Ladies Scottish Open starts tomorrow

Time I started winning instead of

making up the numbers, says Lynn

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Mhairi McKay, Clare Queen and Lynn Kenny are all aiming to become the first Scot to win on home soil since Catriona Matthew won in 1998 when they tee up in the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open at The Carrick on Loch Lomond, which begins on Thursday.
McKay, who now bases herself in Los Alamos, New Mexico, jetted in from Miami on Monday afternoon. The two-time Solheim Cup player is the most high profile Scottish player in the field. She won her sole professional tournament at the AAMI Australian Women’s Open.
However, with a share of fifth place at last year’s event - played later in the season - on the same golf course, Kenny tied as the leading Scot and hopes to improve on her career best performance in front of the home galleries this time.

“I’ve got good memories from it from last year. I was cruising along at a different level. It was good,” Kenny (Cal Carson Golf Agency picture above, all rights reserved) said. “I think it’s about time I started winning. The last couple of years I’ve been biding my time and I think I’m ready to get some top 10s and top-five finishes; start challenging for titles instead of just making up the numbers.

“I think now I’ve signed a new deal with TaylorMade I feel like a real professional! I’ve got a caddie on the bag so everything is falling into place nicely. I think it’s about time I made a move.”
Queen has the advantage that she is attached to the course and regularly practises at the facility. After a good start to the year, she is also hoping to secure her maiden win.

“At the end of the season I’d like to be in the top 20. My initial target is to get into the top 25 in time for the British Open at Sunningdale,” said Queen.

“I’m just taking it on the progress that I’ve made over the last couple of years.”

Having played in the pro-am on Tuesday, McKay commented: “The course is a great lay-out and they’ve set it up well for the girls. It’s going to be a fun week. Obviously the weather is cold and you are fighting for every inch. The ball doesn’t fly quite as far as it does in Florida.

“Last year we were unfortunate to get the bad weather. Hopefully this year things will improve. Yesterday was a nice day. I don’t know what the forecast is. You can’t come home to Scotland without a bit of rain!”

Kenny and Queen faced the defending champion Sophie Gustafson and Johanna Westerberg, both from Sweden, in a nearest-the-pin style competition this morning. The LET players hit two shots each from the top of a motorboat on Loch Lomond onto the 15th green at The Carrick.

The Scottish pair won and earned a weekend break in a mansion house at the De Vere resort. Unfortunately, Queen dropped her golf bag while posing for a photograph with Kenny and snapped her driver’s Grafalloy shaft in the process.

At first she and Kenny thought the head cover had fallen into the water. “It was quite funny until I realised that the shaft was attached to it and it was in two bits!” said Queen, who should have it repaired by her 8.30am tee time in the first round tomorrow morning.

United States college circuit round-up

TARA DELANEY RUNNER-UP IN
MID-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Former Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney (Kent State) from Carlow finished runner-up as her college supplied the first three finishers in the Mid-American Women's College Conference championship at Brickyard Crossing, Indianapolis.
Tara, pictured right, scored 74, 75, 75 and 70 for a total of six-over-par 294 over the par-72, 6126yd course.
She finished three shots behind team-mate Kirby Dreher who scored 74, 74, 74 and 69 for 291.
A third Kent State player, Kira Meixner finished third in a field of 40 with 74, 74, 77 and 73 for 298.
Kent State ran away with the team title, totalling 1177, compared with runners-up Eastern Michigan (1228) and Toledo (1232) in a field of eight teams.

