A Champion again at Bramshott Hill Golf Club!

Last week, we shared the news that 91-year-old Sheila Aldridge had won the 9-hole Club Championship at Cottesmore Golf and Country Club in Crawley. This promoted an email to drop into my inbox from Mary Annetts from Bramshott Hill Golf Club in Southampton letting me know that Sheila was not alone in winning a club championship at 91!

"I have just read your piece concerning the 91-y-o golfer winning a Club Championship on the 9-hole course, and would like to say that our 9-hole Club Championship was also won by a 91-y-o! Pearl Hansford of Bramshott Hill Golf Club in Hampshire has been playing for 35+ years and has only just moved from the 18-hole course where she won honours for many years."

Not surprisingly I needed to find out more and Mary duly obliged by sending me the following with the above image which shows Pearl receiving her trophy from current Lady Captian Gloria Gordon.

Pearl's story

At the age of 91, Pearl Hansford became the first winner of a Ladies’ Championship held on the 9-hole course at Bramshott Hill Golf Club.  This was held on the same day as the annual Ladies’ 18-hole competition: this latter comprises 36 holes of medal play in one day, and the new 9-hole Championship was run under the same rules, making 18 holes of medal play in one day.

Pearl has been a member of the Club almost since its inception some 45 years ago and in past years Pearl has twice been Captain of the Ladies’ Section and also Lady President.  She was a member of the Hampshire Senior Ladies and Captained the team whilst in her 70s.  She has continued to play an active part in Club activities and played on the 18-hole course until a fall resulting in a broken hip meant that she could no longer cope with the longer course.

In the time of Covid, Pearl was unlucky to be bitten on the leg by a Blandford Fly, and was threatened with an amputation, but she refused because she was still playing golf – to the amazement of the surgeon!  It is a sign of Pearl’s determination that she still has both her legs!

New Forest District Council opened the golf courses originally, on land known at that time as Bramshott Hill, and so Bramshott Hill Golf Club was formed by a hardy few players. The courses are now managed by My Time Active at Dibden Golf Centre.  They comprise 27 holes of parkland overlooking the Solent with its constantly changing scene of cruise ships and other vessels.

Another fantastic story that is a privilege to share. If I make 91, my hope is that I will still be on the golf course. I doubt I will be winning trophies but there's nothing new there!

If you have any good news club stories that you would like to share, don't forget to drop me an email [email protected]