First of all, I would like to dedicate our fund to my Uncle Robert Redmond, who passed away on the 2nd July, 2008. Thank you for visiting our fundraising page. Please dig deep and sponsor us online.
Iain Redmond, Steven Smart, Robert Morton and Andrew Moore are participating in The Longest Day Golf Challenge. This will involve playing four rounds of golf at four different courses in one day. APPROXIMATE TEE TIMES: FRIDAY 4TH JULY CAWDER - 5.30 AM KIER - 9 AM HAYSTON - 1PM KIRKINTILLOCH - 5PM To find out more information about Macmillan Cancer Support or the Longest Day Golf Challenge then click the link below. This is open to anyone that has a keen interest in golf, so i urge you all to get involved. http://www.macmillan.org.uk/ Below are the links to the golf clubs that we are participating at: http://www.haystongolf.com/ http://www.cawdergolfclub.co.uk/ http://www.kirkintillochgolfclub.com/
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Macmillan Cancer Support will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer. We provide practical, medical, emotional and financial support and campaign for better cancer care. Cancer affects us all. We can all help.
So please sponsor us now! 4 July 2008 - Well fortunately we all made it out of bed in time, arriving at the golf club at 5am to get ready for our first tee shot. Of course though, Steven was the last to turn up which was no surprise as the guy would be late for his own funeral! Oh, and I lost my car keys for about 10 minutes, which would have made it difficult getting to each course for the rest of the day (idiot). The format for the day was 2 best stableford points at each hole to count. At 5.30am, I struck the first tee shot of the day on the toughest course of the 4 (Cawder) and to say I wanted my bed was an understatement as I smashed it 40 yards right of the fairway. Fortunately, after a tired first few holes for all of us we started to find some form. Especially, when I thinned an 8 iron on the 5th to 6 inches to pick up the first birdie of the day! Andy was on fire for the front nine which was great as he was the highest handicapper and getting plenty of shots. Steven had a nice chip in on the 10th for birdie to set us up for the back 9. We finished the first round with 86 points, which is a pretty good effort considering the closing stretch has some tricky par 4’s. We started the next round on the Keir Course at just before 9 and started with a couple of birdies in the first 3 and played solidly for the rest of the first 9. First quote of the day on the 3rd tee, Andy tops his tee shot about 20 yards left and Steven says “do you need a hand to look for that” in the most sincere voice I’ve ever heard, it absolutely cracked me up. We had a bit of a wait on the 10th tee as the greenkeeper was putting in a new pin position tucked beside the left bunker (cheers greenkeeper), an uphill par 3 of about 200 yards. Of course Steven nearly shanks his tee shot and then plays this ridiculously pitch from 40 yards which rolls straight into the middle of the cup. First thing I did was look at the greenkeeper, who was laughing, but was obviously distraught as he tried to stitch us up with that pin. We stalled a bit for the rest of the back nine with several birdie putts not finding the cup. We ended up with 85 points, which was disappointing as we felt there was many birdies to be had on the Keir course, but unfortunately we couldn‘t make the putts on the back 9. Next up we went to Hayston and had a bit of lunch and then straight back out on the course at 1pm. I think because we had a bit of break and sat down that we started badly the first 2 holes. But of course Steven was at it again on the 3rd hole holing a bunker shot for birdie. I was actually laughing as he set up to play the shot as it looked more like a mud pit rather than a bunker because of the previous night’s downpour. I thought it was about time to steal some of Steven’s thunder as I had to hit this low hook round the trees with a 4 iron to set up a birdie and our first 4 pointer of the day on number 7. Quote number 2 of the day, as we are walking up to the green on number 7, Robert says to me “don’t worry I’ll get up and down from there, I’ve been chipping well all day.” He was situated 30 yards short and left of the green and of course duffs his chip with his kiss of death comment, but true to his word then chips in for his up and down, ridiculous! Again the back 9 is a struggle as we fail to make enough birdie putts, but fortunately I was able to make my birdie putt at the last to scramble 83 points for the round. Round 4 of the day at Kirkintilloch, where we tee’d off at 5pm. We made a great start here making 5 birdies in the first 6 holes. Then on the 7th tee Robert hits one of the worst tee shots of the day that goes about 60 yards right of the fairway into the thick rough. All he can do from there is hack it out and fortunately gets it back out just past the burn 40 yards short of the green. He then plays this exquisite pitch that checks up just short of the hole and drops into the cup, probably the shot of the day. We end up going out in 47 points, which is the best of the day. Andy then rips a drive down the 10th and birdies the par 5 for our 2nd 4 pointer of the day. At this point though, I had to say I felt sorry for Andy as he had to carry his golf bag 3 out of the 4 rounds, and he actually looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his back not his golf bag. Unfortunately we are unable to keep up the birdie run for the rest of the round and come back in 40 points for a total of 87 points, which was our best of the day. It was a good score but I found this personally frustrating as I played my best golf of the four rounds and had 6 birdie putts lip-out during the round. Our grand total for the 4 rounds was 341 points. The top 4 teams get to play the finals in Portugal and we may have a chance with that score, but I think we may have needed to get into the 90’s in the last round to get there, only time will tell. A great experience, and I was delighted from a personal point of view I didn’t lose any golf balls and only made one double in the 72 holes, and was shown some short game wizardry from Smart and Morty. The only regret is we didn’t make a few more putts on the back 9 of each course. But overall, I think the team has done well and posted a good target for the rest to try and better! SPONSORS
A big thankyou to Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch Subway stores for sponsoring us on the day. http:///www.subway.co.uk Yes Golf have also been quick to support the team by providing shirts, caps and a top of the range Callie Forged putter to put towards our fund. Yes Golf are the only golf manufacturer in the U.K. that provide an onsite custom fit service, which amazingly is free of charge. For more details http://www.yesgolf.co.uk or email andy@yes.co.uk phone 0845 601 5778 Custom fitting is recommended for all levels of golfer and will save you shots where you need it most in taking less putts per round. Many thanks to Andy and Peter at Yes Golf in Southport. Thanks to Detmar Hackman at Sabona for donating a 1997 Severiano Ballesteros limited edition portrait by Anne H Mackintosh and several Sabona bracelets. Sabona provide bracelets for pain relief and arthritis sufferers. http://www.sabona.co.uk Thanks to Liz Talbot at Greg Norman Collection for providing the team with shirts to wear for both morning rounds. http://www.gregnormancollection.co.uk to have a look at the wide range of 2008 golf clothing. "Performance, luxury and style" Greg Norman Thanks to Joe McBrearty at Logo Wear for making a great job of the logos on the shirts. http://www.logowearimages.co.uk to take a look at their products and services which they provide. Also alternatively contact Joe on 0141 423 2001 or email him at joe@logowearimages.co.uk he will be happy to answer any questions you have. Thanks to Muckhart, Dollar and Cardross Golf Clubs for their courtesy fourball tickets received. http://www.muckhartgolf.com/ http://www.dollargolfclub.com/ http://www.cardross.com/ Thanks to Paul Reed at Srixon with providing the team with caps, balls and a golf bag. http://www.srixon.co.uk Thanks to Allan Taylor at Pured Forged Golf for providing us with a limited edition Whitlam Joseph Scotland stamped putter. Have a look at their website at http://www.pureforgedgolf.com/ Thanks to Lynda Bowman at game for providing the team with vouchers. http://www.game.co.uk for the latest releases in the game world.
Many thanks for your support and happy golfing.
Iain Redmond 
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