AIG Women’s British Open Ladies Golf event at Woburn Park

I have always enjoyed watching women professionals play competitive golf and recently was fortunate to spend a couple of sunny days watching the AIG Women’s British Open, which for the second year in succession was staged at the famous Woburn Park Golf Club, a club that boasts three superb courses aptly named Dukes’, Duchess’ and the Marquess’, It was the Marquess’ course where all the action took place although interestingly friends who have played all three courses tell me that each course has its own characteristics. I have yet to have the privilege to play these courses.

Ironically, a couple of days before the start of the tournament, defending champion Georgia Hall was forced to announce the trophy she had so joyfully won and was presented to after winning last year’s tournament, had been stolen from her locked car while parked in Chiswick. Fortunately it was a replica and was kept carefully under her bed for the past year and only removed when she brought it to the tournament to finally have her name engraved on it. Thankfully the original is kept with the R&A in St Andrews but what is surprising is that whoever stole her trophy from the locked boot of her car, left her precious clubs behind.

The drive to Woburn from London is easy and mostly on the M1 but once you leave the motorway its the scenic countryside that you pass through of undulating meadows and dense forests on your way to the club house that appears to be in the middle of no-where. It’s only when the palatial clubhouse comes into view that you realise you have arrived but as this is a major golf event, white marques and tents were dotted everywhere. A short walk from the media centre is the large putting green where most top players practice before their allocated start time. A couple of hundred yards away is the 18th green and a great place to watch as players finish their final hole. Once signed cards are handed in, players proceed to a special enclosure for question and answer sessions with TV, radio and written journalists. Compared to tennis, a sport I am familiar with, access to players is hassle free and a pleasant surprise.

Not far from the putting green is the first hole, a long par four and another favourite place to watch players tee off particularly if like me you want to observe drives at close quarters. Most drives on this hole reach within an iron’s shot of the green and every action and I love to observe every action of learning something new and imitate drives, stances and swings in the vein hope of improve my own stokes. The preferred players I like to follow are are Brone Law, Charlie Hull and Georgie Hall, Georgie is probably the only tour player with a family member on her bag, her father, Wayne is a regularly caddies for his talented daughter.

The final day was by far the most exciting with a twenty year old rookie from Japan, Hinako Shibono, who had never played outside Japan, surprisingly came from two shots down to win the tournament. Hinako was definitely a crowd favourite as she  giggled and high fived her way to victory with some dazzling shots holing her final 18 foot putt for a birdie. Her endearing personality and permanent smile which rarely left her face all day. To the delight of the crowd , she high fived and signed autographs for everyone watching at close quarters. It was a memorable final if anything it is always good for women’s golf to have a refreshing new name as champion.