In 2019, Neil Hiscutt, 51, from Birmingham and his brother-in-law Wayne Daly set themselves the challenge of playing four full rounds of golf in one day, raising £1,000. Six years on, and with two friends recruited to the cause, it was time for the next charity golfing contest – to play the same par 3 hole until one of them gets a hole-in-one.
On Thursday, 25 September, Neil took on the challenge in memory of his father-in-law, Paul Daly and in support of his son Sean, 15, who lives with Becker muscular dystrophy. Sadly, the hole-in-one eluded the four friends, but their seven-hour golfing marathon was not in vain as they raised £1,500 for Muscular Dystrophy UK, the leading charity for more than 110,000 people in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting conditions.
Explaining his motivation for the challenge and fundraising, Neil Hiscutt said:
“I see this as a tribute to both my son Sean, who lives with muscular dystrophy, and my late father-in-law, Paul Daly, who passed away ten years ago. I enjoy helping people, and raising money for a cause close to my heart is my way of giving something back.”
Described by his dad as ‘caring, chatty and cheeky’, Neil’s son Sean, 15, was diagnosed with the muscle weakening condition Becker muscular dystrophy when he was 18 months old.
Neil said:
“My father-in-law lived with the same condition, and we knew my wife was a carrier, so we had Sean tested when he was very young. The symptoms only really started a few years ago, when he was 10 or 11 and found that he was struggling to run. He’s still very good on his feet but does need to sit out of some sporting activities at school, and finds walking long distances hard.
“I think the biggest challenge is the mental impact of it all. It’s a rare condition that most people haven’t heard of, and it’s hard as a teenager when you can’t do all the things your friends can. But in so many ways, he’s just like any other 15-year-old. He likes going to the cinema, playing on his Xbox, walking our dog Daisy, and he’s a huge Aston Villa fan. Bit of a shame really as I support West Brom! He also enjoys golf like I do and loves food tech and IT at school.”
Neil was joined for the Hole in One challenge at Birmingham’s Hollywood Golf Club by his brother-in-law Wayne Daly, Sean’s godfather Ivan Phillips, who he has known since school, and friend and colleague Ross Longmore.
Neil said:
“We’ve all been playing golf for over 20 years. Hollywood is our local club, and we play there regularly, but none of us have ever achieved a hole-in-one, which is why this was a challenge! Wayne was my favourite to get one on this occasion as he has the lowest handicap of the four of us, but sadly, not even he managed to get an ace. It was so close that one ball landed just inches from the hole! The day was still a success though, as we had a great seven hours on the golf course and the donations went up to £1,500, so we’re pleased with that.”
Phil Heighway, Community Fundraising Manager at Muscular Dystrophy UK, said:
“On behalf of everyone at the charity, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Neil, Wayne, Ivan and Ross. This is a brilliant example of thinking outside the box when it comes to fundraising ideas, and hopefully, it will inspire others. They may not have scored a hole-in-one, but they dedicated a lot of time and effort and raised an incredible amount. The money they raised in memory of Paul and in support of Sean will make a real difference, helping us to continue supporting adults and children living with muscle wasting conditions. Thank you.”
Support Neil’s fundraising at https://www.justgiving.com/
For more information about fundraising your way for Muscular Dystrophy UK, visit https://musculardystrophyuk.
Find out more about Muscular Dystrophy UK at https://www.
