A ton of fun 100-hole test for golfers

IAIN MCGREGOR/Waikato Times

IN THE SWING: Leukaemia survivor Steve Searle practises at the Te Awamutu Golf Club for the Golf Marrowthon where he will play more than five rounds in a day.

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When Steve Searle was diagnosed with leukaemia his whole world fell apart.

But the Te Awamutu man was able to pick himself up again with the support of his family and community and next month will take to the golf course to support others battling through what he did.

Mr Searle will take on the Auckland Golf Marrowthon 100-Hole Challenge for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF) on November 12 – the third time he has participated in the tournament.

Since being diagnosed in 1995 Mr Searle has had a bone marrow transplant that failed and has had a number of painful procedures as part of his treatment.

It was tough going for him and his family but he said it taught him the value of having a strong support system. His illness was now successfully controlled by the drug Glivic. "It's great that I can again take part in the Golf Marrowthon to raise money for an organisation that offers support to patients and their families as well as funds for cancer research.

"We know the value of having that support."

The Golf Marrowthon attracts professional golfers, celebrities and keen amateurs of all handicaps to test their skills and endurance in playing 100 holes in a day. SkyCity Casino Hamilton general manager Arthur Pitcher is also competing.

The target is to raise $100,000 for the LBF's Support Service which provides regular visits and contact, education sessions and an online information forum for patients and their families.

"It is a lot of fun and there are often people who dress up as Spiderman or Batman but I think, though, you have to like playing golf," said Mr Searle, a freelance journalist, with a handicap of 22.