Latest news with #MyName'5DoddieFoundation
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Huge Hollywood star pictured on Scots golf course as fan hails ‘mad' moment
Hugh was playing near Edinburgh when he crashed a game PAR-FECT Huge Hollywood star pictured on Scots golf course as fan hails 'mad' moment Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GOLFER raising a fore-tune for charity was left stunned when he was interrupted mid-round by Hollywood star Hugh Grant. Graeme Smeaton, 44, was in the middle of playing 25 rounds in just five days when the A-lister charged towards him in a buggy at exclusive Luffness New Golf Club near Edinburgh. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Graeme Smeaton, 44, was taking part in a charity golf endurance challenge when star Hugh raced over in a buggy 4 Graeme walked 25 miles a day and hit more than 2,000 shots to raise cash for late rugby hero Doddie Weir's MND charity 4 Graeme played five rounds a day and walked more than 100 miles 4 Scotland rugby legend Doddie fought a six-year battle with MND The fundraiser walked more than 100 miles, slept just a few hours a night and hit over 2,200 shots to bring in nearly £12,000 for motor neuron disease research. Sports-mad Hugh, 64, made a beeline for him after finding out the massive challenge was inspired by late rugby great Doddie Weir who lost his battle with the degenerative condition aged just 52. Graeme told how of his shock when the Bafta and Emmy Award winner rushed over and asked: 'Which one of you is the crazy one?' He said: 'Hugh was so charming, kind and encouraging – just as you'd imagine. 'He shook my hand, posed for a photo, and wished me luck. "It gave me a massive lift and really spurred me on. 'It was mad and just not what you expect to see in the middle of a round.' Graeme, from Gullane, East Lothian, covered 25 miles playing 90 holes every day at courses near his childhood home. He aimed to raise as much money as possible for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation and even wore the charity's famous yellow and blue tartan. Graeme was joined by pals and ex-teammates of ex-Scotland icon Doddie for rounds, including British Lions winger Roger Baird, 65, hall of famer Andy Irvine, 73, and rugby world cup hero John Barclay, 38. He also played with friends and relatives of Scott Stewart, from Stirling, who ran The 59 Golf Shop and lost his battle with MND in December. Graeme —founder of golf clothing brand Royal & Awesome — added: 'I feel lucky to have been able to play a small part in raising money and awareness. 'To share the experience with so many people — especially Scott's friends and family — was incredibly moving. 'The support I received throughout was unbelievable. 'The wind was brutal at times, but the camaraderie kept me going. 'I know Doddie and Scott would've got a kick out of the madness of it all.' Doddie died in November 2022 just six years after he was diagnosed with the condition which which stops nerve signals being sent from the brain to muscles. Click here to donate to Graeme's fundraiser.
Edinburgh Live
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Hollywood star Hugh Grant visits East Lothian and stuns golfer in 'mad' challenge
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Hollywood star Hugh Grant stunned an East Lothian golfer during a surprise encounter. The Love Actually actor turned up in the middle of Graeme Smeaton's five-day golf marathon to fundraise for motor neurone disease research. He played 5 rounds across six courses between June 2 and 6. He has raised over £11,000 for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, set up in memory of the late Scotland rugby international Doddie Weir, who died in 2022 following a battle with motor neurone disease (MND). The Four Weddings And A Funeral icon was enjoying a round at the exclusive Luffness Golf Club, in Aberlady, when he heard about the challenge. On hearing about the fundraiser earlier this month, Grant reportedly jumped into a golf buggy and made a beeline for Graeme's group, asking with a grin: 'Which one of you is the crazy one?' Graeme said: 'It was mad – just not what you expect to see in the middle of a round. He was so charming, kind and encouraging – just as you'd imagine. 'He shook my hand, posed for a photo, and wished me luck. It gave me a massive lift and really spurred me on.' Graeme's challenge involved playing six of Scotland's most iconic courses in East Lothian, walking more than 100 miles on foot and playing five full rounds every day – with new golfers joining him for each stretch to keep his spirits up. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. He was also joined by a host of high-profile supporters, including former Scotland rugby internationals John Barclay, Roger Baird, and Andy Irvine, as well as friends and family of Scott Stewart Graeme added: 'To share the experience with so many people – especially Scott's friends and family – was incredibly moving. The support I received throughout was unbelievable. The wind was brutal at times, but the camaraderie kept me going.' So far, Graeme has raised more than £11,000 for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, with donations continuing to come in. The Foundation, launched by the late Doddie Weir, funds vital research to find effective treatments and ultimately a cure for MND. He added: 'I feel lucky to have been able to play a small part in raising money and awareness. I know Doddie and Scott would've got a kick out of the madness of it all.' To donate, visit
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Hugh Grant surprises Graeme Souness during charity golf challenge
An Edinburgh man, who took on a gruelling five-day golf marathon for charity in June, was stunned when a Hollywood actor turned up mid-round to cheer him on. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Graeme Smeaton, 41, played 25 rounds of golf in just five days to raise money for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, a charity setup by the late Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir OBE. The Morningside man raised more than £11,500 to help fund vital research for motor neuron disease (MND) research. The extraordinary challenge caught the attention of Hollywood actor and golf fanatic Hugh Grant, who after learning about the fundraiser, reportedly jumped into a golf buggy and made a beeline for Graeme's group, asking with a grin: 'Which one of you is the crazy one?' