Sommer, 11, wins coveted trophy at Leighton Buzzard Golf Club

Sommer Chan, who took up golf six years ago with a handicap of 54,won Leighton’s Beck Trophy playing off a handicap of 15 topping the table with a nett 65.

Her nearest rival was her Ladies Captain Lesley Bednarek with a nett 67, while many former club officials and trophy winners were further down the field.

Sports-mad Sommer took up golf at the age of six and her progress and dedication to the sport has been acknowledged at County level. She carded the lowest nett score in the Bedfordshire Schools championship and was commended for her “excellent performance” in the Leighton Ladies championship.

Sommer practices her chipping and putting every day, and still finds time to pursue other interests including swimming, diving, skiing, mountain biking and archery.

Other leading finishers in the Becks trophy competition were: 68 – Gary Bennett; 69 – Christine Robinson, Ed Stephenson, Nigel Barnes; 71 – David Hanley, Keith Edmunds; 72 – Stuart McLeod, Diana Pellow, Gareth Mccready.73 – David Banwell, Mark Sandham.

Richard Samuels and wife Angela teamed up to win Leighton’s Mixed Greensomes with a score of 51 points, three shots clear of runners-up Martyn and Lila Garrod, with Olivia Campbell and Ed Stephenson third with 44.

Stephanie Howlett won Leighton Ladies latest stableford with 40 points, a shot clear of Angela Samuels and Carolyn Chamberlain, with Anne Tilbury , Joan Waples , Judi Malpass and Pauline Bell all carding 37 points.

A Leighton Ladies squad consisting of Stephanie Howlett, Carolyn Chamberlain, Avril Simpson, Angela Samuels and Joan Waples won their Shield match at Mount Pleasant 4-3, with Stephanie, Carolyn, Avril, Angela and Barbara Rickard and Lynn Oliver sharing the spoils equally in a seven-match encounter at Beds & County.

Alex and Mike J Smith won Leighton’s Dennis Jordan foursomes qualifier with 40 points, a shot clear of Jon Dymock and Neil Laming with Steve Giles and Mark Vincent third with 38 points. Shane Bentley and John Latimer, Russell Cohen and Ben Willis and Jason Brooks and Julian Scarr headed a chasing pack with 36 points.

Rushmere Society Captain John Snith won the ‘Crick Trophy’ after bagging 39 points at Burnham Beeches, beating David Hack by a shot, while Phil Rickard carded 40 points to win the Leighton Sandhouse Resurrection trophy at Wellingborough, two shots clear of Ian Rimmer.