Golf – 4 Point Compass Challenge
At 58 Degrees north (further north than parts of Alaska) Thurso Golf Club is the most northerly golf course on mainland UK and lies on the now very popular NC500 Route, but which golf courses are furthest east, west, and south? Member and Marketing Manager of Gorleston Golf Club, (the UK’s most easterly golf course, close to Norwich in Norfolk) Steve Titterington decided to investigate, and the 4 Point Compass Challenge was born.
After considerable investigations (googling) it became apparent that Mullion Golf Club which lies 30 miles from Lands’ End near Lizard Point is the most Southerly golf course on mainland UK, on the same latitude as the Czechia capital Prague. Traigh golf course was then identified as the most westerly golf course sitting just 7 miles south of Mallaig on the beautiful west coast of Scotland (Traigh, pronounced ‘try’ is Gaelic for beach) and a series of sandy beaches run alongside the course with stunning views to the Hebridean Islands of Muck, Eigg and Rum. Traigh golf club is actually further west than Lands’ End!
It is hoped the Four Point Compass Challenge may be popular with golfers and become the UK’s golf equivalent of the Three Peaks Challenge with participants completing all four receiving a certificate and recognition.
On Sunday 21st May 3 golfers from Gorleston Golf Club in Norfolk set off on a mammoth 2000+ mile adventure, (according to Google Maps in light traffic! 37hr if you drove non-stop around all these courses). Their aim? To raise the profile of the 4 Point Compass Challenge and raise money for 2 charities, the RNLI, and a Charity local to their club.
The team visited the closest RNLI station to each of the golf courses they played.
Stuart Pearce (Club Captain Gorleston Golf Club), and fellow members Marie Norman and Ray Pope finally arrived in Thurso on Wednesday 24th May and had a well-earned rest in the Ferry Inn Scrabster before meeting the Scrabster RNLI team on Thursday morning and then completing their challenge by playing a round of golf at Thurso Golf Club Midday Thursday 25th May having been kindly supplied with lovely pies, sausage rolls and cakes from award winning Reid’s of Caithness Bakery.
The following day they set off on the near 700-mile trip back to their home club in Norfolk, ‘Thurso Golf Club Committee Members were delighted to meet the 3 intrepid golfers and support the new 4 points of the compass challenge and were happy to add £100 to their RNLI Sponsorship. Hopefully they have raised lots of money for charity, made new friends in the far north, enjoyed their golf at Thurso Golf Club and created a new UK golfing challenge’.
Left to Right: Ray Pope, Stuart Pearce (Captain of Gorleston Golf Club), Marie Norman and Stephen Williamson (Vice-Captain Thurso Golf Club) pictured on the 18th Green of Thurso Golf Club on a beautiful but windy day having completed the 4 Points Challenge. Right – the team meeting members of the Thurso Lifeboat.
