"Remember that time we played all the golf courses on Arran in a day?"

"Yeah, 93 holes wasn't it?"

"Shall we do something like that again?"

"Could we? It was over 30 years ago"

The golfing gauntlet was cast and, with beer supped, the challenge was boldly accepted. And so, on 19th June, Dougie Spencer and Iain Gardner will be going head-to-head, toe to blistered toe in a Match for the Aged on the North Berwick West links, playing 100 holes in one day! And in doing so raising much-needed funds for Prostate Scotland via this page and an online auction - see https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/auction/detail/auction_id/thebigmatchauction

The Match

The match will comprise 6 rounds – 4 over the full 18 holes and 2 of 14 holes – and will be scored on a holes up/down basis using WHS handicaps

Clubs will be carried throughout – no trolleys or caddies.

We will be joined by fellow golfers (including some famous names – watch this space) for the later rounds with different matchplay formats ( four-ball better-ball, foursomes, greensomes, Pinehurst foursomes, 4-ball twelvesomes)

Fund Raising

We have chosen to fund raise for Prostate Scotland, a charity who aim to raise awareness and provide information about prostate cancer and disease and its treatments, and also promote research and treatment developments on prostate issues across Scotland.

We are all aware of someone or a family impacted by prostate cancer - almost 1 in 2 men may get prostate disease at some stage in their lives; and prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Scotland with one in ten at risk.

As well as looking for your donations on this page, we will be hosting 2 golf days - the first at North Berwick on Friday 27th March, the second at Boat of Garten on Friday 17th April.

There will also be an online raffle with some stunning prizes, including a 2-ball at the 2026 Open Championship venue, and plenty more. See https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/thebigmatchauction

Who Are We?

We are 2 middle-aged middling golfers who first met on the playing fields – and bar – of the once-mighty Trinity Accies rugby club, and have been firm friends ever since. As well as sharing many memorable times on the rugby pitch, we have climbed over 100 Munros together and played many more rounds of golf.

Dougie

A past captain of Boat of Garten golf club and a member at the glorious Moray links, his main hobby beyond golf is stopping his collie Archie chasing cars. He also enjoys watching Wales lose at rugby, a day at the races and is a big fan of decolletage. Dislikes include slow play, pencil golf and Derry Cairngorm.

As a man who rises with the larks, Dougie spits in the eye of the old adage “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”

He is a former member of the Bank of Scotland Risk team who signed off sub-prime mortgages.

Iain

A former IT Project Manager who got by delivering slightly substandard systems modestly over budget, fashionably late, Iain joined the merry band of the North Berwick caddies in the summer of 2025, a group of happy-go-lucky rays of sunshine who, we are sure, will be making more generous contributions to this fund-raising effort than to the Inland Revenue! Thanks in advance, fellow loopers!

Beyond golf, Iain’s hobbies include having a bike in his shed, pedantry, hazy IPAs and walking up mountains. Dislikes include litterers of banana skins and orange peel, Aim Point and walking down mountains, especially Derry Cairngorm.