DANIELLE McVEIGH FOURTH IN BIG 12
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Hannah Burke (Baylor University, Texas), for the second year ina row has been named to the Big 12 Women's Conference select, but she could finish only jt 10th in a high-scoring conference championship tournament at Karsten Creek, Stillwater in Oklahoma.
Presumably the weather was bad because the winner, Oklahoma State's Jaclyn Sweeney finished nine-over-par with 74, 74 and 77 for 225.
Oklahoma State players also finished second and third with Karin Kinnerud on 229 (76-76-77) and Amanda Johnson on 230 (80-74-76).
Danielle McVeigh (Texas A&M) from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland finished fourth on 233 with 78, 75 and 80 for 233.
Hannah Burke scored 77, 80 and 80 for 237.
Sadly, in her final tournament in US college golf, former English women's stroke-play champion Sian Riddick (Baylor) had a nightmare three rounds of 93, 91 and 90 to finish last of 60 on 274.
She had 11 double bogeys, one triple bogey and one quadruple bogey over the 54 holes.
Oklahoma State (912) won the team event from Texas A&M (939) and Texas (958) with Baylor (1021) last of 12.

GEMMA WEBSTER JT 43rd IN
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP

Gemma Webster (Ohio State) from Glasgow finished joint 43rd in a field of 66 for the Big Ten Women's College Conference championship over the Penn State University Blue course (par-72, 6271yd).
Gemma scored 77, 79, 78 and 82 for a total of 316.
Winner by 10 shots was Spaniard Maria Hernandez as Purdue University provided the first and second finishers. Maria shot 75, 71, 66 and 69 for seven-under-par 281. She had an eagle and 14 birdies over the 72 holes.
Runner-up was team-mate Christel Boeljon from the Netherlands with 73,70, 75 and 73 for 291.
Purdue (1169) won the team championship from Michigan State (1190) with Ohio State (1202) third of 12.

Bedfordshire prospect played in English event

Eyemouth-born Alistair Collin and his daughter Laura, born in England, at the weekend Helen Holm Scottish women's open stroke-play tournament (Cal Carson Golf Agency image, all rights reserved).

Scot's daughter Laura can't

play for Scotland now

Up-and-coming English player Laura Collin, one-handicap member at John O’Gaunt Golf Club, Sandy in Bedfordshire – about 50 miles north of London on the A1, could have been a contender for a place in the Scotland women’s golf team.
Could have been … until she played in the English women’s closed stroke-play championship.
Until then, Laura, born in England 21 years ago on June 12, had the choice of playing for Scotland or England as her dad, Alistair, was born at Eyemouth. Laura's image left is Cal Carson Golf Agency copyright, all rights reserved.
Once a girl has played in a closed championship of any of the home countries, she can only play amateur international golf for that country.
Alistair Collin, caddieing for his daughter at the Helen Holm Scottish women’s open amateur stroke-play championship at Troon, revealed that he himself played for Scotland in the boys’ home internationals of the 1970s.
“Sandy Lyle was in the England boys’ team because his father was a pro in England and the family lived there,” recalls Alistair. “Nick Faldo was also in the England line-up. In the Scotland team apart from myself were David Robertson from Dunbar and Brian Marchbank.
“Never really thought about Laura’s qualification to play for Scotland through me. She regards herself as English with a Scottish father so that was that.”

Lossiemouth links popular venue for SLGA event

The 18th green on Moray Golf Club's Old Course at Lossiemouth (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved).

SCOTTISH WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP ENTRY
FIGURE OF 97 TOPS ENGLISH NUMBER

Scottish Ladies Golfing Association tournament officer Fiona Farquharson is delighted at the size of the entry for this year's Scottish women's amateur championship over the Moray Golf Club's Old Course links at Lossiemouth from May 13 to 17.
"The entry list closed at 97 which is 19 more than we had at Kilmarnock Barassie last year and nine more than at Dunbar the year before that," said Fiona.
The close on a hundred figure is also one up for the Scots over the English - there are 78 entries for the English championship at Ganton the same week.

