagnosis earlier this year.

She said it just came down to getting out there and making sure you were doing your bit for your health.

"I would hope I could protect our community from losing anyone they loved.

"It’s the hardest thing for me, thinking about losing someone. Protecting my friends’ dads, and brothers and sons, obviously it’s a worldwide thing, so I guess this is the only way I can do it," she said.

The community had rallied around the event, donating items to raffle, and showing up in costumes and enjoying a round of golf for a good cause.

Ms Green said she was very happy with how it went.

"The support I received for this event was amazing. I was stoked with the result. I just wanted to bring a smile to my dad’s face, to make him feel supported, and to have all the men in the room feel supported too," she said.

Her father Graham Maxwell had an aberrant result for a blood test in January, and was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few months later.

Mr Maxwell said it came as a shock to him.

"The surprise for me after the diagnosis is, I have no symptoms of prostate cancer. It’s not an old man’s disease, I’m only 56. It’s a simple blood test. You can get it during a cholesterol check, just ask for a PSA test," he said.

Mr Maxwell said it’s more prevalent than people might know.

"I don't think guys realise. One in eight men get prostate cancer. You have to get on to it early — I was lucky that I did."

gerrit.doppenberg@alliedpress.co.nz