Diss Golf Club celebrate winning Suffolk Seniors Jubilee Shield and Stearn Trophy
The winning captain of this year’s Stearn Shield has said that Diss Golf Club’s two bits of silverware is a ‘great achievement’ for ‘such a small club’.
The non-playing captain Stephanie Mendham was speaking ahead of a celebration event at the golf club, to mark their success in Suffolk competitions this year.
They first secured victory in the Suffolk Seniors Jubilee Shield on September 9 beating Woodbridge in the final; having overcome Southwold, Felixstowe and Halesworth on the way to the championship match.
And they then backed it up in October, with victory in the Stearn Trophy – almost 20 years to the day after last winning it.
“Winning both trophies is a great achievement for such a small club,” Mendham said.
“We have won against the odds really, it’s lovely to know we’ve beaten a lot of very big clubs in the county.
“We’re very proud and wanted to mark the achievement with a get together – you need to celebrate fantastic achievements such as these.
“We’ve set the benchmark for the future now, we want to push on from this.”
She said it could be tough to attract new members and winning county competitions could prove key to future recruitment.
The Stearn team – which required players to have a handicap between 12 and 20 – beat Felixstowe Ferry 3-0 in the final, which saw a three-foursome’s pairings format.
At lunch, Diss were up in two matches and Felixstowe Ferry were up in the other, but Diss were in determined mode and held their nerve.
The first pairing of Sarah Gotts and Becky Draper turned the tables on Jude Hanner and Alice Wan after the half-time meal, as they climbed back to square to reach the twelfth tee two holes to the good.
It turned into a ding-dong battle that went to the thirty sixth, when the Diss partnership closed up the clean winning sweep for the team.
Jane Izod and Val Mendham, meanwhile, consolidated their lunchtime position before piling the pressure on their opponents as they claimed the point on the 13th while Philippa Bridges and Jenny Chamberlin claimed the win on the 16th.
The Jubilee Shield team: Non-playing captain Marianne Haines, Liz Speak, Jenny Chamberlin, Sandra Bowmen, Jane Fishwick, Marie Needham, Val Mendham and Philippa Bridges. Reserves: Helen Lawson, Jean Richard.
