Andy Etherington is skilled at evaluating the standards at golf facilities as a director of PGA Partners 59Club and can now appraise walking boots after completing a 100k trek and raising £45k for charity.
Etherington (pictured on the left of the 100km sign) and nine others walked continuously for 26 hours along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast to raise cash for Reverse Rett, a charity set up by former PGA pro Andy Stevenson (on the right of the 100km sign).
The charity funds research into Rett Syndrome, a neurological condition that most often strikes previously healthy girls between their first and second birthday, leaving them with multiple disabilities and medical complexities for life.
Stevenson, who has a daughter and stepdaughter afflicted by the condition, gave up being a PGA pro to run Reverse Rett with his wife, Rachel.
Since then, more than £5m has been raised to combat the disease, almost £50k of which has been contributed by Etherington and his fellow walkers.
Etherington has known Stevenson for 25 years since working for him as an Assistant at Knaresborough Golf Club, Yorkshire.
“Andy played a big part in helping me qualify as a PGA pro,” he said. “We became friends, kept in touch and I was determined to do my bit to help his charity.
“I completed a fundraising walk in Snowdonia last year, but this year’s – the Ultra Jurassic Coast Challenge - was a lot tougher.
“It was organised by Action Challenge and, apart from some breaks for food and drinks, we walked non-stop from Corfe Castle to Bridport.
“The worst part was the hours of darkness between 10pm and 4pm but a cup of tea as the sun was rising transformed the mood and gave us a huge lift.”
