MODERN golf history melded gracefully with the tradition and folklore of Fulford Golf Club.
Alison Nicholas, one of Britain’s most successful women professionals, guested with the cut-class Solheim Cup at the Heslington-based club as part of a campaign to drum up domestic interest in this year’s fiercely-contested confrontation between the best of Europe and America.
This September the Solheim Cup – women professional golf’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup – is to be staged at the Killeen Castle course, just outside Dublin.
Nicholas, who has been appointed the European Solheim Cup captain for the second time – she led the European ranks when they were narrowly pipped to the prize in 2009 – is spearheading the drive to attract as many British fans to the competition in support of the home team.
“Just like in the Ryder Cup, the crowd can act as our 13th team member, so the more we can get there in Ireland, the better,” declared Nicholas.
“It will be a great occasion, a great match, and the hospitality and the atmosphere, I am sure, will be first-class too. With as many fans as possible cheering us on, then that will give the European team a great boost.”
A standing-room only crowd packed into the clubhouse at Fulford GC to hear Nicholas deliver a speech about her illustrious career, which included stunning successes in the amateur and professional game capped by winning the US Open championship in 1987.
She recalled playing at Fulford in her days as an amateur and also travelling from her home near Sheffield to regularly watch the Benson & Hedges tournament during its heyday at Fulford, where the likes of Ian Woosnam, Sammy Lyle, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and the late Severiano Ballesteros thriled spectators.
“I tried to get to see the Benson & Hedges every year as it was such a top-drawer event.”
Gibraltar-born Nicholas also played in no fewer than six Solheim Cup matches, which she reflected on in her talk before a question and answer session from an audience numbering close on 100 golf fans, some of whom were later able to have their photograph taken with the illustrious trophy.
Said Fulford GC ladies’ captain Pat Wilstrop: “It’s been super to have Alison here and with the Solheim Cup as well.
“When it was announced that she was coming to Fulford, there was an awful lot of interest here in the visit.”
The visit was organised in part by Tourism Ireland, whose head of business and sports development David Boyce said: “We had a night similar to the one at Fulford at Edgbaston and the response has been fantastic.
“It’s all a question of raising awareness of the Solheim Cup and its staging in Ireland and to have somewhere with the history of Fulford Golf Club taking part has been fantastic.”
The Solheim Cup is at Killeen Castle from September 23 to 25. For more details check the www.solheimcup.com website.
CHARLES SHARP, a member of Forest Park, won York Squash Rackets Club Past President’s annual golf day at Allerthorpe Park GC.
Playing off a handicap of 13, Sharp scored 35 stableford points, narrowly beating club-mate Brian McClaren, a seven handicapper, to win the J G Fielder and Son-sponsored event.
Five-handicap player Bob Robinson won the best gross prize with 78 and the morning team event was won by Barry Beel, Roger Burton and Robinson.
ON an away-day event at Allerthorpe Park GC, Swallow Hall GC player Gill Saunders had a hole in one.
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