Sixteen weary golfers completed the longest round of golf they had ever played - 72 holes at three different courses.

The charity golfing marathon, in aid of the Royal Marsden Hospital Children’s Unit and the Sutton Stroke Club, required the earliest of early morning tee-times as they started their odyssey at first light - around 4am.

The plucky golfers, all from the Cheam-based Prince of Wales pub golfing society, faced a tough physical challenge in addition to the three rounds, they also walked roughly 20 miles.

One of the Super 16, Micky Martin, a bathroom installer for Sutton and East Surrey Water Services, said: “We finished just after 9 pm and after four rounds were absolutely shattered and headed home for a good sleep.

“We would like to thank the golf clubs for making their facilities available to us. And our wives for providing drinks and back-up support.”

With a round taking around four hours, the golfers managed to squeeze in the four rounds, at Epsom GC, Chipstead GC and Surrey Downs GC (which they played twice), plus travelling time before the sun went down.

The Prince of Wales pub golfing society, which has more than 50 members, are expecting their combined sponsorship to bring in £7,000.