Northumberland man raises £30,000 for the British Heart Foundation after completing epic golf challenge

Alistair Collin’s fundraiser, which was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, involved playing the Golf Monthly Top 100 golf courses in the UK and Ireland. He eventually completed it in the second half of 2022.

He wanted to give something back as he feels fortunate to still be alive after undergoing major heart surgery in 2013 and then having a heart attack a year later.

In total, the 61-year-old calculated that he drove around 18,000 miles, hit the ball more than 375 miles and walked at least 550 miles around all the courses.

Alistair, who lives with wife Louise, said: “I’ve had an amazing experience and it’s one I don’t think I can ever repeat.

“Although now I am home, I’ve been asked what my next challenge is – so you never know.

“A couple of the courses are on common ground, which means they are open for grazing, and we had to push past a few cows and sheep to play.

“But the funniest was at one of the most prestigious golf courses in Ireland where we came face-to-face with a goat. After chasing it around the course, a member of the ground staff finally caught it and threw it back over the fence where it came from.”

As well as people donating online, the retired chartered civil engineer donated £50 from his own pocket for every course he played, collected cash donations and held online quizzes during lockdowns.

BHF fundraising manager for Northumberland, Emily Petitjean, said: “That Alistair made it to the final course and at the same time raised such an incredible amount for the BHF is huge testament to his determined personality and resilience, as he did not give up despite the setbacks due to the Covid pandemic.

“The money he has raised will go towards funding BHF research and helping people who, like Alistair, have been affected by or are at risk of heart disease.”