The youngsters of Warwickshire this year came up against experience at the first event of the season, the County Championships. This was held at Maxstoke Park Golf Club in May where Maxstoke’s hospitality was superb and we beat the weather into submission just in time. A new name in Christine Jensen from Stonebridge was a delighted winner of the Silver Division Medal with a nett 68. Felicity Johnson retained the Vera Clayton Trophy with an aggregate 145, only two more than last year despite the very wet, heavy conditions. The semi-finals of the knockout on the third day saw experience shining through when Tracy Atkin from Leamington & County beat Felicity on the 20th hole. The other pairing saw Claire Dowling dominate Sue Westall, another experienced player on form, to secure a conclusive win 7/6. Thus the two friends who had lost out in the semi's last year battled round the 18 holes of the afternoon final. It was an incredibly close match culminating in Claire winning on the 18th hole. In fact she just managed to clinch it as we all thought that yet another match was going to go down the first! I believe this is Claire’s sixth County Championship in Warwickshire in eight years of competing in it, a great record. Unfortunately, last year’s young Champion, Hannah Coles from Maxstoke could not proceed past the first round of the knockout this year coming up against a doughty competitor in Marsha Button from Nuneaton who triumphed on the 23rd hole!

The Veronica Anstey Trophy was played for at Sutton Coldfield in June. Another new name emerged with Fiona Kane from Moor Hall taking the trophy with a wonderful nett 66 off a handicap of 21, four ahead of the runner-up, Irene Allen from Stratford Oaks. The gross prize went to Claire Dowling showing all her expertise with a magnificent gross 71 off a handicap of 1.

At the Summer Meeting held at the Forest of Arden Golf and Country Club over the Aylesford Course in August the weather almost took over for the second time in the season. However, a change of partners proved to be a winning formula for two players. Dottie Beanland now playing out of Copt Heath with her new partner, Diana Webb from Coventry took the main prize – The Summer Meeting Trophies with the best nett score of the day, 61, in this Better-Ball competition. Dottie was a runner-up last year at the Warwickshire. Sue Westall retained the Harthill Trophies for the best gross of 66 with her new partner this year, Sue Pearse also from Copt Heath. The Summer Salvers (Over 50 Combined Handicap) was retained by Pauline Vale and Suzie Adams now both from Ladbrook Park with nett 65. Sue was a popular name for the winners here this year. Sue Jones from Rugby took the putting prize and Sue Westall also got nearest the Pin on the 10th hole.

It was Warwickshire’s turn to host the Goodyear Cup this year. This event involves players from Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire playing for the magnificent Goodyear Cup held at Nuneaton Golf Club in August. Despite threatening thunder and lightning, the 44 players completed and Fiona Kane again came out on top with a nett 65, this time off a handicap of 19, winning her second piece of silver of the season and nothing could have been more impressive than this cup. Fiona had dropped her handicap from 21 to 17 in the space of two months.

120 competitors took part in the Team Championships at Hearsall at the beginning of September. Again the weather was nearly the winner here but the rain stopped 24 hours before the event. The course played very long but one team excelled above all the others – Copt Heath with Sue Westall, Sue Pearse, Angela Dawson, Karen Dodson and Dottie Beanland taking both trophies – The Chipman Cup for the lowest aggregate Gross Score and the Daisy Harthill Cup for the Best Nett aggregate score.

September also saw the Joyce Nichol Trophies at Moor Hall Golf Club with a salver for the winner in each of the silver and bronze divisions. The Silver Division trophy was won by a home player, Sarah Wynn with 38 Stableford points. Another new name from a relatively new Club took the honours in the Bronze Division with Carol O’Hare from Widney Manor winning, also with 38 points. Lisa Barton won the Gross Prize. Fiona Kane was just pipped on the back nine for a third place prize.

Sadly, the weather finally succeeded in beating us all on 20th October at Kenilworth, our venue for the Rene Greey Past Captains’ Trophy. After several days of heavy rain, the course was closed on the morning of the event. This was very disappointing for everyone concerned. Sadly time and the prevailing conditions did not allow this to be re-scheduled so late in the season. Considering the many near misses we had with our competitions this year, perhaps we were lucky to lose only one.

All in all yet another memorable season’s play for Warwickshire ladies with a combination of newcomers registering their names on our superb trophies and past winners reluctant to let go!