Hospice Harcourts Charity Ambrose Tournament

Sunday 19th July was one of those days where we sat back at the end of a long day and thought—that was pretty cool.

Starting with months of planning behind the scenes, it all turned into a day that was not only full of great golf, good laughs, and generous competition—but one that truly made a difference for a cause that touches so many lives.

Pulling an event like this together is no small task, and it’s fair to say there were many moving parts behind the scenes. From working closely with Harcourts Whakatane and Ōhope Beach Golf Links to bring the tournament to life, to connecting with local businesses who so generously donated towards our prize fund—this event was built on community from the very beginning.

The support we received was incredible. Businesses stepped forward with enthusiasm, helping us create a prize pool and auction lineup that added real excitement to the day. It was a reflection of just how much people believe in the work hospice does.

A huge shoutout to our fundraising volunteers who helped to gather together donations from our local businesses. And a huge shoutout to the volunteers who joined us early in the morning start on the day of the tournament—setting up gazebos, firing up the BBQ, stocking chilly bins with drinks and ice, putting flags out and making sure everything was in place.

And then on top of that, spending all day in the (surprisingly) hot winter sun, full of energy and positivity. We couldn’t have asked for a better day - it was just BEAUtiful.

Players, volunteers and staff arriving on the day were greeted with a gorgeous blue sky day over Ōhope Beach Golf Club. There was a real buzz in the air from the start which probably had a lot to do with the coffee or the sight of tequila bottles in a golf cart.

As soon as Wayne from Harcourts sounded the horn, the tournament kicked off with a mixture of quiet competition and excited giggles. Throughout the day, the teams rolled through the holes, some with enough golf balls and some without.

Off the course, things were just as lively. The BBQ was humming, coffee's were flowing, and everything ran like clockwork, even the melting pot of golf abilities out on the field didn't cause anyone any stress.

At the end of the day, everyone came together to celebrate what had been a day of fun, laughing about the highlights of the day, from someone knocking the head off their driver to someone hitting the sign on the first tee, which bounced off and hit the green. Sorry. spelling mistake... hit the green bean bag. This, curiously, all happened on tee 1. So we're sure this had something to do with the dolls sitting mere meters away in the clubhouse. If you know, you know.

The Puttmaster (winner of the most games) went to Julie for winning three games and then getting the closest guess in the guess the lollies game. There were closer guesses in the guess the lollies games but they didn't play any other games! Note this for next year!

Eventually, we rounded up the evening with the prizegiving and then, suffering from heatstroke, dehydration and sunburn (in the winter!), the calm turned to chaos as hospice staff hastily tried to add numbers together to come up with the total amount raised. It ended up being incorrect but it remained incorrect even after a good sleep and a coffee, because on Monday morning we still managed to get it wrong. Anyway. By Tuesday, we'd figured out how to math betterer and locked in our final answer - $19,325 which is just wonderful! Together, this little community achieved something pretty amazing.

Hospice provides a service that is so important to such a huge number of people, whether it's caring for a patient or providing support for their loved ones.

At some point, directly or indirectly, most of us will feel the impact of the care and support Hospice offer. That’s what makes days like this so meaningful—because the funds raised go towards ensuring that care continues to be there when it’s needed most.

It’s hard to put into words just how grateful we are.

To our sponsors and donors—thank you for your generosity and for helping us create such a successful event.

To our volunteers—thank you for your time, your energy, and for showing up ready to give it your all. You were incredible.

To every player, supporter, and person who came along—thank you for being part of it.

It was just magic seeing all these people turn up to show their support for a cause that means so much.

This was our second tournament, and if this year is anything to go by, we’re only just getting started.

We’re already looking forward to doing it all again—bigger, better, and with even more impact.

Until then, here's a photo of a big cheque with the number amended to reflect the true amount we raised on the day. Thank you for being part of something truly special.