Four golfers from Yorkshire arrived at Ganton Golf Club today on the seventh leg of a gruelling 1150 mile cycle challenge in support of two cancer charities.

Inspired by a mutual friend who died in 2012, the group has taken to the saddle in a nine day ride which takes in all13 Ryder Cup host venues in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

As part of the “Tour de Ryder Cup”, Andy Crowther, Rick Gillgrass, Darren Tordoff and Andrew Walker are raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK and Melanoma UK. The plucky foursome, aged 45 to 53, are being supported throughout by friend and fellow golfer Mark Heptonstall who is acting as the team’s tour manager and driver.

On route, the riders are collecting pin flags from every Ryder Cup host venue, which they hope to present to this year’s Ryder Cup teams when they reach Gleneagles.

The four set off from their home turf at Northcliffe Golf Club near Bradford on 15th September and have so far notched up visits to Royal Lytham, Royal Birkdale and Southport & Ainsdale on the North West coast, the K Club in County Kildare, Celtic Manor in South Wales, Walton Heath and Wentworth in Surrey, The Belfry in the West Midlands, Lindrick Golf Club in Nottinghamshire and Moortown Golf Club in Leeds.

They arrived at Ganton Golf Club at the weekend which hosted the Ryder Cup tournament in 1949, where they were presented with pin flags by club president Iain Breeze. From there the team headed north, tackling the 220 mile stage to Scotland, taking in Muirfield today (Monday) and arriving at Gleneagles for the start of this year’s Ryder Cup tournament on Tuesday.

The Tour de Ryder Cup has already raised in excess of £11,000 for its twin charities.

The challenge was inspired by the death of the riders’ mutual friend Simon Ashdown, also a passionate golfer who, aged fifty, lost his battle with Melanoma in December 2012. Rider Darren Tordoff, 53, said the Tour de Ryder Cup would be a fitting tribute to a close friend.

“Simon lost his battle with skin cancer just two days before Christmas 2012. He was a passionate golfer and a friend to all of us”.

“His passing was the inspiration behind the Tour de Ryder Cup and his memory is what keeps us going throughout. We’re thinking of Simon with every turn of the wheels”, Darren added.

Donations in support of the Tour De Ryder Cup can be made at www.justgiving.com/teams/tdrc and the team’s progress can be followed on Twitter at @TourDeRyderCup or on Facebook at facebook.com/tourderydercup.