A GROUP of friends raised more than £1,500 for a charity providing end of life care after playing 50 holes of golf across five North Wales courses.

Adrian Owen, Chris Curry and Simon Neville took on the challenge on Friday, August 27 in aid of St David’s Hospice, where Adrian works as the Conwy community fundraiser.

The trio began at North Wales Golf Club at about 8am, then headed to the Great Orme Golf Course, Maesdu, Rhos-on-Sea and Old Colwyn, before returning to Rhos-on-Sea to play its 18th hole as their 50th and last of the day.

The fundraiser was initially scheduled in 2020 to celebrate the year Adrian, Chris and Simon, who are friends from their time at Ysgol John Bright in Llandudno, all turned 50, but was postponed due to COVID-19 and a foot injury Adrian picked up.

A ‘nearest to the pin on the 18th hole’ challenge and a long putting competition at Rhos-on-Sea Golf Club also contributed to the money raised.

North Wales Pioneer: (L-R) Simon Neville, Adrian Owen and Chris Curry after completing their 50-hole golf challenge at Rhos-on-Sea Golf Club(L-R) Simon Neville, Adrian Owen and Chris Curry after completing their 50-hole golf challenge at Rhos-on-Sea Golf Club

Adrian said: “We’ve done really well. The weather’s been great, there’s a lot of people here (at Rhos-on-Sea), we’ve had a fun competition and raised a bit of money.

“It’s all for St David’s Hospice – I’ve been working there for just over two years. We were all 50 last year and wanted to play 50 holes of golf, and somehow, we’ve done it.

“Unfortunately, we did have a wager for most birdies on the day. Simon and Chris got two, and I unfortunately got one – but it was really special.

“Unfortunately, that means I’ve got to buy them a round of drinks, but it’s well deserved.”

Simon added: “I was a bit nervous this morning, and hadn’t done any fundraising for the hospice before, so I was really made up wen Adrian asked me to participate in the challenge.

“We’ve had a lovely day and had a right good laugh – we haven’t seen each other probably since school, so it’s been really good fun.”

Chris said: “It’s been lovely to have the hospitality of the courses that we’ve been playing on. They’ve been lovely courses. It’s been a really good day.”

With funds still to be collected and counted up, Adrian is expecting the final total to surpass the £1,750 mark, an admirable amount for a day which saw him walk 37,000 steps.

Such was the success of the day, in fact, that there has already been talk of repeating the challenge next year.

Adrian added: “I was a bit wayward (on the day of the challenge), but I was OK the next day. We couldn’t do it last year because of my foot condition and then, oddly enough, I had a fall at home and damaged some ligaments in my right knee.

“I was a bit wary about what I would be like but I was alright, really; just a bit tired more than anything.

“A few have mentioned about doing it again next year, maybe opening it up to more people, which would be great.

“I think, as a minimum, it’s going to be £1,750, with a little bit more to come in. We have it at about £1,580, with three more collecting buckets as well.”

St David’s Hospice is a charity based on Abbey Road in Llandudno providing hospice care to adult patients across Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey.

It delivers free, high-quality, specialist palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses, their family and carers.

You can still send a donation to the 50-hole golf challenge by visiting: stdavidshospice.enthuse.com/pf/13267/fundraiser#!.