English women's close championship entries

Ganton home advantage for

title-holder Naomi Edwards

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Yorkshire golfer Naomi Edwards will enjoy home advantage when she defends the English women’s close amateur championship at her club, Ganton, from May 13-17.
The 24-year-old will take on a field of 78 players from all over the country, including a host of fellow internationals, two members of this year’s Curtis Cup team and two former champions. More than a quarter of the field are aged under 18 and two of the players are 14-years-old. Yorkshire’s Amy Marper (Hillsborough) took up golf two years ago and has made meteoric progress to reduce her handicap to five.
Leicestershire’s Jamie-Leigh Voss (Kirby Muxloe) already holds a scratch handicap.
They’ll tee up alongside such players as Hampshire’s Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor) and Lancashire’s Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale) who have been selected for the 2008 Curtis Cup team.
Staffordshire’s Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton) is a Curtis Cup reserve and recently won the French lady junior championship.
Past winners of the English closed title are Hampshire’s Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) and Yorkshire’s newly married Emma Brown, better known as Emma Duggleby of Malton & Norton. They are both former Curtis Cup players.
Yorkshire is one of England’s strongest golfing counties – they’ve won the inter-county championship for the past four years – and they’re fielding a total of 13 players in this event.
Leading the way is defending champion Naomi Edwards, who has been a member at Ganton for about five years and will find local knowledge invaluable. Naomi's picture above is by courtesy of Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved.
Ganton, which lies between York and Scarborough, is one of Britain’s best inland courses and has hosted the Ryder Cup, the Curtis Cup and the Walker Cup. It is noted for its prolific, deep bunkers and the great banks of gorse and broom.
For this championship the ladies’ lay-out has been lengthened very slightly to 6033 yards and will have a par of 72 and standard scratch score of 76.
Three of the par-5s - the seventh, 15th and 18th - will be played as par-4s in the championship.
Naomi commented: “Playing at home may put a little more pressure on me but I should be able to cope – and I should know the greens and the clubs to take better than anyone else.
“I am sure there will be a lot of support from the Ganton members who would like to see me retain the title – and so would I! I shall give it my best shot and see what happens.”
Naomi, who may turn professional at the end of this season, has won a host of individual titles, is an England international, played in the 2006 Curtis Cup and helped Great Britain win the Commonwealth Tournament last year. She played all four rounds of last year’s Women’s British Open.
The Yorkshire contingent in the championship includes two other members of Ganton. They are Sara Garbutt, a past winner of the English stroke-play championship and the 2007 Yorkshire champion; and Julie Brown, who plays off five and whose husband is the club professional.
The youngsters are well represented and include teenage county players Nikki Dunn, 17, (Harrogate) and Kimberley Crooks,17, (Saltburn by the Sea) alongside Ellie Robinson, 17, (Middlesborough), from the English Women’s Golf Association Select North squad.
Other Yorkshire players in the championship are: Laura Harvey (Richmond) Sarah Lundy (Cookridge Hall), Carrie Mackenzie (Beauchief), Siobhan Richards (Owston Hall) and Fiona Wood (Ilkley) who twice won the Dominican Republic ladies’ championship while working there as a primary school teacher.
The championship begins on Tuesday, May 13 and competitors will play an 18-hole stroke-play qualifying round on each of the first two days of the event. The lowest 32 scores qualify for the match-play knock-out stages of the tournament which start on Thursday, May 15. The final will be played on the morning of Saturday, May 17.
There will be online scoring throughout the championship on www.englishwomensgolf.org
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Sammy Vass (Tain), Jane Turner (Craigielaw), Laura Murray (Alford) and Rebecca Wilson (Monifieth) pictured at PGA Golf de Catalunya.

Scottish girls tested at PGA

Golf de Catalunya

Some of Scotland’s brightest young golf stars visited PGA Golf de Catalunya near Barcelona, home of this year’s European Tour Qualifying School Finals, as part of their pre-season training.

The 12-strong Scottish girls squad, including Michele Thomson, 19, one of four young Scots selected to play in the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team, took on the Green Course, previously used to host the Spanish Open and Sarazen World Open, won by Thomas Björn, playing from the women’s professional tees.

Scottish Ladies Golf Association national coach Kevin Craggs said: “We wanted the girls to experience a challenging golf course and made them play from the lady professional tees to stretch them in preparation for the coming season.

