How many holes can they complete? That's the question for golf pros Jim Pringle and Kirk Nederpelt from the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club (SCG&CC) as they hit the links on Wednesday, July 7, in support of the fifth annual PGA British Columbia Golf-a-Thon for the ALS Society of B.C.
It's the first time the event has come to the SCG&CC, and Pringle said they are both looking forward to the challenge.
"We've set our target at 72 holes, four rounds each and 144 holes combined between the two of us," said Pringle. "We both love golf, but maybe this is more than we can handle. We'll just have to see."
The men hope to tee off at 6 a.m. on July 7, and if all goes well, and if they can complete their first round by 9 a.m., Pringle figures four rounds are more than achievable.
"My grandmother was diagnosed at 81 and died from the disease, so this has some special significance for me," Pringle said. "ALS is such a horrible disease, and to watch someone you love go through so much pain is heartbreaking. Playing some golf and helping to raise money for such a worthy cause is the least we can do."
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the motor neurons that carry messages to the muscles, resulting in weakness and wasting in arms, legs, mouth, throat and elsewhere. Typically the person is immobilized or dead within two to five years of the initial diagnosis. ALS is always fatal, and there is yet no known cause or cure.
Donations can be made in several ways: by stopping in at the club pro shop, on-line at www.golfathonforals.com or by calling the ALS Society at 1-800-708-3228.
