Victorian Premier and member for South West Coast Denis Napthine proved no threat to Leishman’s position as Warrnambool’s most famous golf export when he tried his hand at the city’s hole-in-one competition yesterday.

Dr Napthine, who had never played golf before, got lots of distance with his drives but put many of them over the fence of the golf driving range off Viaduct Road.

From the conservative side of politics, Dr Napthine quipped that he was worried his golf drives appeared to have a left bias.

His admission that he was a golf novice attracted lots of advice from the Warrnambool East Rotary club members staffing the hole-in-one range.

He joked he got less advice on how to run a government.

Needless to say, he failed to hit the target and decided he should stick with his day job when he returns from holidays next week.

A hole-in-one has also proved elusive for other entrants so far in this year’s competition.

None have been scored so far but the nearest-the-pin winners each day will go into a shoot-out on Australia Day for a chance to win a Nissan Micra car. 

The annual competition is attracting lots of entrants, with thousands of balls being hit each day.

Funds raised go to Rotary local, national and international projects.