“The girls responded very positively and loved the golf course and its condition – these were the best greens we played on during our trip to Spain. The practice facilities are outstanding, too, and we were able to spend time working on short game skills and putting drills, which are extremely beneficial to the girls’ games.”

PGA Golf de Catalunya is ranked among Europe’s best golf resorts and has two courses – Green and Red – both of which will be used for the European Tour Qualifying School Finals in November.

“We selected 12 girls on their performance over the past year, their potential and their commitment to all training activities,” said SLGA Chairman of Training Janet Wake.

“It is good for the girls to be playing courses of this standard – PGA Golf de Catalunya really is a great course and in a fantastic region of Spain.”

Juan del Río, CEO of PGA Golf de Catalunya, part of the PGA European Tour Courses group, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Scottish Girls’ squad. Everyone here was hugely impressed with the standard and quality of golf that the team displayed, and the professionalism with which they approached their training and coaching – there is no doubt that there are stars of the future in this squad.”

Swede's 67 sets record in "Helen Holm" final round

Kylie Walker and Jacqueline Hedwall (right) in action during their memorable final rounds over the Royal Troon links on Sunday (Cal Carson Golf Agency images, all rights reserved).

Kylie Walker and Jacqueline Hedwall

break the Royal Troon 70 barrier

BY COLIN FARQUHARSON

Talk about No 7 buses! No lady player had broken 70 over the Royal Troon links since the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play championship was started there in 1973.

Then, in the space of 10 minutes, last Sunday, Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) and Jacqueline Hedwall (Sweden) went through the low-score barrier.

The "Helen Holm" did not have a Scottish title tag in its early years but it was still contested by a lot of very good players down through the years.
But none of the "greats" who have graced the 54-hole tournament - Belle Robertson, Muriel Thomson, Wilma Aitken, Gillian Stewart, Jane Connachan, Mhairi McKay and Catriona (Lambert) Matthew to name but a few – ever got close to breaking 70 over the par-75 ladies’ course.
Until this past Sunday, a score of 70 was the ladies' tournament record-low for Royal Troon, achieved by 1995 winner Maria Hjorth from Sweden, Becky Brewerton (Abergele) in 2000 and Emma Sheffield (Newark) in 2006.
Strangely enough, even Melissa Reid (Chevin) when she smashed the Troon Portland women’s record with a 12-under-par score of 63 on her way to equalling Emma Duggleby’s 2004 tournament record total of 211, never got to grips with the Royal Troon links.
Melissa signed off with a 78 in 2007 while Emma had a closing 71 in 2004.
All of these statisticis put into perspective the two remarkable scores in Sunday’s final round of this year’s “Helen Holm.”
Scotland international Kylie Walker returned a six-under-par 69 and, playing immediately in front of her, Sweden’s Jacqueline Hedwall claimed the new Royal Troon women’s course record with a brilliant eight-under 67.
Kylie, 21, said she drove the ball “really well” and “holed a few putts” to get halves of 35 and 34 against the par of 37 out and 38 home.
Jacqueline, an 18-year-old twin sister of the more highly-rated Caroline Hedwall, seemed a little bemused by it all when she finished with halves of 32 and 35, perhaps not surprising with eight birdies and no bogeys over one of the toughest ladies’ links courses anywhere.
“Only” 6315yd long but seven par-5s and usually playing a lot longer with a wind to contend with.

LADIES’ PAR FOR TROON LINKS:
OUT: 4-5-4-5-3-5-4-3-4—37. IN: 4-5-5-4-3-5-5-3-4--38

KYLIE’S FIGURES WERE:
OUT: 4-4-4-4-2-6-3-3-5—35. IN: 3-3-4-5-3-5-4-3-4—34.

JACQUELINE’S FIGURES WERE:
OUT: 4-4-3-4-2-5-4-2-4—32. IN: 3-4-5-4-3-4-5-3-4—35.

