Leighton Buzzard teen Olivia seals county golf title at first attempt

Schools champion Olivia Elleson with (left to right) Leighton girls organiser Patti Marriott, dad Andrew and Bedfordshire Schools golf secretary David Sweetnam.

Olivia Olleson carded an amazing 50 points to win the Bedfordshire Schools high handicap girls championship by a four shot margin, and have her handicap slashed by nine shots to 33.

The former Brooklands pupil, now studying at Vandyke Upper, took up the sport after lessons with Leighton’s assistant professional Will Tebbs, with predictions of further successes to come proving well justified.

Encouraged by dad Andrew who is also a member of the club, Olivia scored 34 points to help Leighton’s junior team beat the men, ladies and seniors for the coveted Kingston Cup.

The eight-strong squad led by junior captain George Stephenson with George and Henry Wooster, Joshua Thorne, Sommer Chan, Max Brunker and Edward Fenwick, scored 277 points to beat the Seniors by nine shots, with the men third.

Leighton-based David Sweetnam, secretary of the Bedfordshire Schools Golf Association and who witnessed Olivia’s championship performance at the Aylesbury Vale club, said: “This is a young lady with amazing potential; we have high hopes for her in the years to come.”

*Former Ladies Captain Carmen White-Lawes is the new holder of Leighton’s Chris Gretton Trophy, carding an impressive 44 points to beat runner-up Joan Waples by two shots.

Liz Bagshaw and Joyce Young each carded 40 points, with Elsa King, Norma Strevens-Hack, Lesley Bednarek and Patti Marriott with 36 points. The nine-hole competition was won by Cicely Goldsmith with 18 points, a shot clear of Ann Gray.

*Two teams tied with nett scores of 52 for Leighton’s John Lally Texas scramble trophy, with Adam and Jamie Bather and Matthew Harvey and Jamie Thompson pipping Joshua Banwell, Callum Connew, Robert Cross and Harry Farmer on countback.

*A last match win by Paul Bishop and Peter Myrants secured a 3-2 win for Leighton Seniors captain Andrew Mcdonald against a Whipsnade team captained by former Leighton club manager Duncan Mutton. Wins came from Danny Nairne and Steve Shepherd, John Clavey and William Hawkes, and a crucial half by Graham Pellow and Ron Burgoyne.