Ollie's Golf Challenge for Motor Neuron Disease is Underway - Here is the Schedule

Our own Ollie Turner is undertaking a marathon golf challenge today, all in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. Starting out at 7am on the 18th hole in Oughterard Golf Club, Ollie will play one hole in eighteen different courses and travel some 420 km until he eventually finishes in Claremorris at around 8pm. You can follow Ollie's progress all day today on Galway Bay FM and on social media, with all his fundraising part of the overall efforts of Monaghan & Sons Skoda who are heading past €50,000 for IMNDA. To read about the effects of Motor Neurone and the story of how one local family has been affected by the disease, check out the Facebook page 'A Voice for John'.
The lads in Monaghans are also taking part in a Malin Head to Mizen Head Cycle next week and sponsorship cards are now in circulation for the entire fundraising effort in all participating golf clubs and in Monaghans Skoda, Tuam Road, Galway.

Donations
can be made to:

John Gayer IMNDA Fund,

Bank of Ireland, Mervue Ind Estate, Galway.

IBAN - IE85 BOFI 9038 2412 332600

BIC - BOFIIE2DXXX

Ref - IMNDA Fund

Here
is Ollie’s full journey (All times are approx.):

Hole
No.1 – Oughterard Golf Club - 7am

Ollie starts on the 18^th hole in
Oughterard, a long 420 yard par 4 with an index of 3. It is a tough start where
a par would be a great result.

Hole
No.2 – Bearna Golf Club – 7.40am

Ollie hops in the Skoda and travels 21km to Bearna
Golf Club, where he plays the 1^st hole. It is a 377 yard par 4 with
an index of 11. A good drive and Ollie will be in short iron range.

Hole
No. 3 – Glenlo Abbey Golf Club – 8.15am

Next up for Ollie is the Glenlo Abbey, which is 7km
away. He will play the 9^th hole which is a 411 yard par 4 with an
index of 1. The hole doglegs severely left to right, so it should suit Ollie.

Hole
No. 4 – Galway Golf Club – 8.45am

Ollie travels 7km to Salthill to play the 9^th
hole. It is a 190 yard par 3 (index 7) to a green in front of the clubhouse so
a perfect opportunity for spectators to check out Ollie’s long iron game.

Hole
No. 5 – Galway Bay Golf Resort – 9.45am

Ollie travels 19km to Rinville, Oranmore to play the
1^st hole of the Christy O’Connor Jr designed Galway Bay Golf Resort.
It is long a 535 yard par 5 with an index of 10.

Hole
No. 6 – Cregmore Park Golf Club – 10.15am

Ollie then goes 22km to Cregmore to play the 11^th
hole. It is a 371 yard par 4 with an index of 8. It has a gentle dogleg par
four with the out of bounds on the right.

Hole
No. 7 – Athenry Golf Club – 11am

Next is Athenry, 7km up the road, where Ollie will
play the 1^st hole. It is a 414 yard par 4 with an index of 4. He
will be hoping to keep his drive to left to get the best angle to the green.

Hole
No. 8 – Gort Golf Club – 12am

Ollie heads 34km south to Gort Golf Club, where he
plays the 16^th hole. It is a 165 yard par 3 with an index of 18. He
will be looking to avoid the bunker on the left of the green, it will be a
tricky hole as there is slopes on all sides except the front.

Hole
No. 9 – Loughrea Golf Club – 1.15pm

Ollie travel 30km northeast to Loughrea, where he
will play the 17^th hole. It is short 135 yard par 3 with an index of
16. Finishing the front 9 with two relatively easy par 3s should give Ollie a
little breather before the daunting back 9.

Hole
No. 10 – Portumna Golf Club – 2pm

The front 9 begins as Ollie heads 34km southeast to
Portumna, where he will tackle the 18^th hole. It is a 179 yard par 3
with an index of 14.

Hole
No. 11 – Ballinasloe Golf Club – 2.30pm

Ollie travels 31km north to Ballinasloe, where he
will play the 1^st hole. It is a 342 yard par 4 with an index of 12.

Hole
No. 12 – Mountbellew Golf Club – 3.15pm

Ollie heads out the Bog Road, 33km to Mountbellew,
where he will play the 17^th hole. It is a 487 yard par 5 with an
index of 2. This hole will be a big test for Ollie and he will be hoping to hit
a good drive.

Hole
No. 13 – Tuam Golf Club – 4pm

Ollie makes his way to Tuam travelling 27km and here
he will play the 1^st hole. It is a 347 metre par 4 with an index of
4. It is a long hole and Ollie will want to avoid the water to the left of the
fairway.

Hole
No. 14 – Ballinrobe Golf Club – 5pm

Ollie then travels north of the border into Mayo to play
on the Ballinrobe course, clocking up 39km. Here he will play the 9^th
hole, which is a 298 yard par 4 with an index of 17.

Hole
No. 15 – Castlebar Golf Club – 6pm

Ollie is almost there. He is playing the 1^st
hole which is a par 4 with an index of 13. This is will be a mentally tough
hole, as Ollie is deep into the back nine and having travelled 26km.

Hole
No. 16 – Ballyhaunis Golf Club – 6.45pm

Ollie heads east 45km to Ballyhaunis to shoot the
third last hole of the day. He will play the 2^nd hole which is a 324
yard par 4 with an index of 5. This will be very difficult hole and Ollie will
be looking to avoid the trees to the left of the fairway. He will be hoping to
have enough in the tank at this stage.

Hole
No. 17 – Dunmore Demesne Golf Club – 7.15pm

It is the penultimate hole and it is Ollie’s home
club, which he knows only too well. He will travel 22km down the N83 back over
the border to Galway. Here he will play the 5^th hole which is a 439
yard par 5 with an index of 9. This is a very difficult hole as it doglegs left
to right. It is possibly the toughest hole of the day.

Hole
No. 18 – Claremorris Golf Club – 8pm

The final hole, Ollie will finish off his day in Claremorris, where he will shoot the 9^th hole, which is a 329 yard par with an index of 15. It would be big achievement to par on his hole.

Best of luck Ollie and don’t forget to donate, it’s
all for a great cause.

Donations
can be made to:

John Gayer IMNDA Fund,

Bank of Ireland, Mervue Ind Estate, Galway.

IBAN - IE85 BOFI 9038 2412 332600

BIC - BOFIIE2DXXX

Ref - IMNDA Fund