The fundraisers: (left to right) Irvine Rozansky, James Gunn, David Cope, Terry Papworth, Malcolm Hart and Gerard Casson with their precious cheque

Cope raises £1,700 for charity

Hainault Forest Golf Club captain David Cope raised more than £1,700 for the Sir Francis Hospice in Havering-atte-Bower when he played 100 holes in one day. Beginning at 7am and playing until 8pm, Cope completed 82 holes alongside Malcolm Hart and the remaining 18 with former captain Gerard Casson.

Irvine Rozansky and junior member James Gunn were on caddying duty to help Cope complete the challenge.

“Pure adrenaline kept me going,” said the 56-year-old. “I was spurred on by the fact that I lost my father to cancer last year and wanted to make it happen.”

Five-time Open champion J H Taylor designed the course in 1912 and Cope and the club’s members had hoped to mark their 100-year milestone with a Pro-Am event, but their plans fell through.

The idea to play 100 holes for charity instead was concocted by Hart and Cope in the hope of raising ‘a couple of hundred pounds’ – a target which all at the club were delighted to greatly exceed.

“It was a great honour to do it for charity, especially as I am captain in our centenary year,” Cope added.