Ladies and Seniors Competition
Mixed Foursomes, Yellow tees
8th April 2026
Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a beautiful partner, and you can keep the clubs and the fresh air
Anonymous
The warm sun shone beautifully over the New Forest as the annual Ladies and Seniors match teed off. By the ladies choice it was a mixed foursomes event where experience meets elegance, and where handicaps were regarded with the same level of scepticism as US military intelligence.
Proceedings began with the traditional confusion over pairings, scorecards, and whether anyone had brought enough tees. After a solid ten minutes of 'Are we off the reds or the yellows?' the first group finally got underway led by the respective Captains.
The opening holes were a masterclass in strategic golf, if by 'strategic' you mean carefully choosing which bush or tree to correct the intended path of the ball. The skill level ranged from impressively straight to impressively creative, with one particularly memorable hole taking in two fairways, two bunkers, and what we believe was a brief visit to another postcode.
The ladies, displaying both skill and patience, kept things moving nicely, occasionally pausing only to remind their partners that the aim was to play more golf and tell less stories. Meanwhile, some of the seniors showcased their wealth of 'experience', particularly in the art of offering advice immediately after every shot.
Highlights on the front nine included:
- A 40-foot putt that lipped out so dramatically that the player immediately booked 6 counselling sessions
- A bunker shot that passed the Artemis II space craft before landing somewhere near the intended green
- A debate as to whether it's acceptable or not to play 3 lay-up shots before attempting to go for the green on a par 3 hole.
Spirits were high, scores were for the most part accurate, and at least one player claimed to be 'just getting warmed up,' despite being visibly warmed up since 1977.
The back nine saw a shift in momentum, or possibly just a shift in energy levels. Drives became shorter but wiser, putts became more accurate, and the phrase 'that's exactly where I wanted it' was heard with increasing frequency.
Notable moments included:
- A miraculous chip-in that was immediately followed by three putts on the next hole
- A lost ball that four players spent ten minutes searching for, only for it to be in someone's pocket
- A stunning par achieved entirely by accident but celebrated like a major championship win
As the match drew to a close, the simple act of adding a few numbers and subtracting a handicap proved as complex to some as explaining the rules of cricket to an American in a MAGA hat. However, it was universally agreed that what we all enjoyed was friendship, teamwork and of course laughter.
In the end, handshakes were exchanged, stories were exaggerated, and plans were already being made for the rematch where everyone is confident they'll play much better, assuming they remember how.
All in all it was a glorious day of golf, where the swings were varied, the jokes plentiful, and where golf, as always was the winner!
Mike Stevenson, Seniors Media and Press Officer
Results:
Nearest the Pin on the 11th – Mike Broom
1st Jill Trant & Chris Bennett Nett 69 Team H'cap 29
2nd Nicola Dowse & Chris Angell Nett 71 Team H'cap 20
3rd Sue Fraser & Phil Kilburn Nett 75 Team H'cap 25
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