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Record-breaking golf challenge a success thanks to Multiflight!
When four golfers embarked on a unique record-breaking attempt to play the six Open Championship courses in England in one day in aid of charity, they called on Multiflight’s charter department to help.
After successfully completing the amazing challenge in 17 hours and 35 minutes, playing 108 holes, travelling more than 350 miles and walking 35 miles in the day, golfer Alistair Hunter said it would just not have been possible without Multiflight’s Dauphin helicopter.
“Multiflight’s charter helicopter service was absolutely perfect: the challenge just would not have been physically possible without it,” says Alistair (a 9.9 handicap golfer), who completed the challenge with fellow golfers Mike Balfour (5.9), Justin Jeffery (10.2) and Paul White (10.5).
The golfers are hoping that their staggering golfing feat, completed on Sunday June 21st – the longest day, will raise around £100,000 for The Willow Foundation, a charity that provides special days to very sick and terminally ill young adults. The charity was set up by former Arsenal and Scotland goalkeeper and TV presenter Bob Wilson and his wife Megs. To date the charity has provided 4,500 days nationwide.
The four golfers are the first golfers in history to have completed this unique challenge. They have been supported by world famous golfers and sportsmen, including Nick Faldo, Paul McGinley, Ian Poulter, Ricky Hatton and Lee Dixon. The money they raise will fund one hundred Willow Foundation special days.
The day was certainly not without incident, including a hospital admission: as you can read in Alistair’s report below, but the challenge, which many said the golfers were absolutely bonkers to attempt and which prompted media headlines such as “Nut job golfers attempt 108 holes in one day!”, was successful. They teed off in Kent at 4.13am and completed the challenge in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, at 9.50pm. The golfers started their day at Princes in Sandwich, Kent, then played Royal St Georges in Sandwich, Royal Cinque Ports in Deal, Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, Royal Birkdale in Southport, and Royal Lytham & St Annes.
The Multiflight charter Dauphin helicopter took the team from Kent to Lancashire and around the Lancashire courses to enable them to achieve their one-day goal. Despite the luxury of helicopter travel the golfers were not allowed buggies or caddies on the day.
Here’s Alistair’s report of the day:
Everything started out swimmingly, with Princes negotiated in 2 hours having teed off at 04.13 – probably too early as 3 of the 8 balls lost during the day were here!
15 minutes ahead of schedule, we teed off at St Georges, and this too was completed ahead of schedule in 2h10m. Although we hit 3 birdies between us, this was the only course where neither pairing scored in the 80s, both carding 91s.
20 minutes ahead of schedule, the captain of Cinque Ports held up his Sunday swindle to allow us off in front. Mike and I carded an 83 which was to prove equal best of the day. Bang on time, Multiflight’s chopper descended at 11.10 whilst we were approaching the 17th green. This was an exciting moment, as we knew we now had transport, and suddenly the challenge seemed not only possible, but eminently do-able!
Lunch and re-fuelling on the chopper followed by a quick 40 winks for me, arriving at Hoylake, and being met by the captains of both Hoylake and Lytham who had just finished a match on the 18th. Still 10 minutes ahead of schedule, with golfers kindly moving aside to let us play through we were allowed to race round in 2h20m.
Back onto the chopper for a hop to Birkdale, landing in an adjacent school where we used a dustbin and telephone exchange box to negotiate the small fence into Birkdale itself, teeing off a full 35 minutes ahead of schedule! Various radio interviews and bad shots got us off to a slow start, and ailments were beginning to affect our bodies, especially Paul. But we got round ok and jumped on the chopper for the short hop to Lytham.
With virtually no one on the course, I’d only allowed 2h10m for Lytham and we were ½ hour ahead of schedule. Surely nothing could stop us now. However, Lytham has a lot of deep bunkers, and some penal rough. Justin’s knee was also beginning to bother him, and Paul was struggling badly with his back and very blistered feet, and they were paired together! Progress was slow, and although we had been grateful throughout the day for the cloud cover, this also meant that darkness was falling quicker than we wanted. Mike and I amazingly got round our 6th course in 83. However, it was proving a struggle for Paul and Justin, but with darkness setting in quickly, Paul heroically hauled himself round the final few holes, and we finished at 21.50, a few minutes before pitch darkness, but bang on schedule!
Sadly, after a bite to eat and a glass to drink, Paul collapsed in the bath and had to spend the night in Blackpool Victoria Hospital. I’m pleased to say that there is no lasting damage, and he was released on Monday afternoon and is well again.
An amazing day, made possible only by the fantastic cooperation of all the golf courses and their members, without which, we would have undoubtedly failed.
Bob and Megs Wilson were on hand for the last 3 courses, and their presence reminded us all of why we were undertaking such a feat. We set out to raise a six figure sum, and once we collect all the pledges, we’re not going to be very far away from that target, which underlines the fantastic support that we have received.
Special mention must go to James, our reserve golfer on standby, who had to endure walking round England’s finest links courses without getting to hit a ball in anger. And also to David who rushed to us whenever we were in a bunker or deep rough in order to photograph our misfortune. He also updated our website, blogspot, and twitter, where I know a lot of people followed our progress of the day.
On behalf of Justin, Mike, Paul and myself, and all at The Willow Foundation, we give our sincerest thanks to everyone who supported our special day out, so others, much less fortunate, can also enjoy special days out in the future.
If you wish to donate to the Willow Open Golf Challenge go to http://www.justgiving.com/willowopenchallenge/. For more details about the challenge and the team members go to www.willowopenchallenge.com
Pictures give photographic proof that the team completed the challenge!