February 2012 ~ Christian Golf Society | Church Golf | National Church Golf Cup in partnership with CVM

CGS National Golf Cup Coordinator: Mark Blythe

Mark Blythe – My Story
CGS National Golf Cup Co-ordinator 


I was born in Australia to English Parents way back in 1959, I swop between being from the 2 countries, this Ashes season I’ve defo been an Aussie! I have a very patient wife, Lesley, three sons, three step-kids and seven grandchildren, mightily blessed! At 2 my Pommie parents escaped Australia & I was raised near Middlesbrough. I was a sport fanatic, represented my school at everything and County at 3 sports. I was a Boro season ticket holder and played any sport at every opportunity. School work wasn’t priority and nor was Church. I had no Church upbringing at all and I didn’t feel I missed out on anything in life, though my parents divorced in my mid teens after many tough years.

Went to Uni in London to do PE, coached soccer in USA and did the first London Marathon in 1981. Life was good despite some personal insecurities. I married a Catholic lady at 24, but I fought against attending Church throughout a ten-year marriage that ended in divorce, mainly due to my selfishness I have to admit. We had lived in Sydney for 4 years where I worked in sports event management in the glorious sunshine and the sports positive country. There are lots of far worse places to live! I founded the Sydney Tower Run-up race up 1370 steps, nice! The winners won a trip to run up more stairs at the Empire State Building?

I was happily single and back in the UK, when my life changed dramatically. I met a gorgeous woman though, disappointingly, I soon learnt that she was a Christian. Cos I fancied her I started asking questions about her faith. She didn’t push it on me as we started a relationship, which was just as well as to me it was real bad news! Six months later on a business trip back to Australia, some friends invited me to their Church, they couldn’t believe it when I said I would go, and I was equally surprised? I didn’t know why all of a sudden I wanted to go, but I just felt drawn. During the meeting the leader invited people down to the front, for some reason I went? I started reading words on a big overhead screen and for some reason my eyes filled up with tears. Being a tough northerner I tried to stem the flow but I couldn’t, fortunately I was facing the front wall! I felt an amazing warm sensation inside that I now know to be the Holy Spirit, along with the shock of finding that God really existed and could be felt in a tangible way, I had an amazing inner peace. To make it so I had to believe God told my son that Dad had become a Christian. So when I rang England from Australia they already knew!! Wow, that made me realise that this God stuff was real.

The spirit changed my life dramatically, I no longer do anything to make more money. The saddest thing about becoming a Christian late was realising that I wasted 35 years not listening to all the people who tried to tell me that it was Good News, the people I labelled “Boring Bible Bashers” as I went off to play sport. One of the best things was realising that I could still love my sport, support Middlesbrough and be a Christian! I was amazed that it doesn’t hurt and I am just so grateful that I found all this out before it was too late! My theory that Christians were weak and Christian footballers must play in sandals wasn’t true!                                      
Since that day, God has healed my back and answered many prayers. I’m still not a great golfer but I love playing. I want to spend eternity in heaven with all my golfing friends and I want them to experience God’s Love that is just so amazing. If folks actually did an Alpha course or quizzed a Christian friend with all their deepest questions I am convinced that most would choose to follow Jesus. Historians don’t deny that Jesus existed so why should you? And if he did exist and was who he claimed to be maybe it’s worth reading what he had to say? I find Mark’s Gospel in the New Testament is a great place to start, reading it knowing it is historical truth changed my views on it greatly! That water into wine thing was quite impressive and coming back to life was pretty good too! Do you have an open mind? What if….. what if that nagging wonder at the back of your mind is actually true? I believe nothing on earth can give you as much lasting peace and enjoyment as realising that there is a God who loves you, yes you. He gave you free will to choose Him, that is love, and He is ready and waiting for you … will you go for it?

Love Golf, Love Life and Love Jesus – strange but true!

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