Golfer hit balls the entire length of the UK to raise thousands for charity

By Kate Pounds via SWNS

A golfer has become the first person ever to hit balls the entire length of the UK - doing more than 250,000 shots and losing nearly 1,000 balls. 

David Sullivan, 58, spent ten weeks walking approximately 1,200 miles from Land's End to John o' Groats with two clubs and a bag of 50 balls.

He walked and putted the entire journey - teeing off every morning before hunkering down in a pop up tent, or treating himself to the occasional B&B.

Roofing business owner David covered between seven and 30 miles a day and lost 942 golf balls along roads and tracks.

The dad-of-four raised £9,700 ($13,400 USD) to split between British Heart Foundation and a charity he started called Creating Lifesavers, which trains people in CPR.

His former golf partner died of a heart attack on the course, inspiring David to learn CPR which he used to save a young man three years ago.

During his trek up the UK, he taught life saving skills in a number of towns and villages

David, from Surrey, England said: "It’s been such a journey.

“I feel so lucky that I’ve met kind and generous people, and had some life-changing experiences with them.

“We’re lucky that in Great Britain we have people like this.

"I lost 942 golf balls but showed CPR to over 30,000 people."

David's mission to learn CPR began when his golf buddy Sean Moor, 42, died of a heart attack while playing around seven years ago.

He became passionate about teaching life saving skills

He saved a young man's life three years ago by conducting CPR for 17 minutes while waiting for a defibrillator.

David, married to Sally 58, a reflexologist, found a lump behind his ear - which turned out to be benign - in November last year, and it inspired him to dream up the golf challenge.

He set up from Land's End on June 11, reaching the top of Scotland on August 22, and reckons he covered 1,200 miles, because they had to do countless detours.

Along the way he became the first person to play golf on a submarine when the Armed Forces invited him aboard at Chatham Dockyard in Kent.

In the north of Scotland he was gifted a massive salmon by a passing fisherman

A farmer popped him on horseback and took him for a tour of local Roman history sites, as he passed through Yorkshire.

Further on his spirits soared when he heard a choir while he golfed through Falmouth, Cornwall.

He sold his Rolex Sea-Dweller watch for £12,000 ($16,600 USD) to pay for his mission, and took ten weeks off work.

David stopped outside cafes and bars, getting out dummies and defibrillators to give lessons in lifesaving.

He spoke to local governments about installing defibrillators.

"I feel so passionately about this mission," he said.

“It’s about providing defibrillators that everyone can access and have the confidence to use, and about teaching CPR so people can help to save lives without fear.

“When we teach every person in every format, every nationality and gender then we’ll have a whole army of people who could be anywhere and have the power to save somebody’s life.

“I want to make golf a heart-safe sport, with all members trained in CPR and using a defibrillator.

“Then all those people would be there for the whole community.

David was sponsored by Gary Favell, CEO of American Golf.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/david-sullivan-77