Bedfordshire ladies dig deep for third place finish

Hertfordshire just pipped Essex to the title, with hosts Beds finishing joint third with Suffolk ahead of Cambs & Herts and Norfolk.

The format was three scratch foursomes matches each morning and six scratch singles matches each afternoon, with each team playing all the other teams over five days.

Players played 36 holes a day, while 72 volunteers helped out to ensure the smooth running of the event.

The Beds team had a tough start to the week playing last year’s East Region and National winners Essex on day one, before narrowly going down to this year’s eventual winners Hertfordshire on day two.

Beds went on to beat both Norfolk and then Cambs & Hunts, before falling behind to Suffolk in the foursomes on the Friday as they weren’t quite able to overturn the deficit in the afternoon.

County captain Cecilia Holden said: “Congratulations too to the team. Third place was our dream, but at the beginning of the season that dream was a long way off.

“Lots of practice over the winter, an excellent training programme devised by our fantastic coach, Denise Hastings, and sheer hard work from each and every player turned that dream into a reality.

“We took the eventual winners so so close, we dug deep and we played some awesome golf. I am immensely proud of them all.”

Squad: Sally Shayler (Bedfordshire), Bridie Quinn (South Beds), Nikki Morris (John O’Gaunt), Laura Collin (John O’Gaunt), Megan Birdsey (Dunstable Downs), Vanessa Jay (Leighton Buzzard), Chloe Li (Bedfordshire), Sophie Hillier (John O’Gaunt), Sophie Mills (Wyboston Lakes), Bethany Healey (Bedford & County).