Weekly Golfathon countdown - 11 weeks to go

Another week zooms by and on what do I have to report about our challenge since the last update?

Well, the big news is that I finally played some golf - I shoehorned 9 holes in last Saturday at Mount Pleasant GC, nr Hitchin with a couple of mates. I'd not played the course before although, having previously followed a chap on Twitter, @novice2scratch, who played his golf there, I was familiar with the place.

Considering I hadn't touched the clubs for the requisite 5-6 weeks, and I was taking the whim-bought driver out for the first time, I was somewhat uncertain about what would transpire. Any lingering doubts were soon banished when my opening 9-iron floated majestically - well, found its way - towards the flag, coming to rest pin-high about ten feet away. Game on.

In a display of ball-striking which will surely generate overconfidence for my next round, with Herb, Courtney & Matt at Broad Run GC, Pennsylvania, I managed to get round +3, the sinking of a 20ft fast downhill putt on #6 (admittedly to salvage a double) a particular high.

I also took some new golf shoes out for the day - having been loyal to Nike for as long as I can remember (having had the same two pairs for nigh on 8 years), I felt this golfathon was an ideal reason to invest in some new footwear. Puma are the brand of choice and the black Spark Sports performed very well - extremely comfortable and gave a good, solid foundation for a swing. I also have a white pair of Super Cell Fusions which, I think, will be the ones to use for our challenge. Yes, I know - fascinating.

Next job for the team as a whole is agreeing a date for us to get together and practice our 'speed golf' - we're thinking it would be worth playing 36, or even 54, holes over the day to go someway towards understanding what we've agreed to take on. Hopefully this date & venue will be confirmed before the next update.

Sponsorship is also high on the agenda. We've made a (small) start - thank you very much to those people who have donated - but we've a long way to go. If anyone (who is still) reading this is moved to support us financially, please visit www.bmycharity.com/golfathon to pledge your donation - anything you can spare towards our target is gratefully received!

Onwards & upwards, then - 9 days until I'm off to the US on business, concluding with my day of golf next Saturday. Fingers crossed Virgin Atlantic look after my clubs!

I am the Part-Time Golfer

Weekly Golfathon countdown - 12 weeks to go

A very short update to deliver this week.

Still no practice completed yet, although I am road-testing the new driver & shoes tomorrow for a few holes.

The team were due to have a catch up call yesterday but, due to work commitments, we had to put it back - hopefully more to report next week.

Fitness levels, personally speaking, remain dreadful.

Ho hum

I am the Part-Time Golfer

Weekly Golfathon countdown - 13 weeks to go

Another week slips by & still no practice completed. This is not an ideal situation. What I haven't yet determined is whether ny concern about the lack of practice is based purely on my desire to be physically able to play for a full 24hrs, or my competitive desire to play well.

Since the last update, a few bits & pieces have progressed, upon which shall now elaborate.

The welcome addition of the second Sussex team has brought both the prospect of additional corporate sponsorship and the provision of Ballantine's branded goodies (jacket, golf shirt & umbrella - well, it will be June!) - thank you very much to everyone involved at Pernod Ricard for their generosity

The Guinness World Record process has also been kicked off, with acknowledgement received of our application for a new, uncharted category of stupidity...sorry, world record setting. This application can take a few weeks to process and I hope that a) it gets accepted, b) it's a processed before we complete the challenge and c) there can be someone there to witness & verify our success.

The next task (aside from agreeing on practice dates) is to ramp up the sponsorship effort - suitably begging letters & emails are being drafted to send to family, friends, work colleagues, casual acquaintances and even complete strangers, as we push towards our fundraising target

As I've mentioned before (and will keep on mentioning), if you feel moved to support our crazy venture and would like to sponsor us to help raise money for the On Course Foundation, please visit www.bmycharity.com/golfathon - anything you can spare is gratefully received & makes a big difference!

I am the Part-Time Golfer

Weekly Golfathon countdown - 14 weeks to go

Another week gone; no practice completed. Gulp.

To be honest, I'm genuinely concerned about this and, having discussed this very matter with Pete last night, feel that completing this challenge might end up being driven by willpower alone.

So, what's been happening this week (apart from no practice or training of note)?

Well, the biggest development to report is that Never Up Never In will now be a team of 9, playing in three 3-balls. Dave has a group of friends from Sussex who are very keen to get involved & help us raise lots of money for the On Course Foundation. At the time of 'going to press', I don't have even the basic info to report on who these fine people are but they are a welcome addition to the cause.

This now shifts my attention nicely over to the world record aspect of this challenge - we had a nice goal in mind and a framework in which to present it to the folks at Guinness, which is now all to cock thanks to these Johnny-come-latelys...ok, I'm kidding. I've done absolutely sod all about liaising with Guinness, so the addition of extra bodies makes no difference whatsoever. The key decision would appear to be whether to work towards a cumulative total across the three teams (450 holes, maybe?) or look at each player as an individual and add up the total number of times a ball has hit the bottom of the cup (1400 holes? 1500 holes?) - something to be worked out pretty quickly methinks.

Next item to be given some serious attention is the fundraising drive - we are off the mark, thanks to the generosity of my father-in-law (thanks v much, Noel) but we've a long way to go. A significant benefit of bringing an extra group into the team is the corporate matched funding that they can bring to the table - without wanting to declare a new target (and potentially make a rod for our own backs) it would be disappointing not to pass our financial goal by some considerable margin. At the risk of sounding repetitive, if you are (still reading this & feel) moved enough to support us, please visit www.bmycharity.com/golfathon - anything you can spare towards our total would be incredibly valuable.

I mentioned at the start the alarming lack of practice - clearly the weather in January & February didn't do anyone any favours and, since then, the weekends have been full up with kids birthday parties and recharging the batteries after the working week. My new job is taking me to New York at the start of April & I'll have a free weekend of which to take advantage so, weather permitting, I'm planning to pay a return visit to Bethpage and play a round or two (it might just be the opening weekend for the Black course and it would be rude not to, wouldn't it?!)

So, I absolutely must find some time to play in the next 3-4 weeks before the US trip - I bought myself a new driver last week (yes, it was off eBay; never hit it; don't know if I'll like it - don't judge me) and I am now facing up to the very real prospect that the first swing in anger with the new dog could be at 7am on the first tee Bethpage Black. Shitty knickers.

Ah well, onwards and upwards - we have our next catch up call in a fortnight and, hopefully, some progress (or even some practice) will be made upon which to report in next week's thrilling instalment.

I am The Part-Time Golfer