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A caring golf club in Mansfield has scored the equivalent of a hole in one for a hospice in Sutton.

For the Sherwood Forest club handed over a cheque for £11,000 to the John Eastwood Hospice after a successful year of fundraising by its gents’ captain, Phil Revill, and ladies’ captain Chez Abraham.

Phil explained: "Each year, the two captains at the club choose a charity they wish to support.

"Chez and myself chose the John Eastwood Hospice because of the amazing things it does for local people at the most challenging of times.

Phil Revill and Chez Abraham, 2022 captains at Sherwood Forest Golf Club, present a cheque for £11,000 to Lisa Todd (centre), fundraising manager at the John Eastwood Hospice. To the right are the club's vice-captains, James Akerman and Di Speed.

"We also thought it would be a fitting tribute to Brenda Mudford, John Eastwood’s daughter, who was a long-standing member of Sherwood Forest Golf Club but passed away in 2021.”

Phil and Chez launched their fundraising year with the Captains’ Changeover event at which they each drove from the tee, along with junior captain, Harriet Williams.

"The assembled guests had to place a wager on where their balls were likely to finish,” said Phil. “This was all the more challenging because Chez and myself were ‘encouraged’ to drink copious amounts of alcohol on the tee!”

For the rest of 2022, the captains raised money at various social events. The two biggest ones were the Captains’ Weekend and a charity auction at which 18 lots were donated by fellow club members and also local businesses.

On the tee at the Captains' Changeover event at the start of the fundraising year are (from left) ladies' captain Chez Abraham, gents' captain Phil Revill and junior captain Harriet Williams.

Phil added: "It was very humbling to witness the incredible generosity of businesses and members, who not only supported the fundraising activities but also made cash donations.”

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For the final sum, Phil and Chez were delighted to break the five-figure barrier. Supported by vice-captains James Akerman and Di Speed, they presented a cheque to Lisa Todd, fundraising manager at the hospice.

Lisa passed on huge thanks to the Eakring Road club, which boasts one of the oldest and finest heathland courses in the country. It is currently ranked the 84th best course in Britain and 35th best in England.

The hospice relies entirely on fundraising and donations, and needs at least £650,000 a year to continue providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care from its Mansfield Road base.

Its next big fundraisers are a Valentine’s afternoon tea on Friday, February 10, and an Elvis tribute night at the Hare And Hounds pub in Warsop on Saturday, March 4.

Caring golf club in Mansfield scores hole in one for Sutton hospice