Wilmslow care home gets resident back on the green

A resident at a care home in Wilmslow has scored a hole-in-one when her wish to rekindle her favourite hobby was made a reality.  

When the team at Care UK’s Long Stone Manor on Manchester Road heard about former golfer Carole Valentine’s wish to return to the course, they set out to make her dream come true.

78-year-old Carole discovered her love for golf after retiring. In 2013, she became captain of Heaton Moor Golf Club in Stockport, often leading her team to success. During her time as captain, she won several awards, including the Longest Drive award in 2013 and the Ladies Captain award in 2015.

Carole’s passion for the sport is still going strong, and she frequently shares her love of the game with fellow residents and the care home team – especially while watching games on TV.

On her special day, Carole was treated to a visit to Adlington Golf Centre, where she enjoyed a friendly game of Australian-themed adventure golf against Long Stone Manor team members and even hit several holes in one. 

To make the day extra-special for the keen golfer, the team also surprised Carole with a special crystal golf ball trophy and a celebratory cake, which she shared with fellow residents at the home.

Commenting on the visit, Carole said: “I’ve had a lovely day playing golf, it’s brought back some great memories, and it’s nice to know I can still get a hole in one! It’s been the best day, and I have put the trophy that Long Stone Manor presented to me with my other golfing trophies.’’

Carole’s experience was part of Care UK’s Wishing Tree initiative, in which each care home encourages residents to share their dreams, helping them reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new.

Emma Tillyer, Home Manager at Long Stone Manor, said: “We love hearing about Carole’s time as captain of Heaton Moor Golf Club; her eyes light up whenever she talks about it. When she shared her wish to play a game once again, we knew we had to make it happen.

“Carole had a brilliant time playing a friendly round of golf – our team definitely picked up a few tips and tricks from her! We’re excited to continue making many more dreams and wishes come true through our Wishing Tree initiative.

“A big thank you to Adlington Golf Centre and the team here at Long Stone Manor for making the day so special.’’

Long Stone Manor is a state-of-the-art care home that provides full-time residential and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care, for up to 60 people. The home has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence, and there is plenty of space both indoors and out for relaxation and recreation. The building has been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.