The countdown has begun and preparations are in hand for the 2016 Annual Women’s Golf Northern Rivers Tournament, which will be held at the picturesque and always challenging Grafton District Golf Course. Players have entered the Tournament from a wide area including, Cardwell in Queensland, Coolangatta-Tweed Heads, Ocean Shores, Kyogle, Ballina, Casino, Lismore, Coraki, Iluka, Yamba, Maclean, Grafton, Crescent Head and Hurstville with strong competition expected for the three-day event. Monday July 18 will see Day 1 of the 36-hole Stroke event where players will vie for the Women’s Golf Northern Rivers Open Championship Perpetual Jug and the Golf New South Wales Northern Cup. Play will continue on Tuesday July 19 with Day 2 of the 36-hole stroke competition. The 2015 36-hole champion, Jacki Bratti of Casino will unfortunately not be attending the Tournament on the Monday and Tuesday to defend her title. A closed event, for current club champions within the Women’s Golf Northern Rivers District, will also be held on the Tuesday with the staging of the Champion of Champions 18-hole event in conjunction. Multiple past winner and defending Champion of this event, Murwillumbah’s talented Sheridan Gorton turned professional at the end of 2015 and is now ineligible to compete in the event. However, entries this year include Coolangatta-Tweed’s Sue Reguson, Ocean Shores’ Val Marsh, Kyogle’s Louise Frickman, Lismore’s Nola Lobban, Maclean’s Sheree Forsythe and Grafton’s Jen Townsend which should see some tight competition. Wednesday will be the final day of the Tournament with 84 ladies entered in the Foursomes competition. 2015 Open Foursomes Champions, Jacki Bratti of Casino and Di Hardy of Ballina will be competing and will no doubt be strong contenders once again this year in the quest to defend their title. Lismore Workers Club have kindly announced that they are sponsoring a $100 prize for the first hole in one scored during the Tournament. The Women’s Golf Northern Rivers Tournament has been conducted since 1933, starting at Casino. The Tournament went into recess from 1940 to 1946 but since its resurrection has always played a very prominent role in the women’s golfing scene in the Northern Rivers District. This year’s committee are delighted to welcome Michele Adair as their special guest for the Tournament. Michele is the Elected Director, Chair of Governance & Planning Committee and a Governor of the NSW Golf Foundation. She is a member of Hurstville Golf Club and served as Secretary for several years before joining the Golf NSW Council. In the last 10 years Michele has seen firsthand the contribution that large and small clubs have made in their communities. She is keenly interested in promoting the health, environmental and economic benefits of the sport of golf. Michele will participate in the Tournament on the Tuesday and Wednesday and will attend the presentation dinner on the Tuesday night at the Grafton District Golf Club. Julie White