Opening today near the Warrnambool skate park, the hole-in-one competition is again expected to lure hundreds of golfers and hopefuls, all vying for a shot at the top prize — a new Nissan Micra. 

Rotary Club of Warrnambool East president Peter Reeve said there would also be corporate and children’s events and a women’s category. 

“It’s our ninth year and it’s continuing to evolve,” Mr Reeve said.

“It’s become a huge event.”

Mr Reeve said the major Rotary project to benefit from the competition remained Rotary House, near the base hospital, which will offer emergency and temporary accommodation. 

But the community group also has three major international projects on its books, including water schemes in East Timor, sponsoring a nun who provides education in Vietnam and prosthetic research in landmine-ravaged Cambodia. 

Each of the projects will go a little further if  people picked up the clubs and took a swing, Mr Reeve said.

“We’re hoping this year we’ll raise up to $25,000, if we have some good weather,” he said.

But competition between mates will be the deciding factor.

“We’re hoping for that at the corporate cup,” he said. 

“It just seems that we’ll get a few tradies come down on their lunch breaks and have a hit.” 

Those who score a hole-in-one or land the ball nearest the pin will be invited back for a shoot-out.