The Mark Hucklebridge-inspired Kawasaki charity golf match raised a staggering £10,000 for the Forever Friends Appeal at the Royal University Hospital, Bath.
Undoubtedly a great sport for some, it was clear it was not to be a great sport for all and any number of the off-road-industry personalities and racers who claimed to be golfers had been telling porkies. It was however, a cracking event – held at Reading Golf Club in Berkshire on 16 July – and a huge laugh and for the most worthy cause.
The handsome total included £3000 raised by the auction of an ex-Mark Hucklebridge 1989 EVO classic KX500 motocross bike. Donated by Tim Chambers of Chambers Engineering, E22 Sports boss and former Team Green ‘crosser’ Matt Bates sportingly topped the sealed bid of £2500 by £500 to secure ownership.
The golf was a shotgun start with the 21 teams of four spread around the course and Hucklebridge had the honour of tee’ing off first at the clubhouse. His team, MJ Church, included his cousin, Tom Church, and Alan Payne and Tom Scott.
Generally, the difference in skill levels was wondrous, and that included those playing in the same team. Colin Thomas (CT Racing) hit a buggy twice – as did Colin Wright. ‘Young Wrighty’ was then at it again in the bunkers, proving he is better with a rake than a club. His teammates, Paul Chambers and Simon Jones, were taking things more seriously, with Jones (with a degree of merriment) taking a tape out to measure his distance on the greens.
The teams were M J Church, Geoff Mayes, SCI Training, MF Hydraulics, The RAC, The MCI, Holt JCB, Cascadia Water, MBO Sport, GL12, Stericycle, E22 Sports, Be-Wiser Kawasaki, Straker Estate Agents, Black Horse, Molson, MotoXtreme, Honda Off-Road, CT Racing, Octagon Consulting, KMUK.
Tee and green sponsors included Holt JCB, KTM, Yamaha, BDN, Team CLS, Media Links Online, Knobshop Door Furniture, Maxxis and Ruddock Vehicle Rentals.
The table prizes included BSB tickets, Honda off-road training, RAC membership, Chris Walker off-road vouchers, a four-ball at Reading GC, a four-ball at Bowood Golf Club, and a watch and supercross/hotel weekend away from E22 Sports. All the proceeds are going to the RUH, Bath, where Mark is being treated. There is to be a new wing with specialist care for children and young adults.
The NHS is investing £15million and the Forever Friends Appeal is pledged to raise a further £8m with still some way to go. Joe Common from the RUH (the lady in the bear suit) made a moving speech and Mark, Richard Metcalfe, Kawasaki and Reading Golf Club were applauded and thanked by the assembled 100-plus attendees for a great day in aid of a noble cause.
Mark Hucklebridge, 36, diagnosed with an inoperable cancer and who has a long and distinguished career in motocross before turning to off-road training, chose the RUH Forever Friends Appeal to back, and the sport and the off-road industry are in turn backing Mark who is truly inspirational. Clearly not well, he not only played but walked the challenging five-mile “real golfers” course and his feet were bleeding at the finish.
MBO Sports won and will have a fine trophy on display at Kawasaki’s Bourne End, Bucks, HQ but the results were surely academic. This is the one event, perhaps the only event, where winning doesn’t matter, it really is the taking part that counts.