Scottish golfers put the ‘FUN’ into fundraising!

Having a golf club support the Melanoma Fund as their chosen charity ticks every box when it comes to our objectives.  When a golf club goes all out to have FUN, this really is the ‘cherry on the cake’, and something the ladies at Douglas Park Golf Club are obviously very good at.

We love nothing more than raising awareness of sun protection and the risk of skin cancer in golf. When we work with a golf club we aim to not only benefit their members but also spread our messages to a wider audience in sport. Raising funds also allows us to create and run our campaigns, and in this case, the Slip! Slap! Swing! sun protection campaign for golf.

Douglas Park Golf Club may be at the other end of the country to us, however, this did not stop Lady Captain, Shirley Back from selecting us as her club charity. Although we are a small charity, we work on a national basis, forming links with organisations right across the UK.

Say’s Shirley: “I chose the Melanoma Fund as I had heard good things about the charity’s work, and I was looking for a forward-thinking, proactive charity to support. I have been diagnosed with skin cancer twice and I knew a few of our lady members had also been touched by skin cancer during their lifetime, so it was an obvious choice.

Contrary to popular belief, the sun does shine in Scotland, and when it does it can catch you out, especially if it is accompanied by a stiff breeze, which can lead to sunburn. I really wanted to raise awareness of this, and the importance of being vigilant around cancer that is far too common in golfers.

Throughout 2022 we arranged some engaging, fun, and somewhat unusual charity events, all supported by the ladies’ section, with proceeds going to the Melanoma Fund. The first event was an 80’s disco-themed social evening. Lady members were invited to dress up and groove the night away, whilst raising funds for a great cause. Over 90 ladies attended, and a fabulous time was had by all.

The second event was my Lady Captains Day, with over 89 ladies teeing off in the Hawaiian-themed Tri-am event, which included some wildlife and some novelty holes. The final event was the ladies’ Christmas lunch, which over 100 ladies attended. As a result, I’m delighted to send £2,400 to the Melanoma Fund to help them keep up their good work.”

As a small charity, it is this type of fundraising that makes the most impact, creating awareness and bringing people together in a positive way. Not only will these funds help us keep our campaigns running, but they will also help us carry out events such as skin checks and awareness talks to help change perceptions of sun protection in sports.