Heroic deeds save golfer’s life at Clifton Springs on Bellarine Peninsula

A star Geelong golfer has been hailed a hero after an incredible rescue of a man on the 18th green of a Bellarine course.

Clifton Springs Golf Club pro Daniel Materazzo used a defibrillator to save a man’s life at the course. Picture: Mark Wilson

A star Geelong golfer has been hailed a hero after an incredible rescue on the 18th hole of a Bellarine course.

Clifton Springs Golf Club pro Daniel Materazzo, 39, was giving a golf lesson on Thursday afternoon when he heard someone scream “a man has collapsed”.

The victim, a popular member of the club in his late 70s, had suffered a suspected heart attack.

Mr Materazzo said “instinct kicked in” after he had flashbacks of a tragic incident when a man died at the Queens Park Golf Course, in Highton, 13 years ago.

“I had been here before and I had an idea of what needed to happen,” Mr Materazzo said.

Mr Materazzo said he was having a drink with a friend when he saw the man collapsed on the green. Picture: Mark Wilson

He leapt into action, grabbing the defibrillator off the wall as a club guest, Com Andronico, dialled triple-0.

Mr Andronico had just finished his round with a friend when the man collapsed.

“We were just sitting in the clubhouse having a drink,” Mr Andronico said.

“I was chatting to the guy behind the counter and he just looks out the window and goes, ‘what the hell?’.

“We turn around and there’s a guy lying on the ground on the 18th green in front of us.

“(The man) was green, completely green, he’d probably been lying there for a minute.”

Mr Materazzo said he followed the defibrillator’s instructions and performed CPR.

After hearing “a gasp of air”, he began chest compressions to resuscitate the man.

“He went from that blue colour or pale colour, which I guess happens when you stop breathing, and he came back to life,” he said.

“We waited with him until we heard the beautiful sounds of the sirens in the distance.”

A defibrillator (pictured) should be a must at all venues and golf courses, according to Com Andronico. Picture Dean Martin

Mr Andronico said composure and quick thinking shown by Mr Materazzo and club staff was exceptional.

“He’s a hero... he saved this guy’s life,” Mr Andronico said.

“(He) just dropped everything, grabbed the defibrillator and went straight out.

“Along with two guys from the clubhouse, he reacted very quickly and decisively.

“They worked on him straight away and that’s what saved his life.”

Paramedics arrived at 2.40pm to find the man alive and, remarkably, able to crack a joke.

Mr Andronico said the experience showcased the importance of easy access to defibrillators.

“Only 10 years ago, a similar thing happened in front of me, but that particular person died,” he said.

“It was at Sandringham Golf Club… we were less than 500m from Sandringham hospital.”

Mr Materazzo said the man, who by Friday was in a stable condition at Geelong hospital, was lucky he collapsed “within 40m of a defib machine.”

“If happened somewhere else on the course he may have died,” he said.

“I am very grateful, it was the right place at the right time I guess, and with a bit of knowledge and history of having been in that situation before.

“Only this time I was on the end of being able to save a life, and not lose him.”

Originally published as Heroic deeds save golfer’s life at Clifton Springs on Bellarine Peninsula