English ladies golf hits the jackpot
26 July
2005
English women’s amateur golf has hit the jackpot
with a series of stunning results which put the country
at the forefront of the European game.
In the space of just three weeks England has dominated
two European Team Championships and played a crucial
part in Great Britain & Ireland’s victory
over the Continent of Europe in the Vagliano Trophy.
These results are a triumph both for the players
and for the lottery-funded World Class training programme
run by the English Ladies’ Golf Association.
The investment, which began in 1999-2000, is paying
huge dividends. Linda Bayman, ELGA’s performance
director said: “The prospects are excellent
for English women’s golf.
“We are so proud of our players and their performance
is a great boost for the training programme.”
Pat Smillie, England’s national coach, added:
“England is now in a position to compete against
the top nations.
In last weekend’s Vagliano Trophy matches England
players made up one-third of the GB&I team –
and contributed almost two-thirds of the points. Sophie
Walker (Kenwick Park) was the side’s top scorer,
with the maximum four points, while Kerry Smith (Waterlooville)
and Felicity Johnson (Harborne) both scored three.
“They played spectacular golf,” said
Linda Bayman. ”Sophie Walker and Kerry Smith
formed a solid foursomes pairing, winning both matches
comfortably. English champion Felicity Johnson has
made a leap this season from girls’ golf to
full international level and showed that she is very
much at home. She produced golf of real quality on
an unforgiving course.
In the European Team Championships earlier this month
England’s girls won the gold medal while the
ladies led the qualifiers in their event and went
on to win silver.
Pat Smillie commented: “It’s fantastic
that both the girls and the ladies have come through
with such good medals and these results are a sign
that the hard work of many people is coming to fruition.”
The entire girls’ team and most of the ladies’
side in the European championships have been nurtured
throughout their careers by the World Class programme.
They include English champion Felicity Johnson, 18,
whose potential was identified at one of the first
talent assessment sessions held after lottery funding
became available “England are a force to be
reckoned with,” she said.
Among the others are the Yorkshire pair of Kiran
Matharu, 16, (Cookridge Hall) and Jodi Ewart, 17,
(Catterick) who were in the first of ELGA’s
birdie groups, set up to foster young talent.
They were both in the gold medal-winning girls’
team and Kiran described the experience as: ”The
best week’s golf I have ever had. Everyone was
really great to be with, it was just a great team
week.”
The World Class programme identifies talent among
the country’s youngest girl golfers and nurtures
promising players with coaching, sports science and
financial support.
As well as international successes it is producing
a wave of talented players who are dominating domestic
events. For example, Devon’s Laura Eastwood,
a member of the Elite U21 squad, has just won the
English Strokeplay Championship. Yorkshire’s
Naomi Edwards, from the Elite performance squad, became
the first English player for eight years to win the
Scottish St Rule Trophy.
The future? Pat Smillie’s ideal is more investment
in short game training, particularly in warm weather
winter situations. “Five or six years ago we
didn’t think we were hitting the ball far enough
compared with the Europeans. But I think we have addressed
that. Now I would love to see my juniors pitching
and putting to a higher standard.”
She would also like to see more girls getting more
opportunity to compete abroad against continental
players. Another aim is to further improve the lines
of communication with players’ home club professionals
and with their parents.
|
Results & News
