THE sporting spirit of a York golf club has raised £6,000 for St Leonard's Hospice - without any of the members playing a single stroke.

Golfers at Pike Hills Golf Club were disappointed when their annual Hospice Golf Day was rained off twice.

Determined not to let the weather beat him, club vice-captain John Haigh arranged a Race Night for people to place bets on filmed races and enjoy a raffle and auction.

Mr Haigh said: "It was a great disappointment to have to cancel the golf day twice, but it was wonderful how people supported us when we decided to hold a different event indoors, out of the rain.

"The golfers come from far and wide to support the hospice event each year and the vast majority of them very generously donated the fees they had paid to enter, even though they didn't get their day's golf. We are very grateful to them."

Hospice fundraising manager Janet Morley said the club had donated almost £45,000 to the hospice over the years.

Updated: 08:32 Thursday, October 14, 2004