Swinging out at Marlborough to aid charity (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Swinging out at Marlborough to aid charity

7:00pm Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in News By Nigel Kerton

More than 120 players turned out for a charity tournament held at Marlborough Golf Club in memory of its former general manager.

Sullivan’s Challenge Day raised almost £2,670 for the Samantha Dickinson Brain Tumour Trust, which John Sullivan and his wife Vicky supported.

Mr Sullivan, 67, died in April 2011, three years after being told he had a brain tumour and ten years after being told he had incurable leukaemia.

The former Marlborough player, captain and club chairman continued to enjoy the sport until he became too ill to hold a club.

In an emotional speech after the tournament, his widow told the players and guests: “John never did anything in a small way, he had to go for the big one.”

Mr Sullivan was the general manager of Marlbor-ough Golf Club until his retirement in 2007. He had previously been associated with the club for nearly 40 years, during which time he was twice club champion.

The event was attended by more than 150 players and guests, who enjoyed a great day’s golf and a prize table with a value well in excess of £2,000, thanks to generous sponsorship from Callaway and Titleist.

The morning winners were Stuart Gash, Adrian Sugden, Richard Evans and Mike Condon. The afternoon saw a team of women take the honours: Caroline Waldron, Jenny Swift, Amanda Conrad and Karen Gosling.

A £10 raffle for a set of custom-fitted Callaway irons worth £900 was won by Phil Smith, who recalled John once reprimanding him for not repairing a pitch mark – something he was a stickler about.

“I have remembered John’s advice ever since and the fact that I have been rewarded with a set of Callaway irons in John’s memory is rather special to me,” he said.

The day raised a total of £2,629, which will be donated to The Samantha Dickinson Brain Tumour Trust, a cause for which Mr and Mrs Sullivan regularly collected money.

In her speech of thanks to those who took part, Mrs Sullivan said her husband would always warn others to get themselves checked out, saying: “It is too late for me but it might not be for you.”