THE Water of Life might be required by the end of a charity golfing challenge today.

The event in aid of Prostate Cancer UK saw 14 golfers from the Scotch Whisky industry tee off this morning at 5am at Ballindalloch Golf Club, in the heart of whisky country.

They will play 100 holes of golf – the equivalent of 5 rounds – before sunset.

The event organiser, Ewen Mackintosh, recently retired managing director of Gordon & MacPhail, said: “Through golf, I have met many people in the Scotch Whisky industry. Our industry has always recognised the benefits of collaboration and networking – golf provides a perfect platform for these.

“As a keen golfer, I had heard of the golf marathon and knowing several colleagues in the industry who had recently gone through treatment for prostate cancer, I thought this would be an excellent challenge and a good way to raise some money and also awareness of the cancer.”

Set in the beautiful Ballindalloch Estate next to the River Avon, the golfers will play the 9 greens, 18 tees course, which was designed by internationally recognised course architects, Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie.

Guy Macpherson-Grant of Ballindalloch Estate said: “We wish the golfers all the very best as they undertake this epic challenge, and we are delighted to support their endeavours by providing the exclusive use of Ballindalloch Golf Course for the day. Our estate team will be on hand to support the challenge come rain or shine and will provide much needed refreshments throughout the challenge.”

Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men in the UK. That’s thousands of dads, brothers, partners, grandads, mates, sons and uncles. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Big Golf Race is raising money to help fund lifesaving research to diagnose men sooner.

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