Thurlestone Golf Club

All change. It’s that time of the year when golf clubs say farewell to those who have steered them safely through the year and welcome others who hope to do just as well in the 12 months ahead writes Lincoln Shaw.

With a silent prayer that the weather will be better than the succession of rainstorms and turbulent winds that have kept timid creatures (like me) snug and safe indoors for much of the time.

But not those brave ladies of course. In what were politely called ‘blustery conditions’ (that’s a near gale to you and me) 32 of them turned out to play a Delaney Texas scramble in teams of three.

With a close finish that required the computer to decide who won.

It declared that the trio of Sue Curry, Inger Reeve and Bar­bara Smith topped the tree with a score of 41.9 from Liz Davies, Gill Durden and Yvonne Pike, who had entered the same score.

Third place was taken by Wendy Stew­art, Victoria Gibbens and Jane Mason with a score of 42.33.

Off the course the big event of the week for them was the ladies’ AGM, with Kay Morley all set to hand over the reins of leadership after a very busy year which I hope she enjoyed.

Reporting on the year about to fade away, she congratulated Jenny Roberts on winning the club championship for the sixth time in seven years.

Surprisingly (to me at least) she said the overall weather had been kind, with only three competitions cancelled and the knockout competitions keenly contested.

Generous ladies had raised more than £1,000 for her chosen charity – Parkin­son’s UK.

Eight ladies had reduced their handicaps, notably Sue Curry by five shots.

Officially the new regime will start on New Year’s Day, when Yvonne Pike from Mal­borough will whack the first official shot of 2016 straight down the middle, I feel sure.

In tandem with the new club captain Alas­tair Proctor. May those golfing gods smile on them both during what promises to be an interesting year to come.

A familiar name in the prize lists (as you will see in the scramble names above), Yvonne took up the game in 1991 at Wrangaton and has been a Thurlestone member for 13 years, with off the course responsibilities including three years as a committee member and serving as league captain and handicap secretary.

Yvonne’s committee will have four new members – Denise Crawford, Gwen Hale, Sheila George and Liz Line.

The charity she has chosen to support is the Devon Air Am­bulance Trust.

Thurlestone seniors have also been celebrating an enjoyable and successful year with their ladies’ night, always something special.

Sixty members and their guests enjoyed an excellent meal and the ladies received their traditional presents.

Presentations were made by the club captain’s wife, Rosemary Hutchison, to Richard Bird, who finished first, and Jimmy Doak, who was second.

Both good friends of mine and always excellent company, on and off the course.

Sadly I couldn’t be with you. Much too far to travel on a fairly filthy night.