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hollywood star Hugh Grant surprised Graeme mid-challenge while on a five-day, 25-round golf marathon for MND in East Lothian. The Foundation, launched by the late Doddie Weir, funds vital research to find effective treatments and ultimately a cure for MND. | Third Party The Love Actually star was enjoying a round at the exclusive Luffness Golf Club, in Aberlady, when he stunned an exhausted Graeme, who over the course of his challenge clocked up more than 275,000 steps, hit more than 2,200 shots, and survived on just 25 hours of sleep. Graeme said: 'It was mad – just not what you expect to see in the middle of a round. He was so charming, kind and encouraging – just as you'd imagine. He shook my hand, posed for a photo, and wished me luck. It gave me a massive lift and really spurred me on.' Graeme's challenge involved playing six of Scotland's most iconic courses in East Lothian, walking more than 100 miles on foot and playing five full rounds every day – with new golfers joining him for each stretch to keep his spirits up. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He was also joined by a host of high-profile supporters, including former Scotland rugby internationals John Barclay, Roger Baird, and Andy Irvine, as well as friends and family of Scott Stewart, a much-loved figure in Scottish golf and a passionate MND campaigner, who sadly died from the disease in December last year. Graeme Smeaton (left) raised over £11k for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. Doddie Weir raised millions through a charity he set up with his wife, My Name'5 Doddie Foundation to aid research into MND following his diagnosis in 2016 | Third party Graeme added: 'To share the experience with so many people – especially Scott's friends and family – was incredibly moving. The support I received throughout was unbelievable. The wind was brutal at times, but the camaraderie kept me going. 'I feel lucky to have been able to play a small part in raising money and awareness. I know Doddie and Scott would've got a kick out of the madness of it all.' You can watch Graeme's challenge via his Instagram page and you can donate to his fundraiser by visiting the Just Giving website.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Hugh Grant surprises Scots golfer during 'crazy' 25-round challenge
Graeme Smeaton played 25 rounds of golf across five days to fundraise for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. A Scot who took on a five-day golf marathon to fundraise for motor neurone disease research was stunned when Hollywood superstar Hugh Grant turned up in the middle of his challenge. Graeme Smeaton, from Edinburgh, played 25 rounds across six courses in East Lothian between June 2 and 6. He has raised over £11,000 for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, set up in memory of the late Scotland rugby international Doddie Weir, who died in 2022 following a battle with motor neurone disease (MND). During his gruelling feat, he clocked up 125 miles on foot, hit over 2,200 shots, and did it all on just 25 hours sleep. Although he had already been joined by some high-profile supporters along the way, he was blown away by the Love Actually actor appearing to cheer him on. Golf fanatic Grant was playing a round at the exclusive Luffness Golf Club in Aberlady when he heard about what Graeme was up to. Graeme said: 'It was mad – just not what you expect to see in the middle of a round. He was so charming, kind and encouraging – just as you'd imagine. He shook my hand, posed for a photo, and wished me luck. It gave me a massive lift and really spurred me on.' Graeme was also joined by former Scotland rugby internationals John Barclay, Roger Baird, and Andy Irvine, as well as friends and family of Scott Stewart, a much-loved figure in Scottish golf and a passionate MND campaigner, who sadly died from the disease in December last year. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He said: 'To share the experience with so many people – especially Scott's friends and family – was incredibly moving. The support I received throughout was unbelievable. The wind was brutal at times, but the camaraderie kept me going. "I feel lucky to have been able to play a small part in raising money and awareness. I know Doddie and Scott would've got a kick out of the madness of it all.' Graeme had said ahead of his challenge that the East Lothian courses were where he "fell in love with golf". Although he was raising money himself, his main goal was to increase awareness of the work the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation itself does to raise funds for MND research. During the five days, he sported trousers in the official Doddie tartan designed in memory of Weir. The trousers were created by Graeme's own golf apparel brand Royal and Awesome, with 15% of each sale going to the charity. He could be seen wearing them as he celebrated the end of his efforts in style with champagne at Gullane Golf Club. Graeme's fundraising page, which is still taking donations, can be accessed here, and the highlights of his challenge can be found on his Instagram account.
STV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- STV News
Hugh Grant cheers on Scots golfer during 'crazy' five-day challenge
Hollywood star Hugh Grant stunned a Scottish golfer by turning up mid-round to cheer him on during a five-day fundraiser in East Lothian. The actor was enjoying a round at Luffness Golf Club in Aberlady in early June when he heard about Graeme Smeaton playing 25 rounds of golf in five days to raise money for motor neuron disease (MND) research. During the marathon, Mr Smeaton clocked more than 275,000 steps, hit more than 2,200 shots, and survived on just 25 hours of sleep. He played rounds at six of Scotland's most iconic courses across East Lothian and was joined by high-profile supporters, including former Scotland rugby internationals John Barclay, Roger Baird, and Andy Irvine. We Are Story Shop Graeme Smeaton completes ten out of 25 rounds of golf games. After hearing about the challenge, Hugh Grant reportedly 'jumped into a golf buggy and made a beeline for Graeme's group'. Grant arrived at the course and asked: 'Which one of you is the crazy one?' Despite the slate of high-profile supporters already involved, Graeme said seeing the Hollywood actor was a 'massive lift'. 'It was mad – just not what you expect to see in the middle of a round. He was so charming, kind and encouraging – just as you'd imagine,' Graeme said. 'He shook my hand, posed for a photo, and wished me luck. It gave me a massive lift and really spurred me on.' Graeme was also joined by friends and family of Scott Stewart, a Scottish golfer and a passionate MND campaigner, who died from the disease in December last year. Graeme added: 'To share the experience with so many people – especially Scott's friends and family – was incredibly moving. The support I received throughout was unbelievable. The wind was brutal at times, but the camaraderie kept me going.' So far, Graeme has raised more than £11,000 for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, with donations continuing to come in. The Foundation, launched by the late Doddie Weir, funds vital research to find effective treatments and ultimately a cure for MND. He added: 'I feel lucky to have been able to play a small part in raising money and awareness. I know Doddie and Scott would've got a kick out of the madness of it all.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
