The home of the late Jarrod Lyle, Shepparton Golf Club in northern Victoria, has set a new national record raising $38,000 for the #DoingItForJarrod campaign.
The club was confident that it could raise more than $20,000 for Challenge – a charity which raises money to support kids with cancer – in the lead-up to its #DoingItForJarrod Day earlier this month and they blew their own expectations out of the water.
In fact, they had exceeded them before a golf ball was even hit.
“The support from local businesses, community and clubs was outstanding. That’s where most of our money came from, just approaching people to make a donation,” said former photographer, friend of the Lyle family and Shepparton Golf Club member Ray Sizer (pictured with Briony Lyle, Graham Makepeace, Brad McMennemin).
“We made $25,000 before we even started the day just by asking businesses for $1000 or whatever they could afford.”
On their #DoingItForJarrod Day itself, nearly 200 players took to the course in either the morning or afternoon group which began with a shotgun start.
The club donated most of the money from each participants $15 fee entry, while a putting challenge where players paid $10 for three putts and they would go into the draw for cash prizes if they holed a putt also proved to be a valuable fundraising initiative.
“The winners of the putting competition mostly donated the money straight back and donating most of the $15 was not a lot but it makes a difference,” Sizer said.
The auction held on the day also proved to be beneficial bringing in $8000.
Signed flags donated by Geoff Ogilvy from his 2006 US Open triumph at Winged Foot and the 2017 Presidents at Liberty National were well sought after items, while some of Robert Allenby’s golf memorabilia and autographed merchandise by the reigning AFL premiers Melbourne Football Club were also popular.
The total money raised is a figure Shepparton is incredibly proud of and they are now encouraging other clubs to either try to beat them or do whatever they can to support the cause.
“It’s a great number but it doesn’t matter whether it’s a huge amount or a little amount. We’re happy if other clubs are trying to beat us but any dollar raised is important to the cause,” Sizer said.
“The whole idea of this was to raise as much money for Jarrod’s cause as possible and to encourage other clubs to do it too.”
More golf clubs, individuals and groups across Australia will host #DoingItForJarrod days in the coming months, click here to find out how you can get involved.