Amazingly, their better-ball score was a staggering 12-under-par 63 (31-32).
These last-day scores enabled Jacqueline Hedwall and Kylie Walker to shoot up the final standings.
Jacqueline improved from joint 24th position, eight shots behind her sister Caroline, the 36-hole leader, to overtake her and finish second with a nine-under-par total of 216, two behind the winner, France’s Barbara Genuini (who scored 70 at Royal Troon).
Kylie, also joint 24th with one round to play, came storming through to finish the leading Scot in joint fourth place on seven-under-par 218.
Full-time amateur Kylie, incidentally, will eventually try her luck at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School.
“But not this year. I’m going to play in all the big events this year and next and probably go to the LET Q School next year,” she said.
If she can keep her early-season form going, Kylie, a former Scottish schoolgirls title-winner, must be among the favourites to succeed Jenna Wilson as the Scottish women’s amateur champion at Lossiemouth.

HOW THE "HELEN HOLM" CHAMPIONS

HAVE SCORED OVER ROYAL TROON.

1973 Belle Robertson 81-238.
1974 Sandra Needham 78-236.
1975 Muriel Thomson 78-235.
1976 Muriel Thomson 77-233.
1977 Beverly Huke 81-239.
1978 Wilma Aitken 80-230.
1979 Belle Robertson 76-234.

1980 Wilma Aitken 79-225.
1981 Gillian Stewart 75-231.
1982 Wilma Aitken 79-225.
1983 Jane Connachan 84-228.
1984 Gillian Stewart 74-217.
1985 Pamela Wright 80-244.
1986 Belle Robertswon 75-227.
1987 Elaine Farquharson 78-227.
1988 Alison Gemmill 82-233.
1989 Sara Robinson 77-225.

1990 Catriona Lambert 77-225.
1991 Julie Hall 76-224.
1992 Mhairi McKay 78-227.
1994 Katie Tebbett 80-223.
1995 Maria Hjorth 70-219.
1996 Joanne Hockley 77-219.
1997 Kim Rostron 76-219.
1998 Karen Juul 75-225.
1999 Lesley Nicholson 77-222.

2000 Rebecca Hudson 71-213.
2001 Fiona Brown 74-215.
2002 Heather Stirling 74-215.
2003 Nathali David 77-227.
2004 Emma Duggleby 71-211
2005 Martina Gillen 75-215.
2006 Melissa Reid 72-212.
2007 Melissa Reid 78-211.
2008 Barbara Genuini 70-214.

Any comments for publication?

E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Grand Old Lady of Curtis Cup heading for St Andrews

The GB&I team assembled at Gleneagles Hotel for the 1936 Curtis Cup match (picture by courtesy of Gillian Kirkwood from the Women Golfer's Museum collection). Back row (left to right): Phyllis Wade (reserve), Pam Barton, Helen Holm, Betty Newell (reserve), Charlotte Walker, Jessie Valentine. Front: Marjorie Garon, Doris Chambers (captain), Wanda Morgan. On the right is a picture of Phyllis Wade in the mid-1930s when she was English champion.

Troon resident

Phil Wylie (96)

