2022 triumphs have taken Lingdale to a new level...
LINGDALE golf club had the most successful year in its history in 2022, achieving individual and team successes at national as well as county level, writes Jennifer Prentice.
Since joining the Leicestershire and Rutland Golf Union in 1969, the club has become increasingly popular and more closely involved in all aspects of the county’s golfing life.
Several members have held senior positions at county, regional and England levels, but last year there were huge accolades on the course, too.
It all started when they won the Daily Mail ladies’ foursomes with Sue Holwell, the former manager of the England hockey team, and Barbara Suffolk.
The pair won no fewer than 10 rounds and in the final secured a comprehensive victory at Slaley Hall Hotel and GC over Sherborne GC.
It was a tough test, not least because wet weather disrupted the scheduled final and the action was resolved later than planned.
As the weather warmed up, Lingdale gathered momentum. Sarah Bowler won the Goodyear Challenge Cup over her home course with a 72 net score.
This cup is contested annually by lady golfers from Leicestershire and Rutland, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.
The club’s ladies’ handicap league team then secured a second successive promotion. Finally, the ladies’ scratch team won division one of this league for the first time in their history.
Junior members got involved in this run of success, too. Harry Rothera won the county boys’ matchplay championship at Longcliffe, with a 2 and 1 victory in the final against Finn Dobson (The Leicestershire).
The club’s men’s scratch team claimed promotion back into division two.
This was followed in October by the men’s county foursomes team of Jamie King, Harry Rothera, Andy Mee and Tom Fairlie winning the inter-club seasonlong championship for the third time.
They beat Birstall by two holes on aggregate in a closely-contested final at Kibworth.
Club captain Kev Pallett was presented with the trophy by county union president Phil Askew.
Later in the same month, Lingdale, represented by Andy Mee and Diana Miller, won the county ladies’ golf association’s Baxter Trophy foursomes tournament for the first time.
The lowest handicapped men and women represent county clubs in this two-weekend event.
Each club can enter two teams, so the qualifying stroke-play stage is highly competitive to reach the semi-final and final.
Mee, Lingdale’s club manager, said: “This was a fitting finale for us in the most successful playing season in the club’s history, with many members winning a number of prestigious competitions, some for the first time.
“Lingdale golf club is already looking forward now to another great season in 2023 and will be trying to emulate these successes and achieve some more this year. It is an exciting time.”