Women's Captain's Blog, 17th July 2025

It was my Women’s Captain’s Charity Day on Wednesday when 48 women, including a few from the Academy Year 2, played 13 holes of mainly unorthodox golf (!) to raise funds for our Captain’s Charity, The Nightingale Cancer Support Centre. All players were winners, but the top three teams were:

1st:  Tracy Concadoro, Inci Mustafa, Gaye Illsley and Miranda Baldwin

2nd:  Alex Towndrow, Chris Robertson, Sue Palmer and Kathleen Hall

3rd:   Nicola Bennett, Shanta Balram, Emma Supple and Pem Morgan 

Well done everyone! You clearly used your Mulligans and the yard of string to good advantage.

The nearest the pin on the 5th was Helen Savage. Congratulations, Helen!

The tradition of each participant bringing in a wrapped prize worked well again and helps to make it a special day when everyone can win something.

I am delighted to say that from the entry fees and the raffle, £1,250 has been raised from the day. 

Thanks go to many people who helped to make it a success: Ruth for sorting the morning refreshments; Helen Savage for sorting the teams and the cards; Anne and Pat for doing the registration and the raffle; Lucy for her help , as always; Danny, for donating the balls to the raffle and Mary for making the Dundee cake for the raffle; plus thanks to the team captains and to all of those who played, entering into the spirit of the occasion.

Thanks also to our Women’s Academy coach, Nicola Bennett, for supporting our Women’s Charity event and ensuring that we have a stream of new women members each year who have passed through the programme, some of whom played today, and who continue to improve by attending her regular roll-up lessons.

Our senior bridge ladies, who always support our Charity events, held their usual bridge competition and I gave a small box of chocolates to today’s winner, Shirley Fielder. Well done, Shirley!

But, the mystery of who stole the instructions and the yard of string from Chris Robertson’s buggy remains unsolved!  Punitive measures will not be taken but it would be interesting to know who took them, we assume by mistake rather than sabotage…?

Between the Wednesday of the Kay Steel and the Wednesday of the Charity Day, there has been an eventful golf programme. several BHPGC women’s teams played in the Beyond Ourselves Charity Day at Dyrham Park, really enjoying the course and the evening barbecue.

Then on Friday, July 11th we had our 130 Year Celebration Day with 51 playing in the morning and 72 in the afternoon competition. The heat was on in more ways than one, and our lovely blue, white, and silver balloon columns on the first tee could be heard popping in the heat at regular intervals.  It was a great response from the Club and the day proved very successful, finishing, for those still standing, with an excellent disco playing a wide range of music, including garage and the Candy dance!  The morning winners were: Lucy Bidmead, Sharon Saunders, Janet Connor, and Louise Fickling. And in the afternoon, the winners were: John Chapman, Frances Chapman, Carole Wallis and Kathleen Hall. A full list of all the winners and some photographs will appear in the next Bush Telegraph but here are a couple to be getting on with…

Then on Sunday, we had a mixed friendly with Enfield, followed by a meal. Well, I say ‘friendly’ but it was quite competitive, and I think our 5 -1 win will prompt a reciprocal match sooner rather than later!

Then we have the following competitions:

On Friday, July 18th, it’s the Past and Present Lady Captain’s Cup with 12 Captains playing and a number of former captains coming to the lunch after.

On Sunday, July 20th, it’s the Gent’s Invitation to Women.  The reciprocal Women’s Invitation to Gents is on August 10th. Both will, hopefully, have an outdoor barbecue afterwards.

Next week on July 23rd will be my Captain’s Day. This is open to all Divisions and is a draw for teams. There will be a semi shotgun start. The format is Stableford:  one score on par 5’s; 2 scores on par 4’s; and 3 scores on par 3’s. I invite you all to an informal buffet lunch after the competition in the restaurant upstairs where we will also have the prize presentation.  No need to change, other than shoes. I would like a group photograph before we all go upstairs.

Then on Wednesday, July 30th, it’s the Wright (Division 1), Angora (Division 2) and Cashmere (Division 3) Cups with a medal format; and there is a 9-hole Stableford. If you are not able to play in the Cup comps on the 30 July 30th then there is an alternate on Sunday, July 27th.

The number for our Women’s Invitation to Women from other Clubs on Wednesday, August 6th is rising, and we now have 58. If anyone needs help putting together a team, please speak with one of the Committee. The cost is £50 per pair.

We will be thinking of Lisa Martin and Tracey Ripsher when they play in the regional final of the Australian Spoons next week on July 22nd!  Good luck!

‘Celebrate the moments that make you feel alive and fill your heart with gratitude’ wrote the 19th century American essayist, philosopher and poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Looking around at the smiling and animated faces on our Wednesday Charity Day, and on our 130 Year Celebration Day, I reckon that that is what you are all experiencing through your golf.

Happy grateful golfing!

Alison Towndrow
Women’s Captain
 

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