Our campaign is teeing up for a big effort

Could you help Paul set 
a new world record?       

By Colin Grant ONE OF the most ambitious fund-raising attempts to take place in Scotland tees off four weeks today.  And although spaces are strictly limited, on a first-come first-served basis, there are still opportunities for those wishing to join in. On Sunday, June 8, at the St Andrews Bay Hotel, more than 600 golfers will attempt to break the world record for the number of rounds played over a course in a single day. The record stands at 605 completed rounds, set at the Rhodes Ranch Golf club, Las Vegas, on June 21, 1998.

Paul Coffey’s enthusiasm and drive has  pulled in support from people all over Scotland —  and further afield.

The organisers hope creating a new record will also raise £100,000 for our Hospice Appeal through sponsorship. Each team will be sent a sponsorship form. The man behind the attempt to wrest that title from the Yanks is Glaswegian Paul Coffey. After reading about the children of Rachel House in The Sunday Post, he decided he had to do something to help raise cash for the new hospice, which will be built soon near Loch Lomond. Ambitious “I realise it is a highly-ambitious project,” admitted the 37-year-old freelance IT consultant. “But I wanted to do something different and unique, which would appeal to the imagination of golfers everywhere. “All the signs are that we have every chance of succeeding in our twin aims of creating a new world record and raising a substantial sum for The Sunday Post Hospice Appeal. “We need more than 605 golfers to complete a round and to help them register I created a website, www.worldrecordgolf.com  which has received more than 4000 hits and 400 golfers have registered. “They include the St Andrews Links caddies. There are around 50 of them who plan to play early in the day then offer their services to golfers, charging £20 a time. Any cash they raise will go to the hospice appeal. “There is also a group of 20 from the Woodside pub in Falkirk.” Thanks to Paul’s contacts and website there has been great interest from abroad, too.  Graeme Thomson (44), a sales agent from Glasgow, has booked 24 places. Among them are his brother Alan, his son Barry and their pal Mark Gilstrap. All three live in Minden, Nevada. Graeme’s uncle Chic lives in Chicago and he is also planning to fly over for the world record attempt. Olympian  Paul Coffey has also succeeded in signing up Sir Steve Redgrave. Britain’s most successful Olympian has not only agreed to promote the event but also play in a foursome with some of his showbiz pals. In order to achieve the record, Paul intends to send out fourballs every six minutes from 3.30 am until 7.45 pm. All golfers will be encouraged to play speed golf to complete their round in three hours, in order to keep to a timetable which will see the last group finish at 11 pm. There will be ball-spotters on every hole and a greenkeeper at each green to tend flags and rake bunkers. If you want to play a part in setting the world record, please register at www.worldrecordgolf.com  or contact The Sunday Post. A round at the Torrance course at St Andrews Bay Hotel will cost £30 or £50 depending on tee times. All proceeds will go towards building and running the new hospice.

You can e-mail us at: hospice@sundaypost.com