Final Report on the Senior Home Internationals

The East webmaster has been on the other side of the Atlantic where the means to write a blog went on the blink and refused to charge up, hence the reporting on the Senior Home Internationals at Tramore in Ireland was a non-event. Our own Karen Ballantyne of Craigmillar Park was flying the flag for the East.

The Scottish Senior team this year, captained by Helen Faulds of Douglas Park, was a combination of new and old, in part due to temporary incapacities and also voluntary retirement, which is what happens eventually in senior teams. Accidents are inevitable, just as people inevitably get (shsh) older. Our team of comparatively new, mixed with experienced faces, has not exactly, wiped the board this year, but they've made a great fight of it and next year -the sky will be the limit.

After two days of disappointing results, Day 3 showed what we are made of. Day One against Ireland was not a good start to the tournament. Karen, partnering the very experienced Lorna Bennett for the first time lost by 5 and 3 to Sheena McElroy and Carol Wickham. The foursomes were lost 2 : 1 and the singles - where Lorna took ample revenge on Carol - were unfortunately lost by 3 : 2 - total a loss of 5 : 3.

Day Two saw Scotland face surely one of the strongest English sides in the history of the competition. Lorna and Karen again partnered each other and although they were unable to get a point they only failed by a whisker, losing by one hole to Bev New, Senior British Champion 2010 and Chris Quinn, whose name is well known to senior ladies. Day Three would surely have given them a foursome victory - had it not been rained off and replaced by seven singles only.

England and Ireland came to the table with two wins each under their belts and when there is absolutely no hope of winning - as in this case - the objective for the remaining teams changes obviously to quite simply, not picking up the wooden spoon. Scotland and Wales faced each other in the golfing equivalent of a scrum. At half-time it could have gone either way. Karen, Elaine Allison and Lorna were all up. Karen had a great start against Karen Weatherley of Wales - "What's the score here?" "Oh Karen's up!" Yes but which one? Our Karen won three out of the first four holes and was two up at the turn. Elaine was one up and Lorna, mowing down everything in her path, five up. The four others were all down at the turn, Heather Anderson one down, Mary Smith two down, Alex Glennie two down - but she had been four down after six holes and May Hughes one, although she also had started badly being three down after five. Lorna put the first point on the board by steam-rollering Vicki Thomas 6 and 5. Karen and Elaine also carried on to win by 5 and 4 and 3 and 2 respectively. Three games to Scotland. Only one more needed. And then Mary and May both reversed their positions, Mary to bring in the winning point and May to follow it with a great half. Coming from behind to a fighting finish. What teams are made of. Four and a half to two and a half.

ResultsEngland 19
Ireland 13
Scotland 8 1/2
Wales 5 1/2

England retained the trophy. To see the results of all matches in detail and photographs, please see West Vets and the SLGA website.