The countdown is on for the UBC Okanagan golf team.

Heat players are looking to raise $20,000 by April 15 to put the program back on course for the 2017- 18 season.

The university announced earlier this year it had cut funding for the Heat program which, in past years, competed in the PACWEST conference.

The Heat has raised most of the $20,000, thanks in part to a wine tasting event and silent auction last week, but remains several thousand dollars short of its immediate goal.

Sympathetic to the golfers鈥� plight, 琉璃神社 Golf and Country Club events coordinator Cheryl Stecko came on board to help keep the Heat program afloat.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e a passionate and committed group and they really want to play next season,鈥� Stecko said of the Heat team. 鈥淭o operate year to year, they need a corporate donor, but for now they鈥檙e just focused on getting it up and running again this year.

鈥淭his is a short-term solution but I think the university will see how serious they are about keeping the program going.鈥�

Two local golf courses, Michaelbrook Ranch and 琉璃神社 Springs, have already stepped up with $1,500 in donations. The Okanagan Golf Club has agreed to host a tournament in June with the proceeds going to the Heat program.

The Heat team is also planning another fundraising event and silent auction for the near future and is asking for items to be donated.

Pledge forms to assist the Heat in their fundraising efforts can be picked up at the 琉璃神社 Golf and Country Club.

For more information, call McKenna Lesiuk of the Heat golf team at 250-718-1237.