INSPIRATIONAL DUO GIVING BACK
Who Amanda Fletcher & Jane Rudkin Why Walked 18 holes every day for four weeks and raised £5,440 for charity
As managing director of Nottinghamshire Golf & Country Club, Amanda Fletcher (pictured left) has seen first-hand the impact the pandemic has had on members and the local community. During the first lockdown, she sacrificed time with her family to self-isolate in the hotel, which was made available – free of charge
– to emergency services and NHS frontline workers.
Amanda and head of operations, Jane Rudkin (right), ended up staying 54 days to provide emotional support for guests while a number of staff were furloughed. The team then spent the following months trying to claw back £1.5m in lost sales while catering for the needs of around 950 golf members.
“Our cash flow was cut off like a switch in March,” says Amanda. “We were overwhelmed by the support of our members during this tough time, but then we had to close the course again in November because of the second lockdown. Obviously that impacted the business, but it also affected a lot of our members, young and old, who rely on playing golf for their own mental health.”
Mindful that 340 acres of green space was now not being used, Amanda and Jane dreamt up the idea of a Nottinghamshire Walk and Talk challenge to raise money for Nottinghamshire Mind, a mental health charity. They set off on November 6 and over the next four weeks, covered around 4.5 miles every day walking 18 holes, alternating between the Championship and Signature courses.
“The ironic twist to this story is that on the last night – after completing 537,000 steps between us – Jane tripped over her dog and broke her ankle,” explains Amanda. Despite the unfortunate ending, the pair smashed their fundraising target of £3,000 with the help of more than 200 members who joined the socially-distanced challenge.
“So far we’ve raised £5,440,” adds Amanda. “We had one member who walked with us every day. It’s made us feel really positive that we’ve once again been able to do something for the community, and now a local charity.”
4. Only eight events occupy the three months leading up to the Masters in April.
Also missing from the announcement was any mention of the European Tour’s ‘strategic alliance’ with their American cousins, though it is expected that the four Rolex Series events will become co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour in 2022.
5. To avoid Covid-19 outbreaks, travel between events is being kept to a minimum.
In addition to the Middle Eastern Swing at the start of the year, an Iberian Swing featuring two new tournaments will take place after the Masters with a seven-event UK (and Ireland) Swing returning in July and August.
6. In total, 18 tournaments that were postponed or cancelled last season will return in 2021. That
includes the Dunhill Links Championship and the inaugural Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik & Annika, where stars from the men’s and ladies’ European Tour will go head-to-head for the same prize money on the same course over 72 holes. The Turkish Airlines Open and Open de France, which were previous Rolex Series events, are notable absentees on the schedule, though that could still change.