You may well have heard of the concept; play a sponsored 72 holes… four rounds of golf, in just one day. It’s a feat that seems near on impossible to those of us that are fairly broken after 18. But for the hardy souls who step up to the challenge, it can have a profound effect; both in helping raise vital funds to support those affected by cancer, and on each of the fundraisers personally.
These everyday heroes walk among us, and are collectively responsible for raising millions for Macmillan Cancer Support every year. Fascinated to hear from the people behind the headlines, Sunday Slicers had the immense privilege of speaking with 5 of the most remarkable recent fundraisers, to hear their truly inspirational stories.
Sam – Leukaemia Survivor at 26
Completed: July 2023
Course: Ansty Golf Centre, Warwickshire
The Team: Sam, David & James
Sam had the huge misfortune to be diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia at the age of 25, very rarely found in young people, and a rare type to boot. After initial treatments were unsuccessful, Sam was told his chance of survival were 20-30%… a horrifying prospect for anyone, let alone someone in their mid twenties. But thanks to Sam’s resilience, an exceptional Macmillan nurse, and our amazing NHS, Sam is looking to have beaten the odds. It required intense sessions of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and then a stem cell transplant in January to finally provide a breakthrough. Sam’s naturally keen to highlight that stem cell donation is something people can do that’s not vastly different from the method for giving blood, and can literally save lives.
Whilst far from being immediately out of the woods, he was not one for just moping and hoping, and whilst he says he’d always considered golf boring, decided to give it a go with 2 mates in May, as one of the only ways to keep active and infection free. To his great surprise, he fell in love with the game instantly, and it became a metaphor and exemplar for the doctor’s advice to ‘take things one step at a time’. Sam found he was able to live in the present, savour what he had, and focus on doing his best with the cards (or shot) he’d been dealt.
Despite only playing for 2 months, and with handicaps that were inevitably high or non-existent, they took on the Longest Day Challenge given Macmillan’s ‘unwavering support’, and were keen to raise money so they can help others through tough times. The day itself, inevitably, was a huge challenge, particularly for Sam who didn’t know how his body would hold up. He suffered agonising shooting pains in his feet, but found the resolve to complete all 72 holes, over a gruelling 15.5 hours. Ansty – a club undergoing a huge transformation under new ownership by the Get Golfing charity – were incredibly supportive and seasoned hosts, supporting the fundraising effort, and ensuring members knew to make way for the group. Sam’s rightfully very proud of their achievements, and having raised £3,200 for Macmillan, enough to fund a nurse’s salary for 3 months. What’s more, on the day we spoke to Sam, he’d just returned from the hospital, where he’d been diagnosed as ‘Minimum Residual Disease negative’…. the leukaemia has ‘all gone’!
Liz & Charlie – the Supportive Son
Completed: 21st June 2022
Where: Coventry Golf Club
The Team: Liz England, son Charlie, plus club pro Sam, Chairman and Lady Captain
Liz England was a picture of health, as a 40-something dance teacher and mother, when breast cancer struck in November 2021. Unsurprisingly, Liz describes this revelation as “horrific”, especially as there would be a seemingly endless 8 month wait for an operation, with a course of drug treatment required to make the cancer operable. Her son Charlie is a very talented golfer, playing off 17 at the time, and representing his county at under 14 level. So when Liz heard about the 72 hole challenge, she thought it would be the perfect way to give the family a positive focus, spread awareness of the disease – and that it’s not a death sentence – as well as raising funds for Macmillan.
On the day itself, literally the longest day on the 21st June, Charlie was joined in solidarity by the club’s assistant pro Sam, along with the club’s Chairman and Lady Captain (see headline picture above). Teeing off at 4.45am, they made the most of the long day, with Charlie’s youth and experience playing 2 rounds in a day helping make relatively short work of the morning’s rounds. He also shares that his secret was to have a shower, together with a fresh shirt and shoes after every round, refreshing and resetting before he went again, and was amazed to find that his golf actually got better throughout the day. As the day wore on in their weekday challenge, friends and family accumulated in support, and were on hand with food, drinks and moral support to spur them on to the finish. Charlie had to switch to wearing sliders for the closing holes, but holed his final putt on the 72nd at around 8pm.
