The 15th annual Hirepool Charity Golf Classic tees off at the Wanaka Golf Club this Friday, and a public auction at the conclusion of the tournament on Sunday afternoon will raise funds for the Upper Clutha Hospice Trust.
Tournament organiser Bill Hore said 54 teams of four had entered the tournament this year, 46 of them based in Wanaka.
Teams would play three competitions over three days: an American foursome, a two-ball Ambrose, and a Scottish foursome.
Mr Hore said around a third of the field had played in every charity classic since it began 15 years ago.
‘‘It’s a very popular event,’’ he said.
‘‘It works pretty well. The emphasis is about having a bit of fun.’’
A public auction will be held following the conclusion of the tournament about 4pm on Sunday.
For the second time, the Upper Clutha Hospice Trust will be the beneficiary of money raised from the auction. Trust chairman Russell McGeorge said the items being offered for sale this time were ‘‘unbelievable’’.
Some of the prizes included three nights for eight people at Villa South Pacific in Wanaka, a mountain kitchen gourmet lunch experience for two at Minaret Station, featuring a round trip with Alpine Helicopters, and two silver passes to Warbirds Over Wanaka.
Mr McGeorge said the funds would help the trust purchase a second patient room at its palliative care suite in the Aspiring Enliven care centre.
‘‘[The suite] opened 18 months ago, and it’s been basically full since it opened, mostly with palliative patients who spend their last weeks there, but also some respite patients who live at home but whose carers need support or a break.’’
‘‘Given that it’s been fully occupied since it was opened, we’re looking at opening a second patient room to the suite.’’
Mr McGeorge said the trust received about $22,000 the last time it was a beneficiary of the tournament, and he said hoped for more this time around.
‘‘It’s a wonderful thing that the golf club and Hirepool do this, and we’re very grateful to be chosen as the beneficiaries, because its one of the major fundraising activities that occurs in the Upper Clutha,’’ he said.
