08/09/2026
AIR AMBULANCE BOOSTED BY CAPTAIN’S DAY
MEMBERS at The Blairgowrie Golf Club have raised more than £3000 for Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance.
The money was raised at a recent Captain’s Day held over the Rosemount Championship Course.
Club Captain Alistair Batchen helped boost the tally by challenging participants to get closer to the 17th pin than his shots, using a set of vintage Johnny Miller clubs.
He said: “I chose SCAA as my charity because many of our members know family and friends who have had cause to require its services over the years. We have had the helicopter from Perth Airport here at the club on more than one occasion.
“I am particularly grateful to The Nairn Golf Club and Royal Balmoral Golf Club for fourball vouchers which generated huge interest when they went under the hammer.
“We more than doubled last year’s total, which was amazing. The event was very well supported, with around 200 participating in a Texas Scramble.
“I have had the Johnny Miller set gathering dust in the back of the garage for more than 30 years and everyone had a go. They're very different from today’s clubs, that's for sure.
“I was rather tired by the end but it was well worth it. It was a lovely day and I really enjoyed a b**r back in the clubhouse when the final group went through.”
Accepting the cheque for £3195, SCAA founding trustee Mike Beale welcomed the Perthshire club’s support.
“We are 100% funded by voluntary donations and it has been that way right from the start,” he explained.
“Having introduced another aircraft based in Aberdeen to complement the one at Perth Airport, we have to raise £10 million, with more than 3000 operations now being clocked-up every year.
“The teams fly virtually every day and sometimes more often. On one occasion, a crew flew on three different missions in the course of the day.
“It’s around £6000 per operation so it is expensive. But it is a service the people of Scotland recognise as being essential and thankfully they are very generous in their support, ever since we launched in 2013.
“The call-outs can involve anything from motorbike and mountain bike crashes to falls from horses and walkers taking ill out on the hills.
“There are so many great causes out there so we rely heavily on community fundraising and donations such as this from the captain and members at The Blairgowrie Golf Club.”
Caption
Alistair Batchen (left), Club Captain at The Blairgowrie Golf Club, presents a £3195 cheque to Mike Beale, founding trustee of the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance
