Ratho Park Golf Club
Bowden Trophy Charity Presentation
Ratho Park Member Peter Selkirk presents Donna Marshall (Local Fundraising Manager
Cancer Research UK) with a cheque for £724 which was raised in the annual ‘Ian Bowden Trophy Charity Competition’ played on Sunday 20th October
The Bowden Trophy is played for in memory of Ian Bowden who was a member of Ratho Park Golf Club (RPGC) and died of Cancer in February 1994 at the age of 41, three months after being diagnosed with the illness.
Ian played winter golf with the 8:54 Club which is a group of Ratho Park members that plays a winter league competition from October to March. The 8:54 club has been playing since 1990 and when Ian Bowden died in February 1994, the remaining members contributed funds to procure the Bowden Trophy (a small replica claret jug) and played a fund-raising match on the first Saturday of the new winter season in October that year. Friends and guests were invited and monies were collected from an entry fee, raffle and additional donations, all of which were donated to Cancer Research.
Over the years, the number of people playing in this competition increased and Ratho Park Golf Club allowed many more tee times to be made available. From 2012 RPGC placed the competition in the fixture list and made a four hour period available for a full 18 hole, four-ball field to be accommodated with a shotgun start. This enables 72 players to take part (and conclude at approximately the same time) in a Stableford format to keep play moving and maintain interest even when there is a bad score (or two). The fund-raising has increased over the years as the numbers have grown and the generosity of participants continues to be high in support of this charity, as most of the population has some personal experience of cancer, even if the number who can remember Ian Bowden are in the minority now.
The members of the 8:54 club still run the competition and the fund-raising logistics. However, it is now seen as a Ratho Park Golf Club contribution to Cancer Research as this gives more exposure for the Club and hopefully serves both RPGC and Cancer Research to best effect.
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