FIVE WAYS YOU AND YOUR CLUB CAN JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN AND HELP FUND THE INSTALLATION OF A DEFIBRILLATOR...

HOST A DEFIB OPEN

This was one of the inspirations behind starting our Drive for Defibs campaign. Maryport Golf Club in Cumbria came up with the brilliant idea of hosting a Defib Open last September. The event attracted 164 golfers and was so successful that it helped pay for two AED units and cabinets. Your club can do the same by contacting local businesses about sponsoring a hole or the whole day. Some brands may even be willing to supply the prizes for a longest drive or nearest the pin competition.

SIGN UP FOR A GOLF MARATHON

If you’ve never taken on the Longest Day Golf Challenge, now is your chance. Simply club together a team of four and select a course and date to play 72 holes in 24 hours. You can easily set up a Justgiving page and ask for sponsorship from friends and family. Last August, Emma Clark, Ross Turley, Blair Mccubbin and Steven Kirkpatrick raised £2,185 after playing four rounds in one day. They used the money to purchase a public access defibrillator in Dumfries.

ASK FOR A GRANT

If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Middlesbrough Golf Club are now the beneficiaries of a defibrillator and storage cabinet thanks to the generosity of a local charity. Although the club already had one defibrillator in the clubhouse, they wanted a second one on the course to cut response times in the event of a cardiac arrest. The South Cleveland Heart Fund obliged and donated the defibrillator as a thank you to the club and their members for their support over the years.

START A MAJORS SWEEPSTAKE

This is possibly the easiest way to generate some quick cash. For example, if you can sell all 156 names in the hat ahead of the US PGA at £5 a pop, you can make £780 minus the cost of the winner’s first prize. Repeat that for the US Open and The Open and a defibrillator will almost pay for itself. You can make up the shortfall by adding a ‘defib levy’ on membership renewals or by asking golfers for donations if they land in a specific lake or bunker on the course.

RUN A SILENT AUCTION

Golfers are always trying to outdo each other, so why not consider running a silent auction or raffle after a big competition? You’ll be amazed at what people are willing to part with and how much others are willing to pay for an old golf club or a piece of memorabilia. If you know a famous golfer or celebrity, it’s time to call in a favour.