Members of the Ross Ladies Section at the Gorsley based Ross Golf Club were able to salute some of their 2018 Lady Trophy winners when the the Club’s Knock-out Finals day & Annual Presentation evening took place recently.

In the blue ribbon event to determine the Club’s Lady Champion, 2017 Champion, 19 year old Sophie Price was defending her title in 36 holes of scratch match play against former Champion Helen Palmer and with both sporting 8 handicaps, a closely fought encounter seemed in prospect. This was not to be with Sophie in fine form and exceeding her expectations to be 5 holes up after 18 holes with the match finishing after 27 holes were played with Sophie 10 up.

For Sophie, her hat-trick of Lady Champion titles in the past four years speaks for itself and she was able to make it a double celebration with her foursomes playing partner, three handicapper Cam Haines who was Men’s Champion in 2017, when Sophie and Cam won the 2018 Howard Porter Trophy.

It reflects well on the Ross Ladies section, currently in the care of Lady Captain, Katie Greenwood and a hardworking and well organised Committee, that some aspiring youngsters are making rapid and impressive progress within the section to suggest that Sophie may soon have some highly capable rivals seeking to take her crown. Notably, teenagers Rhian McGinley and Phoebe Barber have both enjoyed a season of accomplishment that they can look back on with considerable satisfaction.

During the past 12 months Rhian has seen her handicap tumble from 33 to 24, winning both George and Margaret Lane and Bob Beavis Cups and the 6 holes knock-out Final. In finishing runner-up to Pat Johnson in the Ladies Summer Knock-out Cup, Rhian would have gained some highly valued experience through playing at an adult standard.

Equally, Phoebe had a playing handicap of 36 two years ago and her ’continuous improvement’ mindset has resulted in her now playing off a 20 handicap, including winning her first adult competition through the 2018 Bronze Scratch Cup.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now