Ashton wins women’s golf shootout
Starting on the third tee due to only 17 players in the field, this year’s Ladies’ Shootout on Sunday November 4 was well run by Jan Robinson and Kay Still.
Like a couple of sergeant majors they made sure the players kept up with the Men’s Shootout ahead, resulting in a much speedier event.
Everyone dreads the prospect of being the first to be put out, and the atmosphere was very tense until Gay Bainbridge’s wayward shots put her out of the competition, then with a collective sigh of relief, everyone settled down happily to get on with the game.
Rae Wright’s lengthy chipout sent her packing on the fourth green. Karen Roche had a miraculous reprieve after losing her ball in the rough on five, incurring a penalty, but her magnificent next shot to the green and one putt resulted in a five-way chipout that saved her bacon, and sent Sarah Tomsett out to spend the rest of the day following the field. Avon Gordon had the longest tee shot on the sixth fairway that unfortunately found the deep greenside bunker, and it cost her dearly, ending in too many shots and her graciously conceding the hole. On the seventh, Pat Hay lost in a chipout with Shoneen Dunning. Niria Gerbich had had enough after strife on the eighth, and Nan Hoggard’s lipped out putt ended her chances on the ninth green. Jenny O’Dwyer struck trouble on the tenth, and on eleven, in her chip-out with Jacquie Bain, Mavis Bruce chipped into the hole, leaving everyone open-mouthed and Jacquie out of the competition. Steady as ever Jenny Tubman lost out on the 12th to a player on a higher handicap with an extra stroke, and an uncharacteristic mis-hit to the 13th green added an extra shot to Mavis Bruce’s score and she was on her way home.
Michelle Libbey pulled her second shot on 14, chipped on to the green for three, but her putt fell short of Kathy Ashton’s by a few centimetres. The bunker on 15 finished Karen Lee’s chances, and on 16, despite a well-executed shot to the green from beside a tree with little room to manoeuvre, Karen Roche’s luck ran out. Down to the last three players on 17, Shoneen Dunning had too many shots and it was over for her.
On the last tee, both Kathy Ashton and Denise McConnon played evenly to the green, finishing all square, requiring a chipout to determine the winner. With nerves stretched, and a big gallery watching silently, Denise chipped first, catching the greenside bunker, but still not too far from the hole.
Then although Kathy Ashton’s chip caught the front edge of the bunker, the ball ran forward on to the green closer to the hole, and the winner was decided. Congratulations Kathy.