They were just a couple of shots away from completing a keenly contested round of golf, when a quick-thinking trio rushed to the aid of their close friend.
Alan Bidwell, John W Smith and Andy Crisp were just in front of the 18th green pondering their final approaches when colleague Glyn Bishop fell to the ground.
Realising 'something was drastically wrong,' the three men's instinctive actions have been praised – as their quick response helped to save Mr Bishop after he suffered a life-threatening heart attack.
Mr Bishop, 69, of north Lowestoft, remains at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and is now said to be on the road to recovery. All four are members of the Rookery Park Golf Club in Carlton Colville but the dramatic events unfolded at the Gorleston Golf Club course on November 13.
Mr Smith, 68, has been a member at Rookery Park since 1978 and was club captain in 1994.
Having formerly played football with Mr Bishop for Lowestoft Town boys in about 1959/1960, they have remained close friends – even as Mr Smith went on to play for Ipswich Town in the 1960s, and Mr Bishop is a keen Norwich City fan.
Mr Smith said: 'I picked Glyn up in the morning and gave him a lift with all his gear. He was fine, quite well. Glyn and I were partnering up in the competition, and we were one up on Alan and Andy heading to the final hole.
'We were right up by the 18th green and I remember saying to Glyn 'yours is over there and my ball is near here,' he said OK, and then the next thing I know Alan said Glyn had fallen over.'
Mr Crisp said: 'Glyn was stood there waiting, then he looked at me, went purple and down he went. It was as though all his systems stopped working, something failed, he stopped breathing.'
As Andy called the emergency services, Alan and John placed Mr Bishop into the recovery position as former fireman Mr Bidwell, 65, started to perform CPR and Mr Smith cleared his airways. 'We were seriously worried,' Mr Smith said. 'But it was something we couldn't think about, we had to do something.'
Mr Crisp said: 'We could see from Glyn's face something was drastically wrong. We all did a job, and did what we had to do – it was a real team effort.'
Two ambulances quickly arrived and treated Mr Bishop at the scene, before the East Anglian Air Ambulance landed nearby and eventually, after about 45 minutes of
treatment, Mr Bishop was airlifted
to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, where he still remains at the moment.
Mr Smith, who has been to see Mr Bishop in hospital, said: 'We are so grateful to the emergency services and just amazed with the treatment.
'Glyn came round and he is looking good. He has suffered a couple of cracked ribs but he can't remember anything of the incident, the golf and even me giving him a lift in the morning.
'His two sons Marcus and Jason have been great, and Jan (Glyn's wife) has thanked us all. Even the hospital said Glyn might not have survived if it was not for that quick response and treatment.'
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