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Moray golfers raise more than 1K with 72 hole challenge


By Jonathan Clark

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FOUR Moray golfers have raised more than £1,000 for charity after a gruelling 72 holes of golf in one day at Moray Golf Club.

L-R: Decklan Beveridge, Ryan Rattray, Sean Blacklaw, Neil Dow
L-R: Decklan Beveridge, Ryan Rattray, Sean Blacklaw, Neil Dow

Neil Dow (26) and Ryan Rattray (26) of Lossiemouth and Sean Blacklaw (25) and Decklan Beveridge (25) of Elgin put themselves through 17 hours of continuous golf as part of cancer charity Macmillan's longest day of golf challenge.

The men started their round at 4:50am and completed it it at 9.50pm. At present, the total amount raised is £1,080 – but there are still a few donations to trickle in.

Neil Dow was the main organiser of the event. The 26-year-old does something to raise money for charity every year.

Last year, Neil shaved his head for charity, the year before the did a full body wax and three years ago it was a marathon. Money raised previously has gone to Mental Health UK and the British Heart Foundation.

This year he decided to get his mates involved this year and, with all three keen golfers, this challenge made the most sense.

Speaking after completing the challenge, Neil said: "We walked for 25 minutes between rounds as we did the old course twice and the new twice, but it took us longer than we expected. We hoped it would be done in 13 hours but it took 17.

"By the fourth round we were all seriously tired. The golf wasn't great to watch!"

But the group have smashed their financial objective and that, says Neil, is the main thing.

"£200 each was the aim to begin for us and we have got well more than that – so we are delighted.

"That is the most important thing. And we had a laugh. It was hard but the folk we are doing this for are much worse off than us so we just got on with it."

Neil Dow, Sean Blacklaw, Ryan Rattray, Decklan Beveridge
Neil Dow, Sean Blacklaw, Ryan Rattray, Decklan Beveridge

The standard on display was far from terrible and, much to Neil's own surprise, the scores never dwindled away too much as the men tired.

He did, though, have a special mention for Sean, who lost an extraordinary 19 balls. Overall, 35 were lost. While Sean was losing balls, Neil himself actually birdied three consecutive holes – 9, 10 and 11 – on round three, for the first time in seven years.

The scores were: Neil Dow (handicap 9) 332 shots, Decklan Beveridge (handicap 11) 333 shots, Sean Blacklaw (handicap 9) 346 shots and Ryan Rattray (handicap 11) 357.

Only Decklan hit his worst score of the day in the fourth round and it was just by one shot. Neil's scores were - 78, 87, 82, 85, Decklan's - 86, 79, 81, 87, Sean's - 89, 87, 84, 86 and Ryan's - 94, 87, 84, 90.

Elsewhere, golfers in Forres, including Forres Thistle striker Matty Fraser, have taken part in the same challenge.


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