County Match Days St Ives June 12th-14th 2026
The Suffolk squad enjoyed a fabulous 4 days at St Ives Golf Club in Huntingdonshire. The links course had enjoyed a deluge of rain, so the approaches and greens were sticking. The wind was blowing at a steady 20mph for the first 4 matches but dropped to 8mph for the final day of sunshine.
We played Cambs and Hunts and Essex on the first day and returned to our hotel rather bruised after consecutive 2:3 defeats. The Essex match could so easily have turned into a win as the foursomes match between Tina Jeary and Jo Miller VS Katy Yates and Kelly Dee was All Square going down the daunting par 5 18th; sadly the water on the left approach drowned the hopes of an expectant squad.
Jo Miller returning the pin after a disappointing loss to Essex on the 18th.
Players and Caddy, Jenny Barlow, react to Jo and Tina’s ball entering the hazard on 18.
Alice notches up her 2nd win of the tournament on the 14th against Maybell Books from Essex.
The team met the 2024 and 2025 title holders Norfolk on Saurday morning, Alice and Jasmine won their singles matches, Josie was less fortunate – as were our Foursome pairings Molly & Zoe and Mia & Shannon. In the afternoon we met Hertfordshire, and although we only secured 1.5 points with a win from Jasmine and a halved match from Alice – the team were inspired by some great golf from the squad which resulted in matches, which had looked lost, reaching the 17th and 18th.
Bedfordshire and Suffolk had the frisson of competing in the final match on Sunday for 4th place. Alice, Jasmine and Josie all had convincing wins in the singles and Shannon & Mia and Zoe & Molly finally tasted victory also.
Josie splits another fairway
Shannon and Mia are congratulated on the 16th green by Bedfordshire
Jasmine on her way to win 9 straight wins in 2 years for Suffolk
Josie Knights, Abi Hope, Jo Miller, Shannon Noble, Emily Evans (Captain) Alice Barlow, Carol Deslandes (President), Molly Newson, Zoe Schofield, Mia Barningham, Jasmine Points.
A huge thank you to our hosts, Cambs and Hunts and to the whole of St Ives Golf Club – the whole tournament was run flawlessly and in the friendliest manner. Our warm appreciation must be extended to Pam and her team of referees, including our very own inimitable Mike Rees.
I would like to thank the player’s Caddies and ball spotters extraordinaire, Michael, Paul, Tracey, Claire and Jenny for their dedicated support; Nick for his ferrying to and fro and our President Carol Deslandes for lending a willing hand throughout. It was also wonderful to be joined by supporters from Flempton and our recent President Vicki Hunt.
Full results of the tournament can be found here. You can enjoy all the photos taken at the event pertaining to Suffolk on our website gallery; if you wish to see the event photos in their entirety, please click here.
Emily Evans
EAST REGION COUNTY MATCH DAYS 2025
EAST REGION COUNTY MATCH DAYS 2025
Vicki Hunt (President) Molly Newson, Jo Miller, Emily Evans (Captain) Alice Barlow, Juliette Coffey, Jasmine Points, Sophie Kubitzek, Melissa Coffey, Josie Knights
Bedfordshire hosted this year’s match days at John O’Gaunt Golf Club.
The course was in great condition; the irrigated fairways had not been burnt to a crisp and the greens were in tip-top order. The host county did themselves proud making everyone feel welcome, and we were looked after superbly from start to finish.
The weather forecast was concerning, especially as the rooms in the Premier Inn were as hot as the fairways at 32 degrees.
Jasmine Points hitting her 13th and final tee shot of the game and tournament as she demolished last year’s champion of champions with 6 Birdies and 7 Pars. Miss Points won all her 4 games with a display of fearless and mesmerising golf.
Josie Knights 15, the youngest member of the squad played all five matches contributing a win against Bedfordshire, a foursomes’ half with Melissa Coffey against Cambs and Hunts and a brilliant half against a close rival from Hertfordshire.
Juliette Coffey returned from Studies in America and France to play all five matches and secure Suffolk points against Norfolk, Essex and Hertfordshire.
Melissa Coffey and Sophie Kubitzek played foursomes in the first match against Bedfordshire.
Jo Miller and Molly Newson played foursomes against Bedfordshire and Essex.
Jo Miller, stealing some shade from Vicki Hunt.
Sophie Kubitzek before her 5th and final match: five holes in and 3 down Sophie said she wished she could start again – Sophie then switched on and played stunning golf to halve the match and secure a win against Herts and 3rd place in the tournament for her jubilant teammates.
Securing 3rd place was a good result considering the squad was diminished by illness from the get-go. Suffolk were the only team to win a point from champions Norfolk and the matches against Bedfordshire and Essex were incredibly close; the excitement distracted the team from the energy sapping heat.
We have high hopes for next year’s County Match Days, at St Ives Golf Club, the team will have extra breadth from up-and-coming juniors who were unable to commit this year.
East Region County Match Days 28 -30 June 2024
What a fantastic 3 days at Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club! Suffolk welcomed the other 5 Counties in our region for 3 days of matchplay. After all the rain and wind that we have had lately, everyone’s fingers were very firmly crossed for some good weather …… and we were rewarded! Days 1 and 2 were mostly sunny with, as always at Felixstowe, a varying wind but nothing too extreme. Day 3 saw a few splatters of rain and a slightly chillier note but for the most part the weather held out for us.
The Martello Course was in fabulous condition, a little fiery and firm as a links should be, with true greens and tricky pin positions to challenge the golfers – thank you Glen Rayfield and your team for all your hard work both leading up to and during the event. The Club managed our event impeccably from start to finish, led by Ben Tawell, General Manager, and his team and Linda Whybrow, Ladies Captain, and a vast array of volunteers – MANY, MANY thanks to everyone.
What a great standard of golf was on show and, for those who came to support and spectate, we are sure that they were treated to some excellent matches and nail-biting finishes! Congratulations to all the players; they did their Counties proud.
Norfolk won the event but, as the results show, it was an exciting last morning with 3 Counties able to take the trophy. Norfolk needed win to ensure victory and the players duly delivered fighting off a determined Bedfordshire, who also could have secured the trophy with a win. 3 – 2 to Norfolk, it could hardly have been any closer.
Suffolk made an excellent showing on the first day, beating Essex 4 -1 in the morning and securing a draw with Cambs & Hunts in the afternoon to find themselves at the top of the leader board. Unfortunately, Day 2 proved more tricky and they lost to Norfolk 4 – 1 and Bedfordshire 3 – 2 but some of the matches went to the last hole or two and our players showed a real tenacity and fighting spirit. Suffolk finished with a flourish, beating Hertfordshire 3 – 2 on the final morning.
There is a lot that the Suffolk players can be proud of this week. Everyone battled hard and there was a real team spirit, everyone supporting each other throughout. It
is fantastic that we are seeing younger players coming up through the ranks with 4 of the team being juniors and they were ably supported and encouraged by the more experienced. All bodes well for the future of Suffolk ladies golf. When adding up the matches won, we were only 3 behind Norfolk. Our coaches, Andrew Robinson and Sam Forgan, have done a great job in helping the team hone their skills over the winter – so, as they say, the future looks bright!
Congratulations to Tanya McGregor, County Captain, for a great job done steering the team to higher achievements. We are now looking forward to the rest of the season and to next year’s County Match Days which will be held at John O’ Gaunt GC in Bedfordshire, 30 June – 2 July.
Vicki Hunt
President
.
