Nick Edmund plans Galway return to complete his 2,000km Wild Atlantic Way charity golf-walk

Cancer survivor and golf industry veteran Nick Edmund is plotting a return to Ireland’s West Coast to complete the second half of a marathon trek along the rugged Wild Atlantic Way.

This Spring, the 56-year-old golf writer and former Managing Director of Faldo Design set off on 4 March from Malin Head carrying a set of golf clubs on his back, completing the 1,000km stretch of spectacular coastline to Galway eight weeks later, having called in at 20 golf courses en route to play the 4th hole at each golf club.

Nick has been in remission for skin, head and neck cancer and the Wild Atlantic Way golf-walk is intended to raise awareness for his Global-Golf4-Cancer 4-Flag campaign, which in Ireland is supporting local charity Cancer Care West.

He was due to return to Galway Golf Club at Salthill this Autumn to commence the second 1,000km of the walk, which would take him all the way to the Old Head of Kinsale via golf clubs including Lahinch, Ballybunion and Waterville as well as Old Head Golf Links – but he has had to postpone the resumption following a recent diagnosis that initially required four weeks of radiotherapy treatment and which now also requires major surgery. 
Undeterred, Nick is planning to return to Galway early next year when, accompanied by Richard Flaherty, CEO of Cancer Care West and John McLaughlin, CEO of North & West Coast Links Golf, he will march forth from Salthill and walk to the Galway Bay Golf Resort near Oranmore. Nick will then visit another 20 golf clubs situated along the Wild Atlantic Way in County Clare, County Kerry and County Cork – where he will play the 4th hole and plant a Global-Golf4-Cancer 4-Flag at each one.

Richard Flaherty, CEO of Cancer Care West, commented: “What Nick set out to do was pretty special in the first place, but given this latest diagnosis and his ongoing battle with cancer, his resilience and determination are incredible.
“More importantly though, and throughout this journey, he has never lost sight of why he is doing this and what the ultimate objective is: to increase awareness and provide support for organisations and individuals who are fighting cancer. Nick, together with those golf clubs supporting the campaign, is quite literally ‘flying the flag’ for them.

“Cancer Care West very much looks forward to reuniting with Nick early next year after his treatment. We feel truly privileged to be associated with him and with Global-Golf4-Cancer’s inspirational 4-Flag campaign.”
Peter Walton, CEO of golf tourism industry organisation IAGTO, added: “We are incredibly proud of Nick’s achievement in forging this global connection between golf and the support for cancer charities worldwide and most importantly now we wish him all the best for the coming weeks and look forward to supporting the next leg of his mission down the Wild Atlantic Way”.
For further information about the Wild Atlantic Way 4-Flag Campaign and Nick’s inspirational walk, visit www.globalgolf4cancer.org

ARTICLE/ PHOTO CREDIT: IAGTO PRESS RELEASE