Two East Vets to play in Senior European Team Championship

Two East Vets are in a team of six to represent Scotland in the Senior Ladies' European Team Championship starting on Monday August 31. Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) and Fiona Hunter (Baberton) will be packing their bags tomorrow night for a very early flight on Saturday morning over to Ireland together with their teammates Heather Anderson (Alyth), Lorna Bennett (Ladybank), Fiona de Vries (St Rule) and Mary Smith (Tain), captain Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and team manager Janet Wake (Merchants of Edinburgh).

The championship takes place on Dun Laoghaire golf course outside Dublin. Constructed in 2007 in Ballyman Glen, this is a beautiful parkland course of 27 holes, situated between the Wicklow Mountains and the sea. These 27 holes allow different combinations of each of the three nine-hole courses. The Lower and Middle Courses have been chosen for this event which will be a true test indeed for all the competitors. Despite generous fairways, wayward shots risk running the gauntlet of streams, large bunkers, new and mature trees, water hazards and even ravines. And no one yet has mentioned the weather!

The format is basically the same as in the last two years except that this year there are only two flights in the competition. Since there are fifteen teams competing, the first flight will consist of eight teams with seven in the second. Monday and Tuesday are the stroke-play days, with Wednesday to Friday, match-play.

The agreed format is that each team has six players with an option of a seventh player to allow substitution should there be a problem. These are senior ladies when all said and done - but perhaps one should not say that. Strangely all but four of the teams have registered their intention to have seven players, which is its own safeguard. Austria, Denmark, Spain and Scotland, all being well, will keep clear of twisted ankles, joint problems and fresh seafood salads! Our captain Pamela Williamson (Baberton) jokingly said if anything goes wrong after the team has boarded the plane, she'll take up the injured person's golf clubs and play herself! Hopefully she wasn't serious and has room in her handbag for her own clubs.

The aggregate of the lowest five scores out of six on both the Monday and the Tuesday goes towards determining a total score for each team. The top eight aggregate scores will constitute the first flight (from whom the eventual winner will come) and the remainder the second flight. Naturally we expect Scotland to be in the top eight. Each flight will then have its own seeded draw. In the event of a tie, the scores from the sixth person will go towards the decision, so no pressure anyone! Our Scottish ladies have been drawn to play with fellow seniors from Slovenia, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain on the Monday and Tuesday and expect to be fluent by the end of the week.

The matchplay format (Wednesday to Friday) consists of one foursome and four singles. Win or lose every team continues to play into the second day's matchplay so there will be no time for sight-seeing! With all the usual tiring tournament- added-extras like processions, photographs, cocktail parties, etc,etc it is to be hoped they will all be fed and watered and in bed by ten o'clock!

There will be live scoring on the various websites so that everyone at home will be able to follow the day's progress just as it happens. It promises to be very exciting!