is link with

golden days

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
She's a "young 96" ... she loves a glass of sherry ... and she keeps you enthralled with her tales of the different world of golf of the 1930s.
She's Essex-born but long time Troon resident Phil Wylie, the Grand Old Lady of Curtis Cup history (Cal Carson Golf Agency image above, all rights reserved).
She will be 97 on August 12 and is the oldest surviving Curtis Cup player from either side of the Atlantic.
A little bit shaky on her feet, Phil is otherwise a very healthy looking pensioner with a keen interest in all things to do with golf.
She is particularly excited about her invitation from the Ladies Golf Union to attend the Past Players’ Dinner in the R&A clubhouse at the start of Curtis Cup week over the Old Course.
“I may not be able to get about as I once did but I like meeting people and I am looking forward to a reunion with all the past players.”
“Dining in the R&A clubhouse just wasn’t a possibility when I was a player. Now that is going to be something special. I wouldn’t miss it for anything. I just wish I could play in the past players' match over the Old Course earlier in the day."
Phil was English women’s champion as Phyllis Helen Wade in 1934, was reserve in attendance at the 1936 Curtis Cup match at Gleneagles and played in the Curtis Cup match of 1938 at Essex, Massachusetts. She remembers the legendary Glenna Collett Vare and Patty Berg playing for “the other side,” while her own team-mates included such memorable names as Jessie Anderson (Valentine to be) and Helen Holm.
“The United States won the match but my abiding memory is how happy I was to be playing in a Curtis Cup match and what great fun we all had,” recalls Phil.
“I think that’s the biggest difference between now and when I played. We all enjoyed ourselves, win or lose, and we weren’t afraid to show it. Nowadays, all the players look so serious about it. It doesn’t seem a game to be enjoyed any more.
“I should have played in the 1948 Curtis Cup match (the first since 1938 because of World War II) at Royal Birkdale but I had developed a very bad hook that season and I was made first reserve!”
A long hitter, she did, however, play for Great Britain against France in the forerunner of the Vagliano Trophy in 1937, 1939, 1947 and 1949.
Phil, who lives in a flat across the road from Royal Troon’s 17th hole, says she has not played golf “for something like 10 years” and she is not considering a comeback.
“My brain and my voice will, I hope last me out, but I am very shaky on my legs,” she said. “But I am grateful for the life I’ve had and the pleasure and the memories that golf has given me. It took me right round the world. I’m so lucky to be here.”
And Phil Wylie’s tip for the youngsters who would seek to follow in her footsteps as an international golfer?
“Practise, practise and then practise even more, so that when it comes to the crunch, it is almost natural to play good shots.”
Phil Wylie, or Phil Wade as she was then, was a star golfer in the pre-war days when playing in a Curtis Cup match in the United States entailed crossing the Atlantic by ship and a tour of Australia and New Zealand meant SIX MONTHS away from home.
Born in Essex on August 12, 1911, Phyllis Helen Wade can look back with pride on a marvellous golfing career.
Originally a member of Parkstone Golf Club, three miles west of Bournemouth, she played in two English women’s amateur championship finals. She won the first, in 1934 by beating Miss Mary Johnson of Hornsea by 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final at Seacroft, but lost the second, in 1936 when, as title favourite, she lost by 2 and 1 to Miss Wanda Morgan (Canterbury) at Hayling Island.
Phil’s career as an international player spanned the years before and after World War II. She made her debut for England in the home internationals of 1934 and played every year for the next five.
Actually, nobody played in the 1937 home internationals when Turnberry was the venue. All the teams travelled up to the Ayrshire venue and had completed their practice rounds.
Tragically, Bridget Newell, who had been beaten by Pam Barton in the 1936 British women’s open amateur championship and was a member of the England team, died suddenly on the eve of the internationals which were called off as a mark of respect. Bridget was a lawyer and the youngest magistrate in Britain.
“I remember that sad, sad time as though it were yesterday,” Phil told me as we had afternoon tea in the Marine Hotel, Troon last weekend.
“Bridget was complaining about having a very sore throat. But she was still getting about. None of realised how seriously ill she really was. She died during the night at the hotel. What a shock that was to everybody. Nobody felt like playing golf after that.”
The internationals were also called off in 1939 because war was declared against Germany in September that year.
The women’s home internationals resumed at Gullane in 1947 but the England team did not include Phil that year. Scotland won the championship _ and Phil was recalled to international duty in 1948 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. England duly regained the title by beating Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
Although that was the last time Phil played for England, she did make the last of her four appearances for the British Isles against France at Morfontaine a year later. This fixture was the forerunner of the Vagliano Trophy match and Phil played against the French in 1937, 1939, 1947 and 1949.
She toured Australia and New Zealand with the British Isles team in 1935 in the days when party went by sea and were away for months on end.
“I was fortunate to be chosen to be a member of the team under captain Mrs Hodgson. The other players were Jessie Anderson (later to marry George Valentine), Pam Barton, Ysobel Greenlees and Pat Walker.
“We went to Australia on the ‘Strathaird,” a wonderful ship. We practised on deck and I always remember that, to our surprise, the old golf balls we hit did not disappear into the sea but used to bounce across the water.
