IRVINE and Dreghorn Brass Band’s golf team have teed off on their annual challenge.

The four-man team made up of Derek Leitch, Colin Stevely, Steven Purss and Martin Gernon will take on 10 of the UK’s Open Championship and Open qualifying courses with the group amassing 40 rounds of golf collectively in just three days.

Following successful challenges in 2015 and 2016 the group have looked out their golf clubs for this year as they prepare for a gruelling few days.

Over the course of the threeday event, the four-man team is expected to play 720 holes, hit approximately 2880 golf balls, drive 835 miles to get to all ten courses, walk roughly 180 miles and spend 57 hours away from home.

The 2017 edition of the challenge teed off on Tuesday with the team’s first port of call Hesketh Golf Club in Southport before they travelled to Lytham St Anne’s playing at Fairhaven Golf Club and at the host of the 2012 Open, Royal Lytham and St Anne’s Golf Course.

Today (Wednesday) is the busiest day for the team as they return to home territory taking on four Ayrshire courses- Royal Troon, Gailes Links, Prestwick Golf Club and Trump Turnberry.

The final day of the challenge on Thursday starts at the home of golf, St Andrews, before they play at Muirfield Golf Club with the challenge concluding at Royal Musselburgh.

The team is hoping to raise funds for the band and also Alzheimer Scotland with the money from sponsorships and donations being split evenly.