Lady Captain's Report - Club AGM - 1st November, 2010

I apologise in advance for the length of this report. My husband says I have verbal diarrhoea, but I think it is testament to the fun I have had!

This time last year, I was filled with excitement and trepidation at becoming Lady Captain for the year 2010. I felt like Harry Potter, waiting for the Hogwart's Express to come thundering through the wall of platform 93/4 at King's Cross Station. I am not kidding. I was so worried I would find myself standing here today, apologising for wrecking a year but I need not have worried - the Ladies have come up trumps and all I need do is hand out praise and thanks!

We have had some lows – speeding points on my license, for instance, on a Rogers Cup Day, just to add insult to injury – and we did not retain Top of the League, but we did come a close 2nd to Bath. Next year we renew our fight to reclaim first place by using our secret weapon – a batch of rapidly improving bronze players, one of whom is Julie Taylor, our new Vice Captain! There was also a sadness, when I had to attend the funeral of one of our previous Lady Captains, Maureen James and pass on our condolences to her husband Ken.

Against this, there have been so many more highs – With handicaps, Annabelle Faragher won the cup for Most Improved Player, moving from 15 to 8, Stacie Watts was second, 33 to 23. Both girls are now training with the County Firsts, a testament to Andrew's teaching, and we wish them a happy future. Annabelle has now moved to Burnham and Berrow G.C. It's lovely to see the Juniors do well but praise must also go to the third person on that list, one of our secret weapons, Angela Baker. She did not learn to play golf as a Junior, but has dropped from 34 to 26 this year! Finally, congratulations to Ros Williams for dropping to 12 and category 2.

More highs - our team of Past Lady Captains won their Team Event again. Sandra Ford and partner were 2nd in the County Fowler Brooches. Three ladies entered the County Championships this year, including Annabelle Farragher, and both Vanessa Watts and Annabelle won through to play for the Phillips Trophy. The ice now being broken, more ladies are keen to follow their example next season. At the SW Vets. Spring Meeting, Caroline Lumley-Frank came 1st in the Bronze Division.

At Club level, a busy year, with ever-increasing numbers playing. The beautiful summer encouraged people out – even our more tentative lady players were encouraged to play in our Joint Charity Match. Our guests heaped praise on us for our Invitation Day. One of my first delights of the summer was that the Mixed Open happened...at all...thanks to the support of Management and members alike, and that it was enjoyed by all. I hope it will keep happening. The same generosity of spirit applies to our Ladies Open. The machinations of County Highways looked set to scupper it by sending us all round in circles, but with help from my committee and ordinary members alike, who stepped forward out of the goodness of their hearts, the problems were solved and it was a great success. Sixteen different clubs were represented in 31 teams, a massive increase on last year, reflecting both the importance and success of last year's efforts and Long Sutton's growing reputation for having a beautiful course and being so welcoming.

We had more ladies than ever entering our Ladies Championships, including a group of 'really new to golf' ladies. Did they really know what they were taking on, thirty six holes in one day? A pat on the back to us all but special congratulations to Vanessa Watts, who is our Ladies Champion for the first time, Joce Dunevein, our Bronze Champion and Connie Stolworthy, our Seniors Champion.

Sandra proved a canny Tri-Match Captain and brought home the Tri-Match Trophy. We have won the majority of our Friendlies and Mixed Friendlies. All of this is good...We like winning, but really, the main point is that we enjoyed playing and helping our playing partners enjoy it too. With this in mind, I have awarded my Captain's Spoon to Dawn Pursey. For me, she puts things into perspective - she covers up her own problems with a laugh and makes sure everyone else around her has fun, proving you can be a winner on many different levels. I think the St. Margaret's Hospice Day comes into the same category. Thanks to all the ladies who contributed to that day but I will always remember arriving at the 14th, to be greeted by Angela and Sara, all smiles, saying “£5 please”. They did it with such charm. I did not feel a thing!

I shall not forget my 100 Holes in a hurry. Having overslept, I arrived in the gloom to find my helpers, Hilary Dennes, Sandra Ford and Kath Rushton patiently waiting with their respective, understandably irritated, husbands. Not a good start to a testing day but thanks to Sandra, Hilary and Kath for being such good friends and sports too and thanks to everyone for their encouragement and support that day. Hilary and Sandra both played 50 holes each and we raised £1,290 for my Charity, Asthma in Children at Yeovil District Hospital. The total raised to date by our Section is £2588.05. I am amazed by people's generosity. The Juniors alone raised £10 in fines for me in their match against us – the result of which we won't mention! – and that is a very special £10.

At the end of a busy, sunny summer, we squeezed in some Away Days, light relief after all the work - to the lovely Dainton Park and overnight at an exciting but exhausting Elfordleigh. We thoroughly enjoyed both trips – some of us really well... but our lips are sealed! More light relief when Andrew kindly gave his time to play four Charity Challenges for my charity. We had great fun with these and thanks to all who joined in.

I'm saving one major highlight, but I can't wait any longer! Apologies to Mick, but I have to say it again – the ladies won the Redwood Cup in two legs for the first time since 2003. I danced in the corridor and whooped with delight. Most unladylike! Thank you Mick and the Seniors and thank you the many ladies who played, but I think we had better make the most of it. The Seniors' dander will be up now and John will be out for revenge!

Nearly finally, thanks to my family for all their understanding. I hope Alex is ready for his year ahead, as well as Eliza! Take as given, my thanks to everyone involved with the running of the club, from Management to the members as a whole. You have all made my year that much easier and so much fun. Big thanks to my ladies and my committee, who have worked so hard, always cheerfully and always willingly and lastly, special thanks to my Vice-Captain, Eliza Vail, for all her patience. She has duly suffered her year of anxious waiting, but now her waiting is over, as I hand her the the honour and privilege of being the Ladies' Captain for the year 2011.

Gill Edwards