Title makes up for lost holiday

WINNING a county golf title was ample consolation for Liz Darling on missing out on a planned holiday in New Zealand. When her daughter Andi and family cut short their new life in the southern hemisphere and came home to Guernsey, the former island hockey stalwart decided to fill some spare time with a trip to the Hampshire county championships.

The upshot is that the 17 handicap won the matchplay title for her category (17 to 20 handicaps) and she brought home the magnificent Challenge Bowl to dominate her trophy cabinet.

Darling showed her competitive steel in a nailbiting final in which she defeated Elizabeth Hesse of Arlesford 1 up.

'Standing on the 18th tee one up was a nerve-wracking experience,' she said.

Nor did she help her nerves when she put her second into the sand.

'I couldn't believe it when I put that shot into the bunker.'

But, cheered on by support from her Guernsey colleagues and the Jersey contingent at Brockenhurst Manor, Darling splashed out onto the green and her bogey five was enough to halve the hole and clinch the title.

Winning the championship had hardly looked likely when she qualified in the 16th and final place for the matchplay stages.

'Everything was a bonus after qualifying,' she admitted.

But with a fine outward-half performance (41 shots) she was four up at the turn and in control of the match which she never dreamt of playing when she took up golf 10 years ago.