“We called in at Aden, Ceylon and India where we played a match against a men’s team in Bombay. We went to see the Taj Mahal.
“We landed eventually at Perth in Western Australia and we had been at sea for so long, it took us some time to get our land legs back. I remember the Australians were so hospitable and kind wherever we went. From here it was on to Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and back to Sydney and back on a boat to get to New Zealand.
“I remember it was very windy in Wellington, but apparently it is always very windy in Wellington. We did both islands by car, playing either exhibition games or matches against ladies and men. We were feted wherever we went.
“On the whole trip to Australia and New Zealand we never stayed more than two nights in any place. We sailed home via the Pitcairn Islands and back through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean and home. We were away six months in all but it was a truly wonderful trip. We visited so many places of interest and were treated like royalty.”
The British squad took Australian and New Zealand women’s golf by storm. There is no reference in the record books to the results of their matches against the countries _ presumably the reason the tour was arranged _ but, between them, the party of five players won four national open championships.
No wonder they were treated like golfing goddesses wherever they went Down Under.
Newspaper cuttings of the 1930s describe Phil Wade’s flair for foursomes play. She was apparently much in demand as a foursomes partner. While they were in New Zealand, Phil teamed up with Glasgow-born Ysobel Greenlees, a member of Troon Ladies, to win the country’s open women’s foursomes championship of 1935.
And Jessie Anderson won the New Zealand women’s open championship, played on a match-play basis, beating fellow-tourist Pat Walker in the final at Wellington.
In Australia, Pat Walker, from the Malahide club in Ireland, won the Australian women’s open amateur championship at Royal Melbourne. And, to complete the Aussie double, Pat Walker and Pam Barton won the Australian women’s open foursomes championship.
That trip rivals Phil’s Curtis Cup appearance in 1938 as the highlight of her playing career. Again it involved a boat trip, this time across the Atlantic, to the Essex County Club in Massachusetts.
In those days it was a six-a-side match and the GB&I team was Jessie Anderson, Nan Baird, Helen Holm, Elsie Corlett, Claire Tiernan and Phil Wade.
“I remember sharing a cabin with Helen Holm who was the British women’s champion that year (for a second time after a first success in 1934),” said Phil.
It was only the fourth match in the Curtis Cup series, which had begun in 1932 at Wentworth. In those early days, when the Curtis Cup match was played in Britain, the foursomes and singles programme was played on a single day.
When the United States were the hosts, the foursomes were played on the first day and the singles on the second.
Great Britain and Ireland had much the better of the foursomes, leading 2 ½- ½ at the end of the first day. Claire Tiernan and Helen Holm beat Estelle Page and Mrs John Crews by two holes while Jessie Anderson partnered Elsie Corlett to a last-green victory over Glenna Collet Vare and Patty Berg.
Phil and Pat Walker halved their match.
The Americans came out like match-play tigers on the second day to win five of the six singles. Tiernan was the only GB&I winner. The final result was United States 5 ½, GB&I 3 ½.
The Great Britain & Ireland side moved on to Illinois for the US women’s amateur championship, played later that September, at the Westmoreland Club, near Chicago.
“I returned home to Britain by myself on the ‘Berangaria’. We were told that in the event of War being declared we would go to Brest in the south of France and we would be responsible for making our own way back to England! Happily no war was declared for another 12 months.”
In 1939 Phil married a naval officer, Surgeon-Capt. J L Wylie, a Scot. When he retired, they set up home at Stewarton in Ayrshire. They had one son, Ian.
Phil became a member of Troon Ladies and the Ayrshire county team for many seasons. She won the Ayrshire county championship in 1954, beating Helen Holm in the final. She has been captain and president of the county over the years and an honorary member of Troon Ladies and Parkstone for a long time.
The only sadness in Phil’s life is that she has outlived all the golfers who were her peers.
So how did it all start for Phil Wade?
“I did not take up golf until I was 16 or 17 years old and it was not until I left school at 18 (in 1929) that I began to play regularly,” recalled Mrs Wylie.
“My father was a very keen golfer and he suggested I should have lessons from the Parkstone club professional Reg Whitcombe. I had about one lesson a week from Mr Whitcombe but I used to practise about two hours a day.
“Reg was one of three Whitcombe brothers, all of whom were professional golfers and who all played in Ryder Cup matches. Reg was a delightful person and an excellent coach but he stood no nonsense. You had to do as you were told.”
Not many girls can say they have had lessons from a Ryder Cup player AND an Open champion to be.
Reg Whitcombe, playing out of Parkstone, finished runner-up to Henry Cotton in the 1937 Open at Carnoustie and then won the Open title the following year at Royal St George’s.
Phil had been a longer hitter in her day. One report of a Hampshire v Surrey match at Stoneham in the 1930s, relates how “Miss Wade was three up at the ninth, having taken only 35 strokes” and that she “reached the green at the first hole (495yd) in two magnificent shots.”
When one considers she was using old-fashioned golf clubs and a ball which did not fly nearly as far as the modern version, it is clear that she was a powerful player.
But she was always a very elegant lady, light on her feet, and to this day still has a very charming personality.
Phil did not have a one-track mind about golf. She loved swimming and playing squash and one newspaper article of the 1930s said she was an accomplished dancer.
“I don’t know if I would say I was accomplished at it but I certainly enjoyed ballroom dancing.”

