Women's Captain's Blog, 28th August 2025

On Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August, there were two Club competitions played, the Martin Dench Texas Scramble and Wilson Putting Vase. It was a highly memorable day for at least two people! Huge congratulations to Mandy Lawson for her hole in 1 on the 16th; and thanks for the drinks!   

And congratulations to Lucy Bidmead for winning the Wilson Putting vase after a tense play-off against Matt Hunt! Here’s an excited Lucy! 

The winners of the Texas Scramble were: Liz Tolton, Clare Laycock, Sally Minks and Stewart Laycock with  a score of 47; and runners up were our Captain, Guy, Iain Lanario, Simon Lanario and Andrew Corden with a score of 51.  Well done all winners!  

There were some  good scores with many benefitting from the crazy bounces and wild behaviour of some balls.  (When that rain comes, it will be a very different story!) 

The Scramble was followed by a delicious summer buffet and live music from the singer, Abbey-Jayne. 

The previous Friday, 22 August, there had been another popular and successful Mixed Social Golf afternoon with two teams having 69 points: Andy Dodd, Sally Minks and Kathleen Hall; also Kailas Parmar, Carol Agass, Clare Laycock and Finola. Please enter for the next Mixed Social date on Friday, 26 September. Thanks for all your organisation, Julie! 

While mentioning Mixed Social Golf dates, please also note the one on Thursday, 18 September at 3pm.

Our Wednesday competition this week was the August Monthly Stableford with a combined entry of 38 players. We enjoyed (?!) our first significant rainfall that morning with a distant rumble of thunder. The clouds soon cleared and the sun broke through again but not before the ducks had a good old laugh at our expense!  Some had come onto the golf course better prepared for rain than others! 

Winners 

Div 1:

1st Nikki Chodurek with an amazing 47 points 

2nd Lisa Martin 39 points 

Div 2: 1st  

Michelle Grammar 44 points 

2nd Chris Robertson 36 points 

Div 3:  

1st Sue Palmer 39 points 

2nd Frances Chapman 31 points 

There were 3 players who scored a two: Mary Kemal on the 13th; and Lisa Martin and Sue Nugent on the 15th. 

Five players entered for the 9 hole Stableford which was won by Finola Praill with 20 points. 

Congratulations to all winners today! The playing conditions remained challenging with many bare lies, slower greens after the rain, and bounces continuing to be unpredictable. Well done to all those who coped so amazingly well with these challenges! 

Our first competition in September on Wednesday, 3 September is the Daily Mail Foursomes. Sign up for this is in pairs. All are welcome to play but your handicap index will be capped at 25. This competition can also be played on the Sunday before, 31 August; and there is a 9 hole Stableford on the Wednesday. 

On Sunday, 7 September, we have the Iris Sumner, 4BBB from 1 pm, played in pairs  for Divisions 1 and 2; but others are welcome to play for the experience. Sign-up opened on 24 August and it would be good to have a few more entries. 

On Wednesday, 10 September, it is the President’s Prize for Women when our President, Iain Lanario will cheer us on, give us refreshments and  present the prizes in the upstairs restaurant. Please note that this is open to all Divisions – 1,2,3 and 4.  

We have another Sunday afternoon competition on 14 September, the Grace Lawrence Business Women’s Cup. This is a Stableford open to all players who are still in full or part-time employment, or self-employed. There aren’t that many of you but I hope that we have a good entry. 

Then the Wednesday after, on 17 September, it is the Autumn Meeting; an individual medal competition for Divisions 1 and 2  in the morning, followed by a 9 hole Team Competition in the afternoon for Divisions 1 -3. There will be an early evening, two course meal after, costing £23.95, followed by a prize presentation. This is the last big event in the Women’s calendar in my Captain’s Year so I look forward to seeing many of you there. You are welcome to join us for the meal even if you haven’t played. 

On Monday, 22 September, we have the Women’s Committee Cup, Mrs Shaw’s trophy, from 8am with a lunch after. To be eligible to play in this you need to have been a Committee member for a full calendar year. 

The final Wednesday competition of my year, on September 24th, is the Autumn Cup for Divisions 1 and 2 and the September medal which is for Divisions 1 to 3. Both competitions can be played on Sunday, 21 September. And, there is also a 9 hole Stableford on the Wednesday.  

The Final Medal competition for those who have won a monthly medal between March and September in all 3 Divisions is to be played on Sunday, 28 September or Monday, 29 September. Helen will put a list up of the winners and you play again just once, choosing someone from that list to partner you. There is one overall Medal winner. 

There is also a final Stableford competition played on either the following Sunday, 5th October or Monday, 6th October. 

These dates are not negotiable. If you are eligible and want to enter you have to be available to play on one of those dates. 

Two other key date dates for your diary: the Club AGM on Thursday, 25 September; and our Women’s Section AGM on Tuesday, 30 September. Please come and support our New Women’s Captain who we are expecting to be Umar Annaradnam. Hazel Goodyear will be sending out papers for our AGM shortly.  

While we played our August Stableford, Sharon Saunders and Ruth Goulding were competing in the regional final of the Coronation Foursomes at Thetford. They had a great time and enjoyed playing the course but competition was stiff, with scores in the high 40’s. Well done for representing our Club! 

A plug for one more Club event – the Pro Am on Friday, 5 September. We need more teams of 3 to join a Pro, please. We have the Pro’s but we need more teams. The day starts at 8.30 a.m. with breakfast roll and coffee; then a shotgun start from 10 a.m.; with a buffet after.  Cost for a team is £285 (£95 per member). This is a great opportunity to play with a Professional golfer.  If you can get a team together, please email Michelle in the Office as soon as possible.  

I apologise for this being such a long blog but I was keen that you should have a note of the remaining events in my Captain’s Year. Also, I am taking a week’s break in Cornwall so next week’s blog will be written by Umar, who will also deal with any queries you may have that week. 

Finally, I promise!, I hope you were as pleased as I was that Tommy Fleetwood has at last won a PGA title, at Atlanta. After playing 164 US events, which included 30 top-5 finishes, and 7 runners-up placings, he was winner of the Tour Championship on August 21st! Tommy has said:  ‘I have always been a very patient person, I am a perfectionist but have a high level of patience….Just keep playing. There’s nothing else you can do.’  

These are sentiments felt by other professional golfers so do not despair, tell yourself that you will win one day!

Positive golfing!

Alison Towndrow
Women’s Captain
 

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