At this yearโs Betfred British Masters, hosted by none other than Sir Nick Faldo, it wasnโt just the golfers who were winning big.
Guide Dogs, the Official Charity Partner of the event, walked away with more than ยฃ75,000 in donations, thanks to the generosity of Betfred and the incredible support from fans and players alike.
And let me tell you, this wasnโt your typical stuffy charity affairโthis was feel-good philanthropy on the fairways, complete with eagles, green drives, and one very lucky golfer who earned a lifetime supply of golf balls.
For those unfamiliar with the numbers game in charity fundraisers, hereโs how it played out: Betfred, the well-known British bookmaker and tournament title sponsor, promised to donate ยฃ500 for every eagle made during the tournament.
With 44 eagles flying across The Belfryโs stunning course, that meant a whopping ยฃ22,000 was headed straight to Guide Dogs.
And donโt forget, it was Denmark’s Niklas Nรธrgaard who snagged his maiden DP World Tour title while the cash kept piling up.
But Betfred didnโt stop there. As if ยฃ22,000 werenโt enough, they doubled down with another donation drive linked to the DP World Tourโs Green Drive sustainability programme. The deal? For every time a player managed to drive the green at the par-four tenth hole on The Belfryโs Brabazon course, Betfred would kick in another ยฃ500.
Well, the pros must have been on their A-game because 41 successful green drives later (15 more than last year, I might add), another ยฃ20,500 was added to the pot. Plus, in a nod to keeping the planet green, the European Tour group vowed to plant 4,100 treesโ100 for each time a player nailed the green drive.
Thatโs what you call a win-win-win: good for golf, good for charity, and good for Mother Earth.
Now, if you thought Betfred was going to stop there, think again. After tallying up the ยฃ42,500 from these on-course escapades, they decided to sweeten the deal.
They upped the donation to a cool ยฃ55,000, covering the entire cost of raising and training a guide dog from birth through to retirement. I mean, talk about going the extra mileโor should I say the extra yardage?
Meanwhile, the tournament village was buzzing with even more ways for fans to get involved.
The Long Putt Challenge and the Green Drive simulator were huge hits, raking in another ยฃ20,000.
Fans werenโt just cheering from the sidelines; they were stepping up and putting their skillsโand their moneyโwhere their mouths were. And for those who proved their mettle on the simulator? They got an invite to the real deal on Saturday.
One particularly plucky participant even cleared the water hazard, earning a lifetime supply of golf balls. Not a bad day at the course, if you ask me.
Andrew Lennox, CEO of Guide Dogs, couldnโt have been happier with the outcome.
โFrom the unforgettable moments on the course to the amazing support from the fans, we are incredibly grateful for the amazing support from the Betfred British Masters and are so proud to have been involved in the event,โ Lennox said, extending thanks to everyone from the DP World Tour to Sir Nick and his wife Lindsay, not to mention all the volunteers and the dogs themselves.
He reminded everyone just how vital these donations are, saying, โEvery day 250 people start to lose their sight in the UK. This is equivalent to one person every six minutes.
The generous contributions will help us to make a difference to people living with sight loss in the UK, from our life-changing dogs to helping young people learn essential life skills and so much more.โ
And if that doesnโt warm the cockles of your heart, I donโt know what will. Even Betfred boss Fred Done was beaming, saying, โIโm delighted to be able to help and the Guide Dogs at the event were a very welcome addition.โ
So there you have it. Not only did the Betfred British Masters provide thrilling moments on the greens, but it also made a tangible difference off them.
From boosting morale with each eagle to driving sustainability home with every green drive, it was a masterclass in how sport and charity can work hand in hand.
Hereโs hoping next yearโs event can top itโbut theyโve set the bar pretty high.
