The Par 3 Challenge

Over the course of the next year, Craig Purves, like most people, will be playing golf. However, the reasons behind his playing mean so much more.

Following the death of his mother to cancer, Purves became involved with a local charity, Fight Against Cancer Edinburgh (F.A.C.E), and organized its charity golf day the past few years.

In May 2011 Purves' son was born nine weeks early and spent four weeks in the neonatal unit of the Simpson Maternity Hospital. Now 17 months old, Purves says that there is no doubt that his son's health is due to the care and attention from the members of staff at the Neonatal Unit. A good family around certainly helps as well.

On the 30th September 2013, Purves will celebrate his 30th birthday. To celebrate, he is undertaking the following challenge to raise funds for F.A.C.E and the Simpsons Special Care Babies (SSCB).

The Challenge:

Called the Par 3 Challenge, from the 30th September 2012 until 30th September 2013, Purves intends to play every par-3 hole on all the golf courses in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and to be under par by the end of it (taking his 16-handicap into account).

The Fundraising:

People can make donations to F.A.C.E by going on the ‘Just Giving' page and the SSCB by going to the ‘Work With Us' page.

Everyone who donates will be added to a raffle that Purves will be holding on his 30th birthday.

For any course that allows him to play the holes for free, Purves will pay £1-per-par into a "Bonus Fund", which will be added to the total at the end and split between the two charities.

If Purves fails to complete the challenge under par, the Bonus Fund will be doubled.

Follow his progress on Twitter: @Par3challenge