2013 Winners

Glenna and Harriet Beasley (Woburn)

Report by Jo Thesiger

Glenna and Harriet Beasley from Woburn made the most of perfect conditions to triumph in the Mothers and Daughters, at Royal Mid Surrey on Saturday. It was the third win for Glenna over four decades but this time she made the transition from winning daughter to winning mother, because her previous victories had been with her mother, Lady Angela Bonallack in 1979 and 2000. Indeed, Angela still played an important part in Glenna and Harriet’s victory as she flew down from Scotland to pair up with her other daughter, Sara Stocks, to be their playing partners making up a family foursome.

However, it was no easy win for the Beasleys , as they only secured the title by a single shot from the Gillian and Sarah Attwood, from Gog Magog, finishing on an aggregate score of 114, 8-over-par, over the 27 holes medal.

Despite playing some wonderful golf, both pairs felt they squandered chances and succumbed to the pressure at times. Indeed the Beasleys were feeling very contented with their morning round until they found a bunker on final hole. The nerves crept in and it took them three attempts to get the ball out, which resulted in an exasperating double bogey, seven! They managed to keep their sense of humour as laughter rippled around the family and still returned a very creditable gross score of 78.

Sarah Atwood, a plus one handicap with ambitions to turn professional, admitted she and her mother just started too slowly. After dropping six shots over the front nine, they finally discovered their form, dropping only two on the back nine, to finish one shot behind the Beasleys on 79 after the morning round.

Louella and Lorna Hitchcock from Chigwell also lay in contention after a strong 78. They had no expectations as daughter, Lorna, had not been able to play for five months due to work, studying and getting married in August but they admitted it was surprisingly their best performance after ten years of competing in the event.

In fact the contest was wide open, as the leaders after eighteen holes were 2003 winners, Ann Laughland and Rosie Jenner from Rye, who have competed in the event for over thirty years. They were thrilled with the way they played, sinking the putts that mattered, to score a brilliant 5-over-par, 76, “everything just clicked today, it was unrepeatable“, claimed Ann, who achieved an incredible personal feat as their gross score matched her age!

At the other end of the golfing spectrum, thirteen-year-old, Martha Lewis from St George’s Hill was wowing the spectators, playing with her mother Evelyn, with a brilliant morning round of 79 and Martha was deservedly awarded the Meg Kent Cup, for the best U16 player.

As the wind picked up in the afternoon for the remaining nine holes and fatigue began to set in, the Beasleys and the Attwoods raised their games and the chances of the other contenders fell away.

It was nearly an expensive afternoon for Gillian Attwood as her tee shot lipped out at the short, par 3, 6th hole. Almost a hole-in-one but a birdie two would do nicely, however, to her frustration she went on to miss three short putts over the closing holes. Although the pair returned an excellent one-over-par, 36, they felt it could easily have been better.

The Beasleys, who seemed very relaxed and were thoroughly enjoying the family get-together as well as the golf, played flawlessly in the afternoon and matched the Attwood’s superb nine-hole score but they had one precious shot in hand, just enough to secure another special golfing victory for the legendary Bonallack family.