To celebrate what would have been Jarrod Lyle’s 40^th birthday, Challenge and the PGA have asked Jarrod’s family, friends, colleagues, and the infinite people he influenced, to share their favourite stories of the affable Tour Professional.

I’ve been involved with Challenge in various ways for many years and have had the pleasure of knowing Jarrod for a long time. One of my roles at the organisation is to help coordinate activities for our Challenge dads, as part of a group we call DUC Club (Dads Under Challenge). 

I have a really vivid memory of Jarrod in relation to the DUC club. One year we had a golf weekend away to Rich River in Echuca. 

Dave Rogers, Challenge CEO, and I asked Jarrod if he would come up and play a round of golf with the dads. 

Without hesitating he kindly gave up his time to drive from Shepparton to Rich River on the Sunday morning. 

From the moment Jarrod arrived he won the dads over with how down to earth he was. 

Without knowing anyone on the trip, he just fitted so easily into the group. He introduced himself to everyone and asked with interest how the weekend was going. 

As we started to hit off the first tee, one by one, Jarrod gave an assessment of everyone’s swing to the whole group. None of them were very positive, but the laughs had already started. 

Like all of us he was there for a laugh and a bit of fun, and he got that from hanging shit on all of us to talking to each of the dads as they walked the course. 

He didn’t mind talking openly about his own illness, and he also asked why each dad was there and how their child was progressing. 

After the 18 holes finished we hit the 19^th. Whilst Jarrod wasn’t drinking because he was driving he stayed around for a few hours, talking to all the dads, having selfies, and even chatting to some of the sick kids over the phone. 

When he finally left everyone was in awe of what they had just seen and experienced. Here was a professional golfer dealing with his own challenges, who had just spent hours with the group as ‘one of the boys’. 

They couldn’t get enough of him, and from that day on every one of them had nothing but admiration and respect for him. 

They all said that they hoped their child could use Jarrod’s outlook and perspective on life to guide them through their own challenges.

This memory sums Jarrod up to a tee. The Big Fella was just his normal self, but by being ‘one of the guys’ other people saw so much more in him.

To find out more about Jarrod’s ongoing legacy as part of Challenge – supporting kids with cancer, head to challenge.org.au/jarrods-gift/

Steve Walsh is on the Board of Challenge – supporting kids with cancer. He and his wife, Mary, are bereaved parents who first met Jarrod in 1999 at the Royal Children’s Hospital when their daughter, Sarah, was a cancer patient. Sadly Sarah passed away in 2001.