GOLFERS got into the swing of things at a charity day raising £11,500 guessing the amount of lost balls, betting on the nearest shot to the pin, and making generous donations at the after dinner auction.

Comedian Barry Cryer is patron of the benefiting charity, the Michael Sobell House at Mount Vernon Hospital, and provided the after dinner entertainment at Sandy Lodge Golf Club, Sandy Lodge Lane, Moor Park.

One of the four organisers and golf club member Mr David Brameld, said the event "far exceeded expectations."

Around 100 players dug deep last Thursday, June 27, not into the sand bunkers but their pockets to make the day such a success.

Unfortunately no one could muster the sort of luck needed to claim the £20,000 car Mercedes Benz Direct from Hemel Hempstead put up as a prize for a whole in one, but went home happy anyway after Barry Cryer's 20 minute stand-up routine.

Mr Brameld said: "It went very very well. "The amount raised was absolutely fantastic. The weather was great and people just gave as they went round by guessing how many balls were lost and things like that.

"Barry Cryer was exceptional. He was absolutely brilliant. He had people rolling about."

July 2, 2002 17:00