He’s a Canaries champ

A 72 - year- old grandad has smashed a sporting record by becoming the first person to complete all the golf courses in the Canaries.

Ernie Payne, from Johnstone, first began the epic 26-course challenge in 2010.

He completed the final course, the world famous Abama, on April 27 - becoming the first person in the world to complete every course across Tenerife, La Gomera, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.

After a well-earned rest, Ernie told the Express: “I’m delighted to have finally completed the challenge and I am thrilled I am the first person to ever do it.”

Ernie is no stranger to golfing achievements.

In 2006 he became the first golfer to complete all the golf courses in Scotland, then a whopping 589 courses.

In 2008 he became the first person to play all 68 Old Tom Morris golf courses in the UK.

He was soon impatient for a new challenge – and better weather.

Ernie said: “I was fed up of all the rain in the UK and when I found out that no one had yet completed all the courses in the Canaries, I jumped at the chance.”

Despite having to play in 26 degree heat, Ernie said the whole experience was a “complete delight”. He said: “I’m so glad that I did it. “It’s taken me a while but I was determined to finish it this year.

“I kept telling myself, ‘I need to do it before I am not around anymore!’.

Ernie began the challenge in 2010 when he visited Tenerife and played five courses, including the impressive scenic Tecina course on the island of La Gomera.

Eight years later he returned to Tenerife to take his final swing on the Abama course. “I tried to save the best course to last. “It felt great to finish the last whole there, it made the whole experience well worth it.”

Now back in Renfrewshire, Ernie hopes to enjoy some Scottish sun — and achieve his fifth hole in one.

The grandfather-of-five said: “I’m a great believer in getting out in the fresh air.

“I try to encourage all my grandchildren to do the same and I wanted to set a good example to them with this challenge.

“They think their grandad is mad, but I hope they are proud.

“It’s a great thing to do, and they can always turn around and say: ‘Look, my grandad did that’.”