Signs are posted on the tee of each hole instructing players on how to respond with CPR if someone has a heart attack.
There is also a special phone number to notify the clubhouse staff who can quickly deliver the defibrillator to the patient no matter where they are on the course. Each t-shirt also uses the What3Words app to provide an accurate location to emergency services.
The initiative received praise from the East Midlands Ambulance Service as it could prove crucial in the minutes before a paramedic can reach the scene of the accident.
From left: Club Director David Higginbottom, Robert Largan MP, James Hornby of EMAS and Club Captain Phil Goodwin.
Operations Support Manager James Hornby recently visited the club to learn more about the project and said, “This is a great idea. We need to make the public and golfers aware of the importance and effectiveness of CPR and the use of a defibrillator. In cardiac arrest, the speed of reaction is crucial.
“I also love using What3Words as it will be of great help to us in pinpointing the patient’s exact location. The golf course is spread over a huge area and getting to the exact location as soon as possible will make a big difference. “
Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of premature death, which occurs when the heart’s normal electrical impulses fail, resulting in an abnormal heart rhythm that affects the blood and oxygen circulation in the body.
In the UK, cardiac arrest survival is currently only 10 percent, but that figure could be significantly improved if more patients were given immediate CPR and early defibrillation to restore normal heart rhythms.
If delivered within the first three to five minutes of the person’s collapse, it can increase survival rates by up to 70 percent.
High Peak MP Robert Largan accompanied James on his visit to the club and said, “This is such a simple but fantastic idea, I can’t believe it’s never been done before. It is a truly proactive program that offers practical help that could save lives.
“It would be great if other golf clubs did the same.”