AJW Annual Golf Day 2025 – Our Biggest and Best Yet!

On Friday 19th September, we held our annual Golf Day at Dunston Hall for the second year running – and what a huge success it was! After a week of torrential rain and wind, we were treated to glorious sunshine, setting the perfect scene for a fantastic day of golf, fundraising, and fun.

Supporting Parkinson’s UK

Our charity of the year, Parkinson’s UK, was nominated by Brian Cooper from our Norwich depot, who recently lost his father to Parkinson’s. The charity also resonated deeply with several AJW team members who have loved ones affected by this disease, making this year’s cause especially meaningful.

Our Biggest Golf Day Yet

This was our largest golf day to date, with 25 teams and 98 golfers taking part. The day began with generous donations at registration, hundreds of raffle tickets sold, and a lively putting challenge. After a warm welcome from Stewart Miles (AJW Norwich) and a course briefing from the Dunston Hall team, the golfers headed out — with the first seven teams teeing off at 10:20, followed by a shotgun start at 10:30.

The DMD-sponsored golf buggies zipped around the course delivering drinks for charity donations, while players enjoyed the sunshine and friendly competition. The ever-popular “Beat the Pro” challenge on Hole 14, sponsored by Kingspan, added to the excitement, and with 18 hole sponsors, an impressive £3,400 was raised before the first ball even hit the green!

Afternoon & Evening Festivities

As the fastest golfers finished around 3 p.m., the clubhouse buzzed with activity — putting games, prize collections, and plenty of post-round socialising. Those staying overnight enjoyed a relaxing afternoon before joining the evening reception.

The evening began with a drinks reception at 5:45 p.m., followed by a three-course meal at 6:30. Our evening host, Jezo, kicked things off with a lively game of Heads and Tails, raising even more funds. Congratulations to Paul Goodchild (AJW Bury) for his win — and even bigger thanks for donating his winnings straight back to the charity pot!

 Golf Prizes

• Best Golfer of the Day (sponsored by Don & Low) – Paul Dean, with an impressive 46 Stableford points.
• Second Place – Dan Frith (Cedral), with 44 points.
• Third Place – Brandon Woodhouse, with 43 points.

Best Team of the Day (sponsored by Dakea) went to Robert Dennis and his team of Norwich customers — Brandon Woodhouse, Gavin Pauling, and John Mann — with a phenomenal total of 97 Stableford points (26 to par).

And, of course, every competition needs a light-hearted finish — our Wooden Spoon Trophy went to Kai McFarlane (we’ll keep his score under wraps to spare his blushes!).

Nearest the Pin & Longest Drive Winners

• Nearest the Pin (4th Hole): Chow
• Nearest the Pin (5th Hole): Dan Frith
• Nearest the Pin (9th Hole): Mark Trett
• Nearest the Pin (18th Hole): Simon Wall
• Longest Drive (17th Hole): Simon Wren

Charity Auction & Evening Entertainment

After dessert, we welcomed Beth from Parkinson’s UK, who spoke movingly about the importance of the funds raised, alongside Gerald, a local man living with Parkinson’s. Their heartfelt words reminded us exactly why this event matters so much.

Next came the charity auction, led by Jezo, featuring an incredible range of prizes — from golf days and track experiences to theatre breaks, spa days, wine, and even a kids’ electric BMW bike!

The evening wrapped up with the 4 Aces Fun Casino, sponsored by Flex-R. Guests enjoyed the thrill of the tables, with Jason Lee claiming the top spot with a staggering $18,000, winning a night’s stay at Dunston Hall. James Buckley came second with $12,000, and Ali rounded out the top three with $3,500.

A Record-Breaking Total

Thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone involved — from our sponsors and suppliers to every guest who donated, played, or bought a raffle ticket — we raised an amazing £8,328.35 on the day, bringing the total raised for Parkinson’s UK to £14,528.35 so far. Donations continue to come in, helping to make an even greater impact.

We can’t thank you all enough for making this year’s Golf Day our biggest and best yet. The sun shone, the laughter was loud, and the generosity was overwhelming — we’re already looking forward to next year!