The following article appeared in a local paper The Echo.
It is by Ryan Reynolds and dated June 10th, 2010
A RADICAL new golf tournament is set to bring thousands of tourists and millions of dollars to the Surf Coast.
The Surf Coast Knockout, likened to golf’s version of Twenty20 cricket, will be played at The Sands Torquay from January 20-23 next year.
The hybrid tournament will take on a traditional format during the opening three days, before 32 qualifiers are thrust into a series of cut-throat six-hole matches.
“It really doesn’t get any better then this,” he said. “Geelong is the sporting capital of the world. It is hard to quantify just how much money the tournament brings in, but it will be in the millions. People who follow the golf tours generally stay for a while and spend money. This tournament will be huge for the area.”
Tournament director Andrew Langford-Jones said the tour was like a travelling circus.
“I don’t think anyone has the full appreciation of just how big this will be economically in all areas,” he said.
“The tour is a travelling circus there are 130-odd players, 130-odd caddies, wives, kids, spectators, and television crews. It is good all round for the region.”
The Torquay area will be exposed to a worldwide audience, with OneHD showing the tournament live in prime time as well as beaming coverage into Korea, China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Britain and Ireland.
Torquay Commerce and Tourism Association president Martin Duke said the event would become one of the major attractions in the area.
“We hope to see this as a long-term event,” he said. “It is a really good pick-up.
“We have to open our doors up and say, ‘Welcome, come to the start of the Great Ocean Road and have a look at what we have got’.”
He said the tournament would drive a lot of golf tourists to the Surf Coast.
“We believe that it will bring people back after the tournament is finished,” he said.
South Barwon MP Michael Crutchfield said the tournament would create full and part-time jobs.
“They will be staying at hotels and they employ people, the golf courses employ people … greater activity around those areas means more jobs,” he said.
Come and enjoy
Cheers
Tim
Look at the original at http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/06/10/180861_echo_news.html
As the Great Ocean Road is such a spectacular part of the world for a golfing holiday, I asked my friend Glenda who is a keen golfer (shown here with her new puppy Scully)to give me a tour of her favourite courses and some tips for golf travellers.
