Dick Whitlam accomplished his goal and then some, golfing 126 holes in last Friday’s PGA of BC Golfathon for ALS.
The Chilliwack Golf Academy instructor set a goal of 100 holes, and teed off at 6 a.m.
Playing speed-golf at roughly one and a half rounds per hour, Whitlam darted through the 18 hole Chilliwack Golf and Country Club course in rapid fashion.
When there were other players on the course, they stepped aside and allowed him to play through, shouting encouragement as he went.
“It was an incredible experience having people applaud and donate money to our charity as we passed through the course,” he said.
Whitlam was accompanied by two golf carts.
One drove ahead, warning golfers that he was coming, while the other carried his clubs and food.
Whitlam reached his goal of 100 holes by 2 p.m. and carried on until he had golfed 11 hours.
“My back was starting to ache and it was getting hard to finish my swing,” said a weary Whitlam from his living room couch. “I lasted until the 126th hole (seven full rounds) and decided that I had better stop before I injured myself. I am a grandfather to five kids.”
Whitlam raised approximately $5,000 in pledges for the ALS Society, nearly doubling his initial expectations.
Almost every golf club in BC had someone participating in the Golfathon.
See golfathonforals.ca