Narrow Margins at Tadmarton: Oxfordshire Push Berkshire to the 18th
13 April, 2026
The Oxfordshire 2nd Team kicked off their season on Sunday April 12th, at a windswept Tadmarton Heath. Facing a talented, young Berkshire side, the day was a true test of "early season mettle" featuring everything from hurricane-force gusts and hail to glorious sunshine.
The Morning: Foursomes Drama
The morning session was a display of exceptional teamwork. With two new pairings in the mix, the energy and focus were high across all three groups. Our Henley ‘Sarahs’ pairing (Hillas and Clarke) led the charge with a clinical 3&1 victory, but the session was a "tale of what might have been," with our other two matches agonisingly decided by putts on the final green. A disappointing way to lose any match and session, especially given the strength shown on and around the greens until that point by our debut pairs Freya White (Burford) / Emma Whiteley (Huntercombe) and Phoebe Simons (Tadmarton) / Issy O’Neill (Drayton Park). Berkshire took a narrow 2-1 lead into lunch.
The Afternoon: Singles Showdown
As the temperature dropped further (if possible) and the skies darkened, the grit of the Oxfordshire squad truly shone:
- The Masterclass: Sarah Clarke delivered a thumping 7&5 win, clinical from start to finish.
- The Composure: Our County Junior Girls Captain, Phoebe, stayed cool under pressure to secure a solid 3-up victory.
- The Grind: Sarah Hillas showed incredible resilience to secure a hard-fought half by winning the 18th, while Emma and Nikky Halsall (Kirtlington) dug deep to stretch their matches right to the end, proving the change in our mentality this season to never know when we’re beaten.
The Verdict
Despite a 5.5 – 3.5 defeat, the positives far outweighed the scoreline. Our squad has been working very hard this winter on mental resilience and landing spots for an improved short-game. The shot-making and length off the tee matched Berkshire throughout, and the team’s preparation and strategy of sharing course notes and planning well ahead of the day was brilliant to see.
We leave Tadmarton disappointed but walk away knowing there is genuine improvement in all areas of our game needed to build a successful and competitive squad and have a sense of momentum heading into the heart of the season. Congratulations to Issy O'Neil of Drayton Park, on making her adult county debut too. The future is bright, and we will continue to give our youngsters experience at this level when we feel they’re ready.
Well played to the whole squad for representing the county with such spirit in truly testing conditions and thank you to Tadmarton Heath Golf Club for hosting the fixture.