Price is right for charity day

VIP VISITOR: Rugby league legend Steve Price will visit Rotorua in March as a special guest for the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce's annual charity golf day. PHOTO/FILE

LAST year it was world-famous caddy Steve Williams, but this year another Steve will take his place as the major drawcard for the Holland Beckett Rotorua Chamber of Commerce Golf Day.

Former New Zealand Warriors captain Steve Price - who also represented Queensland and Australia - will take part at the golf day on March 18 at the Rotorua Golf Club.

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Darrin Walsh said the rugby league legend did not consider himself much of a golfer, but had agreed to come along and give a talk following the golfing event. He will also be stationed at one of the holes running an activity and meeting the players.

"It comes on the back of last year when we had Steve Williams come along," Walsh said. "We are hoping and have confidence that Steve Price will be a very big drawcard.

"We will give him a hole, the same as we did with Williams, and he will run an activity and raise funds for a charity of his choice."

Walsh said it was a huge success having a prominent sportsperson at the event last year, helping boost numbers and sponsors.

"We were keen to get someone that was relatively prominent and a big name in the sport that they take part in, and that had not been to Rotorua recently to speak."

He said entries for teams and hole sponsors were now open on the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce website www.rotoruachamber.co.nz.

"It will be a good, fun day. It's a great chance to get out on the golf course and, of course, a chance to network and do a bit of business and enjoy the day."

Businesses can enter a team of four and entries close on March 6. Last year 22 teams took part. You do not need to be a member of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce to enter.

Price, now 41, started his first-grade career in 1994 with the Canterbury Bulldogs before moving to the Warriors in 2005, where he finished his NRL career. He played over 300 first-grade games and also represented Queensland 28 times and notched up 16 caps for Australia.