A GOLF club’s inclusivity has been hailed by its new lady captain.

Fiona Anderson is a relative newcomer to Alderley Edge Golf Club having joined five years ago but she is delighted to be in the role in 2023.

She said: “Alderley Edge Golf Club prides itself on being very friendly and inclusive.

“Novice and returning players are always welcomed and we try to encourage new players to become confident playing on our pretty, yet challenging, course.

“We have a small but active ladies section playing competitions on Tuesdays with roll-ups on Sundays and Thursdays.

“We enter teams in three divisions of the ECICS Shield competitions and have been through to the knockout stages two years running.

“We are also in a 9-hole league, which we won last year, and play several friendly fixtures a season.

“There is competitive golf, for all levels of our players and ladies are welcome to come and see for themselves and might like to enter our Open on June 29 or our 14-hole Turkey Trot on October 24 - details can be found on the Open Button of the AEGC website.”

Fiona hopes the weather is kind during her year of captaincy so that she can hit the fairways herself as often as possible – and maybe even lower her handicap again.

“My current handicap is 32.1 and my lowest was 25, and my other favourite courses are Abersoch and Fixby Hall, Huddersfield – as they are both very different to AEGC,” she said.

“My favourite hole at my club is the fifth, par four, as on a good day, there is potential for a good score and it is one of the few holes without water! On a bad day it would be the 18th.

“My own personal golfing highlight would be reducing my handicap by 10 shots in 10 days. It soon crept back up again!

“I will be looking to play two or three times a week depending on the weather.”

Other interests keep Fiona busy too.

“My hobbies other than golf are my art group, spending time with my grandsons in Cheshire and in Lake Forest Illinois,” she said.

“Regarding the football team I support as Lady Captain of a club in Cheshire I would feign neutrality – but I won’t, come on you Blues!”

She has revealed the charity she will be supporting in her year as lady captain.

“My chosen charity is Diabetes UK – it’s a charity raising money for a cause very close to the heart of many members and staff at the club,” she said.

On the competition scene, a 15-hole Sunday stableford at Styal was won by Steve James in confident style, with 34 taking him well clear of Simon Peers, Paul Hill and Graham Jones, all 28.

The latest Styal Seniors Winter League had the familiar name of Mike Hinde topping division one with a magical 38, one more than Alan Beckett, Neil Cowan and Michael O’Donovan.

In division two, Dave Rice was again on top form posting 37 to finish one ahead of David Tomlinson and Alan Townsend.