At school, Charlie’s achievement was the talk of the corridors, and made the school website. He’s since reduced his handicap to 8.8, and now plays for the county’s U16 team as well as the U14s. The team raised £3,500, including a significant contribution from Charlie’s dad, who offered £10 for every birdie… naively underestimating pro Sam’s abilities, that largely contributed to his £370 bill!
Two months later, and Liz had 2 successful operations and radiotherapy, and her cancer is mercifully now in remission. But whilst this should theoretically have triggered cautious celebrations, Liz opens up about how she fell to pieces emotionally that Christmas, as the adrenaline subsided and having ‘sacrificed’ herself to focus on getting her children and parents through the ordeal. Again, Macmillan were on hand, offering 6 free counselling sessions which, although Liz only used 3, she felt were invaluable, and she accessed completely guilt-free, knowing that their efforts had more than covered the charity’s costs.
Lindsay – the Ultimate in Customer Service
Completed: June 2023
Where: Silloth Golf Club, Cumbria
The Team: Lindsay (handicap: 9), Stephen (21 HCP), Rebecca (7 HCP), Dan (24 HCP), Jamie and Graham
Lindsay Gray, MD of Natterjack Marketing in Cumbria, was so moved to hear the tragic toll cancer had taken at long-term client Jim Walton Penrith Ltd, that she was compelled to step up to support. Director of Jim Walton, Stephen Walton, lost his father (Jim) and good friend (Rob) to the disease, together with employee and friend of the companies Steven Wallace. As a keen golfer, playing off 9, Lindsay was inspired to take on the Longest Day Challenge, and assembled a team comprising of a combination of friends of hers, Stephen’s, and Rob’s.
With a team of 6, it’s hardly surprising that they lay claim to ‘the longest day’, taking 17 hours from a 5am start, and each covering a distance equivalent to a marathon! When asked how the day went Lindsay said it was “Hot… red hot! The course was very busy which meant that our rounds took slightly longer than expected. Silloth is a hilly course, so our feet were very sore by the end! It was a very hot day with no breeze”… a daunting prospect when coupled with an exposed links course on the Cumbrian coast. But Lindsay went onto reassure us that it certainly had its upsides; “We laughed a lot, played some excellent golf and were joined by lots of fab people”.
Throughout the challenge Lindsay and Stephen had a number of people come and support them on the course, pushing their trollies, bringing them snacks and making them laugh. Lindsay’s naturally keen to offer “a huge thanks to those people too!”
On completing the challenge, Lindsay felt “very proud… Stephen and his friends don’t play a lot of golf so for them this was an excellent achievement”. Although Lindsay and friend Rebecca are keen golfers and they alternated their shoes and socks on each round, their feet and bodies were still very achy. Their team raised an impressive £3,000 for Macmillan, and it’s motivated them to keep on fundraising, as they’re now determined to do whatever they can to help anyone who’s going through similar experiences to theirs.
Alex – Gratitude Gesture
When: 19th June 2023
Where: Heron Country Club, Essex
The Team: Alex (handicap 21), Joe (17 HCP), Brad (17 HCP) and Rhys (21 HCP)
Alex Perry loved his nan dearly, and when her days were sadly numbered, he was so touched and grateful for Macmillan’s support that he felt compelled to step up. He tells us that “They were amazing, and a lot of people don’t realise that Macmillan support end of life care and help the families through that hard time. They even gave each of her grandchildren a keyring with her fingerprint on to remember her by… so I wanted to raise awareness for them and give something back”.
Thankfully, Alex has some great friends, so when he put the idea of the 72 hole challenge to 3 of them, they didn’t miss a beat in confirming their support. The day itself started at 6am, with the green keeper allowing special access to the course before it would ordinarily open. The team agreed on some time-saving rules, such as allowing a free drop if you can’t find your ball in the first cut, as they knew it was going to be a long day and fighting the sunlight could potentially be a big problem.
