Little Hay Golf Club members and their visitors teed off in the early hours of Saturday morning to raise funds for the charity Help For Heroes (Photo © Eddie Dillon – ProMedia). Mike Penning MP and three trustees from Sportspace joined them and the event raised £2,500.

Help For Heroes is a non-political national charity which helps the rehabilitation of wounded servicemen. It contributes to the costs of Personnel Recovery Centres which help the wounded of all three services to cope with their injuries and if necessary to learn new skills in order to lead a normal life. It provides quick support with such things as car adaptions or hand bikes. It also contributes to dealing with combat stress. Its Patrons include Johnson Beharry VC, Sir Ian Botham and Jeremy Clarkson.

Mike Penning MP served with the Grenadier Guards before taking up politics and is a firm supporter of Help For Heroes. His visit to Little Hay helped to boost awareness of the charity and contributed in a practical way to raising money. Mike presented Martin Evans, the Golf Club Captain, with a bottle of House of Commons whisky, autographed by David Cameron, which was sold by auction on the day to a generous purchaser. He then met several of the players during a short buggy tour of the course. Jenny Williams, president of Little Hay Golf Club thanked Mike Penning for giving up his time to be at this event “Today, in the past and hopefully in the future” and presented him with a miniature golf trophy from the club which Mike assured her would be on his desk on Monday.

The golf competition itself was part of the National Golf Club Challenge, which was set up to encourage golf clubs to raise money for Help For Heroes. Lee Westwood is a patron of the Challenge and dozens of leading figures in the world of sport have put their names to it –Colin Montgomery, Luke Donald, Nick Faldo, Steve Redgrave among them. In the words of Lee "Our troops do a fantastic job and it is only right that we try to help those who have suffered on our behalf.”

Participating golf clubs, hold similar events throughout the country on the same weekend and the three clubs producing the best scores in the whole country will have the chance to compete in the national finals at the famous Turnberry course in October.

Little Hay Golf Complex is a public golf course run by Sportspace, who run several other sports facilities around Dacorum. It provides people of all ages with an introduction to golf as well as a challenging golf course for the more experienced golfer. Three Trustees of Sportspace - Linda Topping, Brian Malyon and Ian Phipps – played in the competition and George Reid, manager of the Complex, drove Mike Penning on his tour of the course.

Little Hay Golf Club had spent several months organising the day under the leadership of Mick Whelan the club Vice Captain and almost 90 players entered, both club members and visitors. The fundraising was generously supported by over 30 local businesses who sponsored each of the 18 holes, and donated gifts and cash. Top item was a limmo trip to London, given by A1 Stretch Limmos, which was auctioned and bought by a generous contributor.

The individual winner of the golf competition was Will Howe, a junior golfer, who had a day to remember when he scored 50 stableford points to take the prize. The prize for best drive (closest to a painted line) was won by Linda Cusick, Ladies nearest the pin by Pauline Manning, Men’s nearest the pin by Patrick Ashton and the best visitor’s score was by J Halcombe.

Little Hay Golf Club would like to thank all those who helped to make the day a success, Sportspace for the excellent state of the course, local businesses who gave gifts, contributed cash and prizes, and of course the players.

Photos (© Eddie Dillon – ProMedia): Mike Penning with Golf Club Officers and Sportspace Trustees: (left to right) Mick Whelan – Vice Captain and chief organiser, Suzanne Brady – organising committee, Ian Phipps – Sportspace Trustee, Linda Topping – Sportspace Trustee, Mike Penning MP, Jenny Williams – Club President, Martin Evans – Club Captain, Brian Malyon – Sportspace Trustee

Mike Penning gives House of Commons whisky to Club Captain Martin Evans

Mike Penning takes a swing with golfers on the first tee. (Left to right) Brian Malyon – Sportspace Trustee, Tony Alford – immediate past Club Captain, Ian Phipps – Sportspace Trustee, Martin Evans – Club Captain, Mike Penning MP.

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