FORMAT: Best of 3/5/7 team matchplay
The finals of the Yorkshire Ladies Inter Club Team Championships reached a thrilling conclusion on Sunday with Bracken Ghyll claiming the last of five titles at Cottingham Parks.
The year-long competitions attracted almost 300 entries across the five leagues with the Weekend League, which is ostensibly designed for members who work so can only play on Saturday and Sundays, being the final one to finish.
And it was quite a finale in the best-of-three affair. After both sides registered 3&2 wins – Debbie Bonner for Skidby Lakes and Carole Cox for the Ilkley-based club – Theresa Blackburn got the better of Christine Warden at the first extra hole to secure a 2-1 victory.
Bracken Ghyll’s semi-final with Crow Nest Park was also a close-run contest. The bottom ties went into extra holes after Karen Lampkin took the top match 5&4 but the eventual champions came through with Cox winning at the second extra hole and Blackburn at the 19th.
It was all much more clear cut in the Scratch League finals at Hessle with Ganton putting in two dominant efforts to come out on top for the first time since 2013.
North of England U-16s champion Amy Staveley led way as the North Yorkshire club beat Hallamshire 4-0 in the final having reached the last two without losing a match against Ilkley.
Against Hallamshire, Staveley (4&3), Sara Gilmore (6&5), Naomi Edwards (6&5) and Pat Smillie (6&5) registered emphatic victories. In the morning Millie Russell was an 8&6 winner as Staveley, Gilmore and Smillie were again victorious.
The A League is open to players with a handicap up to 27.4 and again there was a clear winner with Leeds’s top four all delivering against Selby to claim the trophy –
Paula Arrowsmith (1 hole), Jenny Kim (4&3), Jo Eastwood (4&3) and Karen Short (3&2).
Leeds collected their prize from a fellow member which meant it was an extra special moment for YLCGA President Ann McMullan.
A day earlier the B Finals took place at Wath. This is an event for players with handicaps between 18.5 and 36.4.
Cleckheaton were in fine form all day, seeing off Whitby in the semi-finals with only one defeat and then claiming the spoils without losing a tie against Hickleton.
In the final the wins came from Helen Lambert (2 holes), Karen Tyler (2&1), Tina Beaumont (4&2), Sally Pegg (2 holes) and Lynn Durham (4&3).
The White Rose League, which is designed for clubs with smaller ladies sections (0-36 hcaps), is a best-of-five event and the four finalists tackled Dore & Totley.
Woodhall Hills came out on top in a thrilling final with Queensbury. The outcome hinged on the last match with Tracey Hughes seeing off Jean Cawkwell at the 18th. Before that the Woodhall successes came from Miranda McKenzie (5&4) and Sue Matthew (2 holes) while Joanne Ritchie (5&4) and Carol Bray (3&2) garnered points for Queensbury.