They were fully prepared, with plenty of energy bars, plasters, spare clothes, and most importantly, talcum powder…! Alex says they all had a fantastic experience, taking on such a significant challenge with 3 good friends, and spirits were high from the first, “albeit stiff and slightly sliced”, tee shot. They actually found that the first 3 rounds “were not too hard”, with a halfway refresh of a shower, change of clothes and a few cold beers popped into the bags, to provide an “attitude boost”! It seemed to be working a treat too, but the final round looked to be their nemesis.
Whilst the Madri and freshen-up may have provided renewed gusto for the back 36, leg pains began to set in, blisters where forming frequently and chaffing became an issue for 2 of the team. But a whole bottle of talcum powder later, and with 2 friends now playing behind them to lend their moral support, they hobbled onto the 72nd green 13 hours after that opening shot. The next day, Alex describes the team as “4 men in our 30s who were unable to walk up the stairs, but with no sense of regret whatsoever… I have never felt more proud of me and my friends. It took me 2 days to regain full mobility of my legs but I’d do it all again tomorrow”. The team raised £1500 for Macmillan, as their first time fundraising, and they now plan to make it a yearly event, with more teams, and a competition element, to help raise more funds and smash their previous total year on year.
Top tips for anyone considering taking on the challenge? “I’d recommend having someone waiting in the club house with 4 cold pints to help give you the ambition to hit the final drive off!”
Martin – the Club Pro
Completed: June 21st 2022
Where: Coventry GC (x2), Coventry Hearsall GC and Kenilworth
The Team: Martin Sutliff (pro) Suresh Patel (12 handicap). Jenny Arnold (10 HCP) and Richard Marklow (8 HCP)
Martin, Head PGA Pro at Coventry Golf Club, was driven to take on the challenge having recently lost his mum to cancer, to give back to the charity that supported them in the latter stages. Having heard that club member Charlie was forming a team with fellow pro Sam (as per story above), Martin was spurred on to lead a team of his own… and decided to build in the added challenge of playing at 3 different clubs!
For Suresh, a keen member at Coventry, it was a big bucket list item to tick off, so together with teammates Jenny Arnold and Richard Marklow, the talented four ball plotted a route that took in nearby Coventry Hearsall and Kenilworth, bookended by home club Coventry. Teeing off on familiar soil at 5am, they wasted no time in completing the first 18, and had 25% of the challenge ticked off by 7am! The team then hotfooted it 3 miles up the road to Coventry Hearsall for 7.30, and by 11 they were half-way through and making light work of the task at hand. They even had time to take a leisurely lunch on the veranda at next course Kenilworth GC, they had so much time in hand ahead of their third tee time!
But their collective talent, and the midway break it afforded them, threatened to be their undoing. They lost impetus, muscles started to stiffen up and they found the back 36 a real struggle, with exhaustion biting hard. But they’d prepared well, had packed plenty of sustenance, and taking less shots than most, returned to home club Coventry in time to tee up exactly 12 hours after they did for their opening round. Martin tells us that remarkably, despite the time pressures and tiredness, he played some of his best golf that day… without the time to overthink shots, and relying on his natural talent. As a testament to this, he even birdied the very final hole, and caught the magical moment on video to boot!
Martin tells us that his objectives were to inspire others to make a difference, raise money for a great cause, and have a lot of fun along the way. He seems to have succeeded on all fronts, with plenty showing interest in dates for a repeat, several thousand donated to Macmillan, with many smiles shared in the process (see Exhibit A, above!)
Martin’s top tips? He points out that non-golfers are not precluded from getting involved, and could act as caddies, bringing in additional sponsorship. He also shares that local supermarket branches can be a great source of sponsorship, even if not committing funds, by supplying a bumper stock of free refreshments to fuel the team’s efforts throughout the day.
Inspired to take on The Longest Golf Day Challenge? Find more info on Macmillan’s site here.
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