Former Aston Villa players swapped a football for a golf ball when they helped Sutton Coldfield Rotarians raise a massive £5,500 for charity.
Six former players signed up to take part in the seventh annual Sutton Coldfield Rotary Club Golf Day.
Steve Staunton, Gordon Cowans, Ken McNaught, Bobby Thompson, Gary Shaw and Chris Nicholl joined dozens of players for the annual event, which is organised by Sutton Coldfield Rotary Club.
The golf day, sponsored by Birmingham retailers Cookes Furniture, certainly proved a hit with nearly 80 people signing up for the competition.
Twenty teams headed for Moor Hall Golf Club in the town last month (May 15) for a day on the fairways followed by a three course dinner.
Chris Payne, the Rotary Club golf committee chairman, said they were thrilled with how the day had gone.
He said: “The standard of golf was very high and we would like to thank our main sponsors Cookes Furniture. We are grateful for their support in helping us raise so much money for charity.
“We are very grateful for all the support and generosity from all those taking part in helping to make it such a successful day. We hope to repeat the event next year.”
A sporting memorabilia auction also boosted the fundraising total, with framed signed montages of sporting heroes such as Jessica Ennis and Rory Mcllroy going under the hammer. Local businesses also donated raffle prizes for the event.
Around £540 of the money raised will be presented to the Sutton Coldfield-based Norman Laud Association, which provides short breaks for children and young adults with special needs while giving support to their families.
Vanessa Hoe, marketing director of Cookes Furniture, said: “We were thrilled when the golf day raised so much money for charity. We have always believed in supporting the local community and the Rotary Club’s golf day is a great example of how people can come together to help others.” Golfers were presented with prizes for such things as the nearest pin and longest drive, but there was one prize that went unclaimed. Paul Rigby Volvo had offered a car as a prize for a hole-in-one but on the day no golfers hit the target to win.
Sutton Coldfield Rotary Club has nearly 30 members and meets every Tuesday lunchtime at Sutton Coldfield Golf Club, in Thornhill Road, Streetly.