The women of East Devon Golf Club came home with a third-place finish in the 2021 Annodata UK Golf Club Classic finals at Montecastillo Golf Resort in Spain.

Team Captain, Sue Burley, said: “We’re delighted to have secured third place in the 2021 Annodata UK Golf Club Classic. We gave it our all on a challenging course and have some wonderful memories to treasure. To take third place in a play-off shows just how competitive all the teams and the matches were.

“It’s amazing to think that we are in the top three women’s golf club teams in Britain, we’re so proud for the Club and for women’s golf in Devon.“

The semi-final saw East Devon take on Charnwood Forest Golf Club from Leicestershire, and the match set the competitive tone for the week. The first of the five matches went to Charnwood, with two matches then finishing on the 16th hole in favour of East Devon. The remaining two matches headed up the 18th hole and the putts fell for Charnwood to give them a narrow 3 - 2 overall win.

Disappointed, but determined, the team headed on to the course the following day for the third-place playoff match against Leigh Golf Club from Cheshire. The first match went the way of East Devon before Leigh levelled. Leigh then went ahead again by winning the fourth game on the 17th hole, and the third match ended in a draw. So, it was all down to the final match, which East Devon won to level the overall match 2½ - 2½.

The final pairing of Helen Chivers (East Devon) and Nikki Martin (Leigh) went into a sudden death play-off. Nikki’s long-range putt from the left side of the green came up short of the hole, leaving Helen an 8-foot uphill putt to win, which she holed to the delight of the East Devon team and supporters!

During the campaign, the Club has been represented by Helen Chivers, Jenny Dobel, Jo Goldsworthy, Sue Harrison, Nina Hawkins, Sarah Jones, Sue Loynes, Deirdre Mackness, Ali Miller, Judy Murray and Sally Underwood and captained by Sue Burley.