Ann Starkey Trophy Semi finals and Finals Report

03 October, 2018

The Ann Starkey Trophy is a new scratch knockout and is played as an inter club competition for Bronze handicap players. Ann Starkey, a former member of Tadmarton Heath, had been very involved in the county; playing for the 1st team in the ‘60s and ‘70s and eventually becoming the President. Ann left a legacy in her will to OLCGA . After some deliberations the Committee decided to hold a competition in her memory run in a similar way to The President’s and Captain’s Trophy.

2018 is the first year for this competition. The Semi Finals and Finals were played at Bicester Golf Club on Friday 28th September. Our thanks to Rafe Kennedy and his staff for their welcome and support on the day. Again this venue was a late fixture date as one of the teams in the semi finals were from the original final Venue, Drayton Park.

The Semi finalists were Frilford Heath, Drayton Park, Huntercombe and Tadmarton Heath.

Frilford Heath drew Huntercombe and Tadmarton Heath drew Drayton Park.

The President, Barbara Round acted as Starter. It was a cooler but dry day and the sun eventually shone.

Both Semi finals were keenly fought. The first match of Stephanie Gibbons and Cathy Nicholls (Huntercombe) and Jackie Topliss and Ailsa Lawrence (Frilford Heath) went to the 19th hole with an eventual victory for Huntercombe after their opponents ball came to a watery end. Their second couple, Sue Berkeley and Jane Falinska also went down the 19th and eventually won at the 21st. Tadmarton played Drayton Park, again all matches went most of the way. Tadmarton winning by 2 matches to 1.

The final round was played in the afternoon between Huntercombe and Tadmarton. The first match was won by Huntercombe. The second match with Judy May and Geraldine Smith (Tadmarton Heath) and Woody Hellyer and Diana Wingfield ( Huntercombe) went to the 18th with a win for Tadmarton. However the final Huntercombe pair managed to prevail giving Huntercombe the Trophy.

The Trophy was presented at tea afterwards by Ann Starkey’s daughter Jane who said how pleased her mother would have been to know of the new knock out. The Teams were told that the origin of the idea for the Bronze knockout competition had come from the Huntercombe Delegate and the final had been between them and Tadmarton; Ann’s Home club.

Huntercombe Team in green from left to right -
Sue Berkeley, (Jane Starkey), Jane Falinska, Stephanie Gibbons, Diana Wingfield,
Cathy Nicholls, Woody Hellyer

Tadmarton Team in blue from left to right Back Row
- Elizabeth Jones – Hilary Patterson – Chrissie Chapman- Jenny Nunneley – Judy May – Geraldine Smith Maggie Irwin.