Cornwall’s Lauren Hulston revelled in the challenge of parkland golf to top the standings in the fourth England Golf Women’s Medal qualifier at Lyme Regis.
The Royal Navy ladies golf team captain’s home club is Perranporth, where bump and run is king along the Atlantic coast.
But at the Dorset venue the 43-year-old five handicapper enjoyed the target golf element of her round to win by two points from Burnham and Berrow’s Tracey Blood.
Out of the 53 entrants, Lauren was the only one to play under her par, finishing on 37 points despite making a slow start.
“It was a real luxury for me to play at Lyme Regis and the quality of the course was exceptional,” said Lauren, who is the Charter Champion at Perranporth, which has signed up to the England Golf Women In Golf initiative.
“It was really nice to throw shots in at the pin and see the ball hold. When you are used to playing links golf you normally can’t play shots like that.
England Women’s Medal 2021 winners/dates:
• South (Stoneham): Junko Moriuchi (Hendon)
• Midlands North (Belton Park): Kazzia Fox (Thonock Park)
• Midlands South (Northamptonshire): Ellie Horsted (Belton Park)
• South West (Lyme Regis): Lauren Hulston (Perranporth)
• East (Ely City): June 23
• North (Ringway): July 11th
“Overall it was a really nice round of golf and I decided to play attacking golf and my approach play was really good.”
After collecting seven points from her first five holes, she finished the back nine par-par-par-birdie, turning in 18 points after holing out from six feet at the ninth.
She added further birdies at 12, 14 and 15, where her four at the long, par five gave her four points.
Despite double bogeying 17 “from nowhere” she recorded 19 points on the back nine and qualified comfortably for the Grand Final at Woodhall Spa in August.
With the top five making it through, the others heading to the Lincolnshire venue later this year are Gilly Madill (Lyme Regis), Tracy Crooks (Bovey Tracey) and Marsley Parker (Saltford).