Cancer challenge a fairway to go

Sam Forward and Dan Squire are very good golfers, but playing 100 holes in a day will stretch their abilities to the maximum.

The Porirua teachers – Mr Forward at Aotea College, Mr Squire at Porirua College – will tackle the Marrowthon 100 Hole Challenge at the Wairakei International Golf Course in Taupo next month.

They will join a field of 40 raising money for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.

Mr Forward has a personal connection to the challenge, as he lives with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

He had to give up playing rugby, and relies on medication to battle the disease.

The Marrowthon, which last year raised $155,000 towards research and patient care and counselling, is on October 12.

Mr Forward and Mr Squire, members of Judgeford Golf Club, took part in the inaugural outing last year and found the mental part of the challenge far more taxing than the physical.

‘‘You’re starting at 7am and after 36 holes last time we were doing well,’’ Mr Forward recalls.

‘‘But we realised we had to get a move on, it became like speed golf to get finished.

‘‘It’s hard to stay focused, but we got there and we’re looking forward to giving it a crack again.

‘‘The course is long, the greens are lightning fast, it’s tough.’’

The duo raised nearly $3500 last year and hope to reach $5000 this year.

To that end, they’re willing, in the spirit of the event, to get dressed up, adorn their golf cart with sponsorship – whatever it takes.

They hope local businesses and individuals will rally behind the cause.

‘‘ Anyone who’s willing to get involved and back us, we’ll promote you any way you want,’’ Mr Squire says.

The competitive cousins will go head-to-head in matchplay over the 100 holes, to keep it interesting, with Mr Forward looking to repeat his win from last year.

He is a 9-handicapper, to Squire’s 11, so it should be a tight contest.