Golfer Jonathan Gidney in pink skirt charity Twitter challenge
It started as a joke on his Twitter page - but now Shropshire golfer Jonathan Gidney is preparing to play a round of golf in a pink skirt to raise cash for charity.
It started as a joke on his Twitter page - but now Shropshire golfer Jonathan Gidney is preparing to play a round of golf in a pink skirt to raise cash for charity.
Jonathan, who plays at Church Stretton Golf Club, claimed that he would wear a skirt for a round if he ever reached 1,000 followers on the social networking website. Three weeks on, the target has been reached.
And true to his word, 23-year-old Jonathan will take to the course - in a pink skirt.
He has had support from 2009 Open champion and US Ryder Cup team member Stewart Cink and has organised a "skirt golf day" at Astbury Hall, near Bridgnorth, where people will be invited to play in teams of four to raise cash for Cancer Research UK.
His team will include course owner and designer Ken Downing, a member of rock band Judas Priest.
Jonathan will also be joined by Andy Freeman from Atlanta in Georgia, USA, who will be his caddie after being drawn as one of the 1,000 Twitter followers to join the team.
The event is on December 5 and will feature up to 24 teams, with the best two scores per team counting for each hole. Any team member wearing a skirt for the competition will have an additional point added to their score.
Jonathan, who has just completed his first year as a professional golfer, said: "I made the comment three weeks ago on Twitter and everything has moved so quickly since then.
"I think my marketing agency started putting the word around and in no time I've reached 1,000 followers.
"We decided we wanted to offer one place on my team to one of the followers on Twitter.
"The first person had to decline and the second was from Atlanta - I emailed him telling him the news not expecting him to come, but even though he has only played once he is really keen and is coming over to caddie for me. It's fantastic.
"I have had Stewart Cink re-tweet me offering words of support, and considering he has something like 1.2 million followers that was very good of him.
Entry is £200 per team.
Email jon@jonathangidney.com for details.
By Peter Kitchen
