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Macmillan Awesome Foursome raise over £4000
A big thank-you from the Awesome Foursome to everyone who helped them raise over £4,000 for Macmillan.
Teeing off at 5am (with just one over-enthusiastic supporter!) our intrepid four-man team set off to complete 72 holes ".....before it got dark".
Our team of Club Captain Walter Witts, Vice President Ivor Groskop, Howard Wood and Chairman Neil Adams finally finished at 8pm to a welcoming party of family and friends having completed their challenge well within the time they had set themselves. With a combined age of 267 years they certainly had experience on their side but also no aspirations to break any 72-hole scoring or speed records.....and so it was!
An unexpected highlight of the day was to get a special mention on the 8am BBC News. A photograph of the team in play showing the sunrise across the 1st green had been sent in by Roger Antolik and was used to illustrate the national weather report. Naga Munchetti, no mean golfer herself, recognised the enormity of the challenge they were undertaking and made comment during the news about our team and their challenge.
Walter has been club Captain since March and Macmillan is his charity for his year in office. He chose the charity because of the help and support it has given his family in the past. As an ex Marine he is always up for a challenge. Having passed 74 years of age Walter likes to think he is still in the prime of life and fully expects to emulate his golfing hero Seve Ballesterous. We can expect to see some clever escape shots from the car park.
Our most experienced golfer is Ivor "the Russian" Groskop who has played the game for 58 years since he was 11 years old. Playing off 12 his style resembles that of his golfing idol Bernard Langer. Being meticulous, unflustered and deadly accurate are the hallmarks of Ivor's game. His biggest fear on the day is rain, he has an aversion to muddy trousers, but his lifelong experience and a stout umbrella will ensure he crosses the 72 hole finish line. Ivor describes Macmillan as "a damned good charity" that has been extremely supportive and helpful to an elderly couple he knows who were in desperate need of support. Ivor is a bit of a dreamer, he supports Arsenal, and kids himself every year that Arsene will lead them to glory.
Howard is a sprightly 71 year old and still capable of breaking 80. A mean golfer in his day, who played off four in his peak and achieved three holes-in-one in his career. He still dreams of breaking 70 again and has been training hard in Norfolk for this test of stamina. Although slightly worried about enduring four climbs of the 10th hole believes his investment in new socks will pay off. He has supported many charities over the years and reckons Macmillan is one that really does make a big difference to peoples lives and that is why he is proud to support it. As a Sheffield lad he has found new sources of inspiration from up and coming youngster Matthew Fitzpatrick and Masters winner, Danny Willet. He is hoping some of their magic will rub off on him.
At 53, Neil is clearly the youngster in the group. However, he is a bit of a hypochondriac, with a constant list of ailments brought on by allergies, a terrible diet (beer mostly), and the stress of being chairman of our club. He took up golf 30 years ago and, inspired by his Masters wins at Augusta, modelled his swing on Nick Faldo's. This means he is constantly tinkering with his grip, alignment, clubs and, as a result, suffers from long and persistent bouts of inconsistency interspersed with infrequent episodes of brilliance (never lasting for more than a few holes). One of his bestest friends has been a Macmillan paediatric nurse caring for children and their families with cancer for over 25 years. Neil says " I consider it a privilege to be able to support Macmillan because what she and her colleagues do every day has always humbled me and I know the funds raised are going to help people at the darkest moment in their lives".
The team are still collecting sponsorship monies and if you would like to donate to the cause please add your donation by contacting Walter, Ivor, Howard or Neil directly. The team also have a Just Giving Page. This link will take you to it: Visit Just Giving.com!
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