The Fox celebrities: Grant Fox (left), Neil Wagner, Ryan Fox, Eric Murray and Mark Brown. Photo / Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Media
An innovative festival that combines fishing and golf, hosted by Kiwi golfing superstar Ryan Fox, has been named Golf Event of the Year and helped raise funds for two Waihi Beach essential services.
2021's Fox Fishing & Golf Festival raised $47,000 for the Waihi Beach Coastguard and Waihi Beach Lifeguard
Services. Previous events have seen team entrants paired with sporting greats of the ilk of Israel Dagg, Eric Murray, Wayne Smith, Team NZ helmsman Simon Von Velthoven, Black Cap Neil Wagner and European Tour golf pro Mark Brown.
Organiser Kelsen Butler from Sports Inc says the award was "a pleasant surprise" He adds that the event brings in a lot of people and money from outside the region and gives Waihi Beach a "great profile, and the celebrity players, along with local people really make the event". He would also like to acknowledge the support received from the charity dinner, the generosity of local skippers and Bowentown Sport Fishing Club.
The fundraising comes " from the philanthropic side", says Kelsen, and the event generates money from sponsor partners in the golfing and fishing space. Entrants can also bid to play with their chosen sports star, with Ryan Fox and Mark Brown in particular demand for the golf tournament. A charity auction where executive packages at places like Kauri Cliffs and sports memorabilia garnered from athletes' involvement in professional tournaments boosts the coffers. Kelsen says Fox has provided gear from the PGA tour that is much sought-after by collectors and fans - much of it signed by golf luminaries like Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson.
"Wayne Smith [former All Blacks coaching guru] even provided his 2015 World Cup-winning blazer," says Kelsen. "Wayne laughed that the blazer probably still smelled like beer after the winning celebrations!"
