County ladies to celebrate 100 years of golf

Just like the event in 1923, the 2023 Shropshire Ladies County Golf Championship will be played out at Wrekin Golf Club – with entrants competing for the same trophy as that of 100 years ago.

Twenty-one players, including the defending champion, some of the top female players from around the county and some of the nation's top junior stars, are set to tee off at Wrekin from next Friday for the two-day event.

An 18-hole qualification round will first take place, before round one match-play, featuring the final eight, during the afternoon.

Saturday sees the semi-final and finals take place, during which the proud full history of the event, including champion's photos and other documents will be available.

Star names featuring this year are defending champion Anne Weetman, of Llanymynech, as well as other ex-winners Vicky Bradbeer, of Oswestry and Shrewsbury’s Isabel Green.

Home hopes rest with talented young players Jess Warren and Sophie Brothwood. Also among the competitors is British under-14 champion Lauren Crump (Hill Valley).

Past competitors are encouraged to attend on Saturday afternoon's final. There will be a champion's roll-call around 4.30pm, around the prize-giving.

Both winner and runner-up trophies date back to 1923. The former was donated by Lady Forester, the first county president, from Wrekin, and fellow member Helen Corser, who won the title in 1924, donated the runner-up trophy.

The inaugural Shropshire Ladies Championship, held in 1923, was won by home player Constance Beard, who shot 177 in the 36-hole stroke-play showpiece at Wrekin, where the event was held for its first six years.

Beard was ladies captain at Wrekin between 1914 and 1923 and an instigator in what is Shropshire Ladies County Golf Association today. She moved to Dorset before going on to represent Brocton Hall in the Midland Ladies’ Championship.