Scottish Golf: Stirling and Clackmannan crowned champions at Scottish Women's County Finals

Captain Alison Jones and her team end 24-year wait for success at end of glory season for the county

Stirling and Clackmannan were today crowned Scottish Women’s County champions – 24 years after they last reached the Finals and lifted the trophy.

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Captain Alison Jones’s team finished the round robin series unbeaten after wins against Scottish Golf North (7-2), a halved match with Renfrewshire (4.5-4.5) and then today’s 6-3 triumph against Dumfriesshire.

North – the defending champions - finished the series as runner-up with Renfrewshire third and Dumfriesshire fourth.

It was an incredible three days of golf from the eight Stirling and Clackmannan women who represented their county with pride and distinction.

The last time Stirling and Clackmannan competed in the Finals was 2002 when they won the title for a second year running.

Since then, the county has failed to reach the season’s showpiece finale from their regional jamboree, but returned in some style for this year’s event staged at Dunfermline Golf Club.

The win caps a quite astonishing year for women’s golf in the county.

Two of the county team – Stirling Golf Club duo Alison Davidson and Erin Huskie – have already claimed individual national titles this season.

In May, 18-year-old Huskie landed the Scottish Women’s Amateur title and a month later, former Curtis Cup player Davidson won the Scottish Senior Women’s Open.

This time the team featuring Huskie and Davidson (both Stirling), Jennie Allan (Glenbervie), Laura Bissett (Braehead Alloa), Eva Woodward (Linlithgow), Ava Paterson (Tulliallan), Erin Macalpine (Glenbervie) and Margo Gardner (West Lothian) gelled together to bring a team trophy to the county.

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For captain Jones it was a moment to treasure.

She said: “It’s unbelievable. I’m so proud of the team. To lift the plaque tonight after 24 years was simply amazing.

“Everyone gets on and the camaraderie and the fun – we all have fun – that really helps.

“The fact that we’ve won has left me speechless.

“It’s been 24 years, but so worth the wait.”

For team stalwart Allan it was a thrill to get over the line after so many years trying to make the national finals.

And a rich reward for a lot of hard work behind the scenes to encourage more women and girls to take up the game and then develop their skills.

Allan said:

“It’s extraordinary but we have such a good team behind us.

“I supported the younger players when I was junior county secretary and to see them grow and what they have now achieved is amazing.

“It just shows how much talent we have in our county.

“The youngsters we have in this county have the opportunity to do so much more in the game.

“We already have Erin as Scottish Women’s Amateur champion and hopefully some others might get their name on that trophy.

“It’s 15 jamborees for me trying to get to the Finals – to have won our jamboree at Tulliallan and then win overall in my first finals is special.”

Courtesy Scottish Golf