With the summer season now well and truly under way, the ladies’ programme at Sidmouth Golf Club is pretty hectic, writes Alison Cook.

As well as doing battle head-to-head in the various club knockout competitions, the ladies are involved in a number of Devon’s interclub team competitions, which are also now in full swing,

Last week, the President’s Trophy team of silver division players faced formidable opposition on a challenging course when they played Tiverton in an away match. Perhaps, inevitably, the home team won, but Sidmouth’s Jane Painter covered herself in glory by winning her match two up and one to play.

The team as a whole will be out to seek their revenge this week when the return match takes place at Sidmouth.

Few visiting teams find it easy to come to grips with the idiosyncracies of the Sidmouth course, where one is seldom, if ever, standing on flat ground and where reading the greens is an acquired art. Team captain, Margaret Deuce, has high hopes that a good home win will be on the cards.

The Sheelah Creasy team for bronze level players also faces its next home match shortly. This will be against the ladies of Okehampton - a team well-accustomed to playing on tough terrain in cool moorland air. Hopefully, a balmy day on Sidmouth’s hard and sun-drenched fairways where the ball can run a mile, will not suit their game.

The course conditions certainly suited the winners of this week’s medal competition. The overall winner, who also won division 2, was Ann Blackler with a net 65. Ann’s handicap will now come down by two. Divisions 1 and 3 were won by Pat Coleman and Maria Clapp, respectively. Maria’s handicap will be reduced by one. Sheila Thomson won the putting competition with 26 putts but no one achieved a two. Good news for next week since the prize money rolls over!.

Next week, the ladies play for the Centenary Cup and ladies’ captain, Sheila Skittrall, will be hoping that the run of good weather will hold for yet another week and ensure another well-supported event.