The team selected was Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton), Sian James (Bristol & Clifton), Linda Carruthers (The Players), Jo Hodge (Knowle), Shelby Smart (Knowle), Bethan Popel (Long Ashton), Karen Rix (Bristol & Clifton), Zoe Edwards (South Herefordshire) and Helen Palmer (Ross-on-Wye).

A clash with the Curtis Cup ruled Hannah Barwood out of the team and A & O-level exams deprived us of Alison Kelly whose children were in the midst of their busiest week. Again because of exams Shelby Smart was only available for half the matches.

The draw meant we started with a tough match against Somerset. Charlotte had been playing in the Irish strokeplay (representing England) and only flew back at 10pm on the Sunday night with everything soaking wet after a very rain-delayed tournament. She was exhausted and couldn’t be played in the morning foursomes. Despite a rocky start in which we lost two and won only Jo Hodge & Shelby Smart’s game, the team pulled out all the stops in the singles and excellent wins from Charlotte, Sian & Linda saw us poised with Somerset on 4 all, leaving the last match between Bethan Popel and Bev New as the crucial decider. 

This match had been tight from the start with neither player up or down by more than one or two holes. Bethan was 1 up on the tee of the par 3 17^th but the team winced as she sliced her tee shot into the bush only to be followed by Bev doing exactly the same thing! A half on this hole meant that, at the least, we would be level with Somerset at the end of play. Bethan’s drive on the 18^th went down the middle but drifted with the slope to the right of the fairway, blocking out most of the green. Bev’s drive was a touch unlucky in that the rain earlier in the day caused her ball to get stuck in the rough on the left and, even though she had a clear view of the green, both her stance and lie were awkward and no one enjoyed seeing her shank into the woods. However, all credit to Bethan who then hit a perfect approach that used the bank on the left to run on to the flag leaving a birdie putt of less than 5 feet. Match conceded and a vital win to Gloucestershire.

This was followed by wins against Devon (6-3) on Tuesday and against Cornwall (6½ - 2½) on Wednesday. Unfortunately the team’s performance in the foursomes was uncharacteristically weak and we did not enjoy the advantage at lunchtime on either of these two days. This deprived me of the luxury of resting  my top players for the all-important match against Dorset on the Thursday. An added problem was that Jo Hodge had been struck down with tendonitis in her left arm which was very painful. A visit to the medics resulted in her withdrawal from the team as she was put off all golf for 10 days. A very disappointing end for Jo and we were all gutted for her.

A last minute plea to Alison Kelly from Cirencester saw her drop everything and come to the rescue for the day. She had never played Saltford so we asked Kirsty Taylor, recently retired tour pro and member of Minchinhampton who had helped the team with course management during a practice round, to give Ally a crash course using my buggy to whizz round the back 9 while we were busy with the foursomes and then have a look at the front 9. Kirsty was a huge help and I cannot thank her enough for what she did.

The morning foursomes saw some of the best golf in the week. No one played badly but Dorset were on fire and sank putts from everywhere. All credit to Karen Rix and Bethan Popel who produced a fantastic win in the morning. They had been down throughout the match, (at one point 4 down), but they never gave up and slowly clawed their way back to level by the 17^th.  A wayward tee shot from Dorset saw us win this hole gaining the lead for the first time in the match. Another win on the 18^th gave us a solitary point by lunchtime.

We had done it before so 4 singles’ wins was not impossible. I was pleased with the way the draw worked out. Our best against their best. Charlotte was up against England Champion Hayley Davis and this was a ding-dong match all the way with superb golf played by both. A terrific fight-back by Charlotte saw her eradicate Hayley’s lead of 2 by winning both the 16^th & 17^th holes. They were both on the 18^th in regulation but Hayley holed a monstrous putt of over 30ft to win on the last.

Ally played the course in level par but was pitted against 14-year-old Georgia Hall who eagled 2 holes and birdied others. Even so, the match went to the 17^th hole. Zoe Edwards was playing in her first County Week but maintained her steady composure throughout and also took her match to the 18^th but sadly lost. Then followed two fine wins from Linda Carruthers & Sian James but by then it was too late as Dorset had bagged the points they needed. They were deserved winners and played better than us on the day.

You could be forgiven for thinking that this was a team that was tired out and demoralised by Friday. No doubt about it, we were all feeling a little flat as Keddlestone Park and the finals had been at our fingertips and Hannah would have been available to boost the team’s chances there. However, I was never more proud of them than I was on this day. We drafted Corrinne Durber into the team with Jo injured and Shelby unavailable due to exams morning and afternoon. She can now claim a 100% record for the County winning her first match! Sian, Charlotte, Linda & Bethan had played every day but they stepped up to the plate yet again and we lost only one foursomes match in the morning and every singles match in the afternoon –  8-1 to Gloucestershire, leaving us in a creditable, albeit frustrating, second place.

Sian played 36 holes every day and won every singles match – a truly remarkable performance especially when you see her scores – 6&5, 5&3, 6&5, 5&3, 7&6! Linda, who, because of work and family pressures, had hardly touched a golf club this year, also won every singles match – two of them being 8&7 and 8&6. A phenomenal golfer. Charlotte had been playing in Scotland and Ireland leading up to County Week and was given the toughest opponent every day. Even so, she dropped only one singles match and that was because of Hayley’s hallelujah putt to which I’ve referred on the 18^th!

As I mentioned earlier, Shelby Smart was writing exams on every day of County Week but she managed to persuade her teacher to allow her to do this at 6am on one occasion and then came to play 36 holes of golf. On other days she was rushed off the course to go and write in the afternoons. She has shown huge commitment to the County. Even when she was injured and had an arm in plaster she insisted on walking the course with us in the practice session and helped with course notes later as she knows Saltford well. I was delighted to be able to award her County colours at prize-giving.

Bethan Popel’s golf has shifted up several gears this year. Out of the 9 matches she played in County Week she won 6 and often had to contend with very tough opposition.  Her singles record was excellent winning 4 out of 5.

I am glad that Zoe Edwards chose Gloucestershire as her County when she could have played for Glamorgan or Worcestershire. I am confident this will be the first of many County Weeks for her.

Karen Rix is a gritty, never-say-die golfer and that solitary win for the team with Bethan against Dorset is so typical of her golf. She caddied when she was not playing and is a huge contributor to the team as well as a vital support to me.

My thanks to Amanda Mayne, Captain of Somerset, and to Saltford Golf Club who made us very welcome and organised the week superbly. Congratulations to Dorset and all the best to them for the finals in September. 

Susan Reeve

Captain

Gloucestershire Ladies County Golf Association