DUBAI //Most groundskeepers would shudder about a round of golf lasting more than five hours, but two Britons will spend 24 hours on the course in a record quest.
Andrew Morley, 41, and Stephen Jenks, 37, will tee off at 9pm tonight at the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, and their lengthy play will not be due to bad swings. Instead, they are trying to play as many holes as possible.
To get into the Guinness World Records, the pair must play at least 150 holes unaided by golf carts and can hit the ball only when it is not in motion.
"It is about the achievement of doing something so hard on an endurance thing and getting a Guinness world record," Mr Morley said. An adjudicator from the Emirates Golf Foundation will be with them along most of the course.
Yet more than the record book, the challenge is about raising funds for a children's eye hospital in Bangladesh via Sharjah Charity International.
"Any small amount will make a massive difference," Mr Morley said.
The men, who teach at Wellington International School in Dubai, will feel a difference in their game by midday tomorrow when they will be more than halfway through the challenge.
"An average round of golf is around 4 hours, 20 minutes for 18 holes and we plan to halve that to 2 hours, 10 minutes," Mr Jenks said.
There are no rules for the number of times they hit the ball.
"But we can't be losing it or sticking it in deep grass, bunkers or the water. We want to play quickly but there is a trade-off and we have to play carefully," said Mr Morley, whose handicap is seven. Mr Jenks's handicap is 17.
Both have been training for the past few months.
"We've done small things, played golf for four hours at a time walking, but nothing of this scale," Mr Morley said.
The charity challenge was Mr Morley's idea. "It was a bit of a bucket list and I came up with the idea about nine months ago. I think it was when I turned 40," he said.
It is not the only challenge of its type but Mr Morley still had to get approval from Guinness officials.
A record already stands for the number of holes in 24 hours with the aid of a golf cart. Robb James, of Canada, played 851 holes at the nine-hole, 3,002-yard Victoria Golf Course at Edmonton, Alberta, on June 21-22, 2004.
But "there is not a 24-hour [record] as a pair walking", Mr Morley said. "That's how they gave us the guidelines for the 150 holes."
The Britons have golfed together for three years, and know it will not be easy once the midday sun strikes.
"I think a lot will come down to after the halfway mark and then it will be down to willpower," Mr Jenks said.
While Mr Morley admitted taking on a challenge like this may have something to do with a midlife crisis, Mr Jenks had another idea. "Hopefully, it won't be an end-of-life crisis."
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Maestro
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
RESULTS
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Udinese 0-0 SPAL
Sampdoria 0-0 Atalanta
Lazio 4-2 Lecce
Parma 2-0 Roma
Juventus 1-0 AC Milan
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 518bhp
Torque: 625Nm
Speed: 0-100kmh 5.3 seconds
Price: Dh633,435
On sale: now
ARSENAL IN 1977
Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal
Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal
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Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
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2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
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- Keep an open mind
