Golfers tee off to raise cash for mental health

Tania Potaka prepares for a hit in a fundraiser at Tawhero Golf Course. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Golf is hard enough as it is but using vintage golf clubs was a great leveller as golfers hit the course for a mental health fundraiser.

Teams of people played the nine holes at Tawhero golf course on Saturday, using only two pre-1980 clubs each.

The vintage theme was a novelty in a fundraiser for men's mental health, Rivercity Golf co-owner Ivan Howe said.

"They were a little bit dubious about it, but those that turned up loved the concept."

Howe provided the old clubs himself, some sourced from secondhand shops.

The players were a mixture of golfers and non-golfers, and the vintage clubs made for a level playing field, he said.

People formed into teams of two for the game, and each had to choose two clubs - normally 14 are used for the different functions in a round of golf.

"They had to think. Two clubs only. You have to be quite strategic about how you play."

Ivan Howe organised the Men's Mental Health Fundraiser for Rivercity Golf. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Seven teams of two people played for a prize pool of $2000 that was divided between them.

Also present was Lux Adams from health provider Te Oranganui, with information about men's mental health.

Anyone who says they haven't had an issue with mental health is lying to themselves, Howe said.

"Men tend to bottle things up and then snap. You need to talk about it openly."

He hoped a game of golf with a mate would be relaxed, and an ideal time to find out how both parties are doing.

The players each paid $25 for the game, and all the money will go to Te Oranganui.

Howe plans to run the same fundraiser next year, also for one day only.

Rivercity Golf has been going well since it merged with Tawhero Golf Club last year - though Covid-19 did reduce the numbers at Christmas functions, Howe said.

"It's adapt and overcome."