Kamloops Golfathon raising thousands of dollars of ALS patients in B.C.

Jun 15, 2017 | 12:50 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Golf and Country club was busy all Thursday with players on every tee box taking advantage of the summer weather. but no one was busier today than the club’s head pro and general manager. 

Alec Hubert and Bryce McDermott have been on the course since just after 4 a.m., playing as many round as they can as part of the ALS Golfathon. 

“We got out here at 3:45. We teed off at nine minutes after 4 a.m. and we’re on our ninth round of golf,” said Hubert at 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. “I think we’re averaging just over an hour on each round and trying to keep that pace for the whole day.”

The pair will be playing until sun down, hoping to raise as much money for the ALS Society as possible. 

Donations have been coming in from club members and the general public, and Hubert and McDermott have exceeded the $3,000 mark. Both have been impacted by the disease. 

“In 2007, I participated in the Golfathon, and then the next year one of my good friend’s father got diagnosed with ALS, so it started to hit home a little more,” said McDermott, the club’s general manager. “Then a fellow PGA member actually got diagnosed shortly thereafter and actually just left us. In their memory, I’m happy to continue to do this as long as I can.”

The Golfathon is happening at golf courses across the province. Since 2005, during the PGA of BC Golfathon for ALS, 199,686 holes of golf have been played by 859 professionals to support people living with ALS in B.C. Nine hole-in-ones have been recorded.