Edinburgh Inter-club women's tournament

Tee times, draw at Merchants of
Edinburgh Golf Club next week

Draw for the Edinburgh Inter-club women's tournament at Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club from May 8 to 10:

4.00 & 4.06 Merchants v Lothianburn.
4.12 & 4.18 Royal Musselburgh v Ratho Park.
4.24 & 4.30 Baberton v Craigmillar Park.
4.36 & 4.42 Turnhouse v Murrayfield.
4.48 & 4.54 Broomieknowe v Liberton.
5.00 & 5.06 Musselburgh v Prestonfield.
5.12 & 5.18 Kingsknowe v Newbattle.
5.24 & 5.30 Torphin v Glencorse.

Team Names

Baberton - Karen Marshall & Fiona Hunter, Linda Allan & Pamela Williamson
Broomieknowe - Wendy Nicholson & Katherine Anderson, Sandra Hennessy & Linda Wemyss
Craigmillar Park - Kirsten Blackwood & Karen Ballantyne, Sal Shepherd & Frances McFadzean.
Glencorse - Caroline Kinnaird & Pam Stephenson, Val Hallam & Gena Thomson.
Kingsknowe - Kate Rorke & Sheila Lyon, Rita Dee & Gill Petrie.
Liberton - Fiona Hume & Amanda Edwards, Mandy Bell & Jill McLean.
Lothianburn - Ruth Brown & Anne Brownie, Valerie Thomson & Catherine Stewart.
Merchants - Linda Caine & Noreen Fenton, Julie Douglas & Rachael Archibald.
Murrayfield - Gillian Simpson & Sylvia Boyd, Marjorie Townsend & Sarah Ledingham.
Musselburgh - Rachael Livingston & Jane Herd, Ruth Carroll & Linda Grieve.
Newbattle - Mo Cunningham & Barbara Hamilton, Val Young & Janette Murdie.
Prestonfield - Suzanne Ireland & Gabrielle MacDonald, Hilary Thomson & Julia Russell.
Ratho Park - Amanda Liddell & Jean Ponton, Katrina McKinlay & Anne Wheelhouse.
Royal Musselburgh - Pam Hall & Gwen Rodgers, Margaret Davie & Fiona Lindsay.
Torphin Hill - Lesley Campbell & Fiona Ford, Linda Carter & Lis Daly.
Turnhouse - Janine Young & Linda Bain, Margaret Thomson & Pat Wood.