Drive to save golfers’ lives on course for success

Golfing legend Bernard Gallacher launches campaign to get defibrillators in every golf course.

More than half of the country’s top golf courses have access to defibrillator machines.

And many of those without the life-saving devices are looking at getting them in the New Year.

It comes as Sunday Post columnist and golfing legend Bernard Gallacher launched a campaign to get automated external defibrillators (AED) in every golf course and driving range in the United Kingdom and Ireland last week.

The former European Ryder Cup captain suffered cardiac arrest this summer while staying at an Aberdeen hotel. The married dad, who became the youngest man to represent Britain in the Ryder Cup, was saved after the hotel’s AED was used to bring him back to life.

According to the PGA, just over a third of the 3,200 affiliated golf courses in the UK have access to AEDs. But a Sunday Post probe found out of the 21 top championship course in Scotland and the north of England, only a few did not already have the life-saving machines.

St Andrews, Carnoustie and Turnberry were among the courses where golfers had access to at least one defib machines in the event of a cardiac arrest.

East Lothian’s Muirfield golf course said they received their first two defibrillators last week.

Surprising courses without the life-savers included Nairn’s Dunbar course, Castle Stuart and Musselburgh.

A spokeswoman for Donald Trump’s Aberdeenshire course said a defibrillator would be in place for the start of next year’s golf season.

Nairn’s Dunbar club has begun fund-raising for a defib and at Royal Aberdeen two devices are on order.

Roxburghe Golf Course in the Scottish Borders was also making plans to get one in the New Year.

Only Machrihanish Golf Club on the Mull of Kintyre, Castle Stuart in Inverness and The Blairgowrie Golf Club said there were no plans at present for getting a defibrillator.

Last night Bernard getting back to full fitness welcomed the findings.“Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time, and it happens on the golf course. We want to do whatever it takes to raise the level of awareness and to get them into more clubs around the country,” he said. Richard Brooker, of heart charity Arrhyphmia Alliance, said: “These machines are idiot-proof and we hope in years to come they will be as common as fire extinguishers in offices and club-houses.”