Grant to help Stoke Rochford GC attract more lady and junior golfers

Stoke Rochford Golf Club’s drive to attract more junior and lady golfers to the sport has been given a boost thanks to a grant.

Lincolnshire Sports Forum, in conjunction with the Lincolnshire Community Foundation, have awarded the club their maximum £250 grant to help encourage new players.

The money will be spent on two half-sets of clubs for budding golfers.

“It will help us buy more equipment for those ladies and juniors who want to give golf a try but don’t want to go to the expense of buying clubs beforehand,” said club secretary Mike Heath.

“Our focus at the moment is on juniors and ladies and we would like to thank the Lincolnshire Sports Forum for their support with this.”

Bucking the general trend during the pandemic, Stoke Rochford’s membership has grown handsomely over the last 15 months, but the club remains keen to boost its ladies’ section and attract golf’s next generation.

Stoke has an impressive current crop of juniors, underlined in September 2019 when they beat Woodhall Spa to win the Lincolnshire Golf Union Junior League Final at Ashby Decoy Golf Club.

The county title earned the Stoke juniors the right to represent Lincolnshire at the English Junior Champion Club finals.

Covid-19 denied them the opportunity last year, but the invitation has been held over to 2021, and they will compete in the two-day championships on Woodhall Spa GC’s Bracken course on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 24 and 25.

Results: Ladies' Summer Open - 1 Cathy Lee (Toft), 2 Katie Underwood (Birstall), 3 Christine Rowley (Stoke Rochford). Ladies' Club Championship - 1 Hattie Dow.

Stoke Rochford Ladies competed for the Alternative Trophy on Saturday.

Vice-Captain Jane White, Norma Varley and Leven Li finished first with with 70 points while second went to Emma Steel, Avis Griffin and Lynn Ewart with 66.

Lady Captain's Day saw Mags McArthur choose to have a fun day with a blue theme that was seen right across the golf course.

Some ladies wore blue wigs others dyed their hair while sported ribbons.

Jim McArthur dressed as a lady and also joined in the fun.

The format for the game was a three ball Texas Scramble.

Results: 1 The Blue Moonies: Chris Rowley, Dorne Werner, Pam Watson 63.7, 2 Blur Belle Birdies: Hannah Thorpe, Lara Manton, Kaitlyn Van Den Enden 64.3, 3 Trio of Blue Beautiful Witches: Avis Griffin, Joan Lennard, Lynn Ewart.