Warwickshire Golf
Warwickshire Girls start the Stableford Series with some amazing scores!
The girls started their Warwickshire season of Stableford events (a series of 3 with points to be earned in the Junior Order of Merit) on Sunday 6th Aprilat Sutton Coldfield Golf Club on a bright and sunny day. The course was in perfect condition with their customary, quite fast greens! Not that that deterred some of the players!
We always hold the first in the series at Sutton Coldfield Golf Club where the girls play for a 9 hole or 18 hole salver, presented by Sylvia Evans, a long standing and well-loved member of both the club and the county.
Sutton Coldfield were as ever, a wonderful support, with ladies helping chaperone a group of girls on the course, in the club house, ball spotting and generally being a huge help to us. Malcolm Fletcher, Seniors Captain acted as Starter and sent the girls off great enthusiasm! Our very grateful thanks particularly go to Gill Keegan (Lady Secretary) and Angie Mott (Lady Captain) but it was lovely to also see previous helpers again, in particular Sue Foster who was such a support to us in previous years. Patrick the Head Professional kindly allowed use of the simulator in the shop and gave the girls the opportunity to ‘play’ the 7th hole at Pebble Beach, donating generous prizes to the winners. Out of those playing 18 holes Jess Davies was nearest the pin at 8.8 feet, narrowly beating her good friend Erin Thompson’s 9 feet! But winning overall having played in the 9 hole competition was Georgina Priestley at 5.1 feet! Any professional would be delighted with that!
Erin Thompson and Jess Davies
My thanks also to Warwickshire ‘stalwarts’ Bobbi Waugh, Deb Reynolds and Judith Pegler who came and helped by walking the course with some of the groups. Alison Nicholas was also there supporting the girls and it gave her an opportunity to follow them on the course and Elizabeth Earnshaw supported me with the scoring and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the girls again.
Although numbers were lower than usual this year with our top 3 girls having other commitments, those who played are amongst our most enthusiastic players who support us in many if not all our events.
Eight played 18 holes off the red tees, including Anaya Sukhija (Shirley GC) playing her first competitive 18 holes on what is one of the longest of our Warwickshire courses. When she came in to register her score, she had the biggest of smiles on her face which was fully justified as she had scored 53 Stableford points! This reduced her handicap from 34.9 to 30.8 and needless to say, was in 1st place and she received the 18 hole Sylvia Evans Salver.
Maybe a little disappointed at losing out on first place but delighted with her result was Lauren Clarke (Ladbrook Park GC) with a brilliant 43 points. On any other occasion she would have won but we were thrilled for her as she works so hard at her game.
In 3rd place with an excellent under par 37 points was Amelie Stead (Moor Hall GC) and in 4th place Emilia Sadler (Moor Hall GC) with 35 points.
In the 9 hole competition playing off the Purple Tees the winner with a very steady 14 points was Georgina Priestley (Stratford on Avon GC) who was presented with the 9 hole Sylvia Evans Salver. Georgia Pagett (Maxstoke Park GC) was in 2nd place.
Also playing off the Purple Tees and winning the Futures competition was Mairi MacLeod (Lea Marston GC) who is working hard at gaining her official handicap.
Series 2 in the Stableford Series is at Leamington & County GC on the 29 June and I look forward to seeing many of the girls again there. In the meantime there are lots of Junior Opens for them to play in and for some, league matches against Worcestershire & Herefordshire and Northamptonshire! Come and support the girls at any of these events!
Pat Hale
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