First Day at the Senior Home Internationals

The first day at the Senior Home Internationals proceeded without any interference by that arch-villain, The Weather although there is no question that tomorrow will be another day. The locals have promised "wall to wall rain" which sadly co-incides with BBC Weather so sadly it looks pretty poor.

However today was a good golfing day in that it was dry, not at all cold and although there was an north-east wind it was fairly moderate. So good conditions and consequently a lot of very good golf.

Scotland played Wales today and had a halved match. Another website hinted at this being a poor result for Scotland, the current European Team champions (the webmaster freely admits this constant reference to the European Team Championship is beginning to smack of a certain country winning a football competition in 1966 - but it was pretty special!) anyway the inference was that a halved match was a poor result because Wales did not put forward a team for the aforesaid championship. Just because they did not enter - for their own reasons - hardly constitutes the right to deem them less worthy opponents. Wales won the Senior Home Internationals very recently - apologies for not having this at hand but it is thought to be 2008. Certainly Scotland were disappointed not to win a point here. Losing the foursomes 2 - 1 makes for a difficult task in the singles when four out of the five possible games had to be seized. As it was they only got three points out of a possible five which was only good enough for the halved match.

In the morning the only victory went to the new pairing of Lorna Bennett(Ladybank) and Heather Anderson (Blairgowrie). They were playing against the very experienced Janet Doleman and new cap Louise Fleet whom they beat by 2 and 1. It was an up and down game with a healthy exchange of birdies. The Welsh pair birdied the short 11th hole with a two to the Scots' par and then also at the par 4 fourteenth hole, where they had a 3. One down. However all change at the 171 yard fifteenth hole when Heather's wood, straight into the oncoming wind, just eased through the back of the green into semi-rough. The Welsh girls looked as if they had the advantage but made a poor job of their approach whilst Lorna chipped dead for a gimme. Capitalising on this at the very next hole, Heather's long iron was again just through but Lorna hammered that 30 footer right to the back of the can for a birdie three. One up with two to play. Two good drives at the next hole but Lorna's second was straight for the pin whereas the Welsh girls took rather a circuitous route to the hole - and it was all over. A great fighting finish.

Moira Thomson (Gullane) and her partner Mary Smith (Tain) who had an unblemished record in the Europeans were up against the very strong pairing of Vicki Thomas and Jane Rees who were really on their game. Their huge uncompromising length off the tee often gave them a big advantage and indeed they were on the 436 yard 5th hole in two strokes which was something indeed. (If the weather on Thursday improves it is hoped to have a picture of this portrait hole to brighten up the report!)

In the afternoon singles the only points gained came from Fiona de Vries(St Rule), Heather Anderson and Noreen Fenton(Dunbar) Fiona took on Vicki Thomas whom she beat by 4 and 2. It looked as if Fiona might have lost the twelfth hole when Vicki made the green in two and she (Fiona)found a greenside bunker. But not to be outdone and Fiona had a great up and down for a good par and her opponent uncharacteristically three-putted. The game finished at the sixteenth when Vicki, again most atypical, put two drives out of bounds on to the railway. Four and two to Fiona.

Noreen Fenton, not having played in the morning foursomes, started shakily against Denise Richards, three putting the first to go one down and then losing the second to a twenty foot birdie putt from off the green to go two down. A chip which sat on the edge of the hole at the fourth brought this back to one down but a dreadful fifth re-instated the two down status. However a two at the sixth and a good up and down from a bunker at the short eighth brought this back to all square. Noreen was very fortunate to win this game at the sixteenth as Denise had a marvellous day with her putter but was satisfied to have been level par at the end of the game.

England beat a very strong irish team by 7 / 1. Scotland take them on tomorrow. Readers are requested to refer to Kirkwoodgolf for all the above scores. Sleep beckons.