Home of Golf to Play Host to Historic 189-Hole Challenge

St Andrews, the historic and globally recognised ‘Home of Golf’, has played host to countless golfing triumphs in the past, and this summer it will be the stage for four amateur golfers to complete a unique golfing challenge.

Graeme Dawson, Gary Davidson, Ally Love and Angus Watson will attempt to complete each of the 189 golf holes in and around the town including the infamous Old Course, which has hosted The Open on 28 occasions.

The challenge will see the quartet cover over 50-miles as they play eleven different golf courses whilst carrying their own clubs, and playing to the rules of golf as a four-ball, raising funds for Cancer Research UK, the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership and HCPT: The Pilgrimage Trust.

The courses included in the St Andrews 189-Hole Challenge include some of the most famous anywhere in the world. St Andrews Old, where golf is widely believed to have been conceived, will be the third course on the groups’ itinerary at 6.20am. The challenge starts at 3.15am on Kingsbarns Golf Links, often ranked as one of the Top-10 courses in the world and will also include The Torrance and The Kittocks courses at Fairmont St Andrews resort, the Old Course Hotels’ Duke’s Course as well as the six further St Andrews Links Trust courses; the New, Jubilee, Castle, Eden, Strathtyrum and Balgove.

Three of the 2013 challengers completed ten St Andrews courses in one calendar day in 2007, but with the addition of the Castle Course in 2008, the offering in the town has increased to eleven courses. “There aren’t many places in the world that you can play so many different, quality golf courses within such a short distance,” commented Graeme Dawson, one of the St Andrews 189-Hole Challengers. “It took us around 19 hours to play ten courses in 2007, so we’re hoping we can squeeze another one in! When the Castle Course was built we knew we would need to do it again, and we’re hugely grateful to the courses for giving us the opportunity to take on the challenge.”

The St Andrews 189-Hole Challenge is raising money for three fantastic causes; Cancer Research UK, the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership and HCPT: The Pilgrimage Trust.

To donate to the chosen charities, please visit the official challenge website at: 189holechallenge.moonfruit.com.

You can also follow the challengers’ preparations on Twitter (@standrews189) and Facebook.

The challenge is currently being processed by Guinness World Records as an official record attempt for the most consecutive different holes to be played in one day by a fourball, and during the challenge, the group will also attempt to break the world record for the quickest 18-holes to be completed on foot by a four-ball. The challenge is being supported by Titleist and FootJoy, supplying apparel, bags, towels, golf balls and caps for the challengers.