RAF golfers take on longest day challenge for Macmillan

Golfers from RAF Stations around Lincolnshire joined forces to raise funds for MacMillan Cancer support, playing for 24 hours at Sleaford Golf Club and completing four full rounds of 18 holes in the 24 hours. Photo: Paul Saxby. MoD EMN-190207-115517001

Three teams of four players with links to local RAF bases took on the Longest Day Golf Challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support at Sleaford Golf Club.

The challenge on June 20 consisted of 72 holes of golf, taking over 14 hours to complete. The teams teed off at 5.30am.

The Sleaford Slashers team have done it twice before. Team captain Nigel Johnson is a member of the club and RAF College Cranwell Golf, who first brought the team together as part of several charity events for Macmillan, in memory of his mother Julie, who died from ovarian cancer.

Other members of the Sleaford Slashers were Craig Hutton, Andrew “Dickie” Davies and Mark Whalley. All have had friends and family affected by the disease. The team all serve at RAF College Cranwell and RAF Waddington.

The second team were the Sleaford Strokers, made up of Sleaford Golf Club members. Team captain Dan Withers was playing in memory of family member Maurice Seymour. The other Strokers were Dan Gee, Steve Rust and Paul Ellis.

The final team were from RAF College Cranwell Golf, who use Sleaford as their home club. Team captain Jason Crooks and team members Paul Simmons, Alan Meadows and Ian Deeley played in memory of family and friends.

The golfers from Slea- ford Golf Club made a clean sweep of all the prizes, but Sleaford Slashers raised the most money. In total, the teams raised just under £2,000 for Macmillan.