winners left to right: Sinan Bugdayli, Steve Goktas, Terry Stevens 
with organiser Gary Begg absent Team member Andrew Diciumas

The Take a Stroke for Stroke charity was played on Monday 12^th December at the Mercure Kooindah Waters Golf Resort, raising funds for the National stroke foundation.

Stroke is the second biggest killer in Australia behind coronary disease, so PGA member Gary Begg decided to initiate the Take a Stroke for Stroke campaign after he lost his father to the disease in June last year.

“After that I learned a lot about stroke and what a danger it is and that’s why I decided to start this campaign to try to raise money for the National stoke foundation,” he said.

“No one gets involved until it has affected them. It’s in all our interests to learn as much about it as possible. It is not just an old person disease, stroke can strike anyone at any time.”

The inaugural event involved 35 clubs with qualifying rounds and some 2000 participants, with ten groups of players from QLD, NSW and Vic.

Players Sinan Bugdayli, Steve Goktas, Terry Stevens and Andrew Diciumas took out the event on the day, with runner-up team consisting of Darren Golsby, Peter Golsby, Dusan Veselko and Anthony O’Byrne.

Gary said it had been a successful day while numbers were not as high as hoped in order to created a lot of awareness in the community.

“We hope to raise around $5,000 for this year,” Gary said.

“Once we have an awareness, more clubs come on board and they understand the event. I will be looking to raise around $50,000 next year and hope to crown a millionaire for the hole in one at the National final.”

The campaign is still waiting on collections from a few clubs to come in before the final tally of funds raised could be announced.

Runners up; L-R:Organiser Gary Begg team members Darren Golsby, 
 Peter Golsby, Dusan Veselko, absent team Member Anthony O’Byrne

A donation page has been set up for those who wish to donate to the campaign.