The County Zone Golf Magazine Issue 3 | Page 11

News Southam got off to a great start, completing the Faldo Course at Lough Erne in under three hours. The take-off from Northern Ireland was delayed by two hours because of poor weather conditions, however, time was made-up at Gleneagles where Southam played 18 holes at Gleneagles in under two hours. The helicopter pilots were able to swiftly transport Southam down to Celtic Manor for the Welsh leg of the challenge, where 18 holes on the Roman Road course were completed in just over two hours. However, because of the time lost earlier in the day, the final leg, originally due to be played at The London Club, was switched to the Manor House Hotel & Golf Club, in Wiltshire, which saved the day by being a lastminute replacement for the England leg – saving around an hour of flight time – and enabling Southam to complete the challenge within 18 hours. Since 1991, Sparks has raised more than £27m through fundraising initiatives used for pioneering children’s medical research, and Southam is aiming to add £50,000 to the funds with ISSUE 3 The County Zone SOUTH EAST this challenge. He said: “I was a little nervous but extremely excited about the challenge – I have thought about doing it for a long time. “With the support of Royal & Awesome, and the four host courses, the challenge is a dream come true – but to make a real difference to Sparks, an extremely worthwhile cause, is what it is all about.” The Awesome Golf Challenge requires participants to organise a team of two to four players to play a minimum of 72 holes on a given day this summer – with Royal & Awesome rewarding teams who raise a minimum £400 for the charity with a free pair of trousers for each team member. Players should play a minimum of four rounds on one or more courses, and, whether the golfers score well or play quickly, there will be a challenge for everyone. • To make a donation, please visit www. justgiving.com/owneremail/pleasesponsor/ Roger-Southam1 • To register for the Spark Golf Challenge, visit www.sparks.org.uk/golf Burhill Golf is Eco Champion Burhill Golf Club has earned the internationallyacclaimed sustainability eco-label, GEO Certified. The milestone marks the halfway point for owners the BGL Golf group in its campaign to become the world’s first multi-site operator to achieve the distinction at each of its venues – an ambition the company aims to achieve by 2015. BGL Golf, operates ten venues across the UK, including Abbey Hill Golf Centre, Milton Keynes, Birchwood Park Golf Centre, Dartford, Hoebridge Golf Centre, Woking and Redbourn Golf Club, St Albans, which achieved GEO Certified in 2013. GEO Certified recognises golf businesses which demonstrate an operational commitment to the three core principles of sustainability – planet, people and profit. The international eco-label is the global benchmark for sustainability in golf businesses. 11