Peggy Reece, past ELGA president, dies at 89

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Gloucestershire’s Peggy Reece, who was a past president of the English Ladies’ Golf Association, has died just a few weeks before her 90th birthday.Mrs Reece was known throughout the country for her charm and her long memory and she was regarded in her home county simply as “Our Peggy.”
Elizabeth Earnshaw, who chairs the operational board of the English Women’s Golf Association, said: “Peggy was a remarkable lady who always took a great interest in people. If you had a conversation with her she would remember it next time you met, even if it was months or years later.”
Peggy Reece held a host of top golf jobs and was a fine player. She reached the final of the English championship in 1961 and captained the England team at the 1966 Home Internationals. She was an England selector in 1977 and was president of the former English Ladies’ Golf Association in 1996/97. She was South West champion five times and Gloucestershire champion 10 times between 1952 and 1979 – additionally reaching the final of the competition in 1987 at the age of 67.
She played her first county match for Gloucestershire in 1948 and represented the county over the next four decades – with the exception of one year off to have a baby. Peggy was the first woman to be president of her club, Henbury, and she was county captain twice and county president.
A memorial service will be held on Friday 9th April at 1 pm at Christ Church, Redhill, North Somerset.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Irish golf legend Philomena Garvey

- 'fantastic competitor' - dies at 83

NEWS RELEASE ISSUE BY THE IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
It is with deep regret that the ILGU has learned of the death of Philomena Garvey (83), Ireland’s most successful female amateur golfer to date and Life Vice-President of the ILGU.
She was Ireland’s greatest golfing legend, winning 15 Irish close championships from 1946 through 1970 and boasting never to have lost an Irish close final.
She reached the final of the British Ladies Amateur Championship five times, beating Jessie Valentine for her only victory at Gleneagles in 1957. She represented her country at Home Internationals from 1947 through to 1969, played in six Curtis Cup matches between 1948 and 1960 and also played her part on winning Vagliano Teams.
A fine and powerful striker of the ball with both woods and irons, she was one of the few class women golfers of her time to use the inter-lock grip. In 1951, she was selected as part of a six-person European team to compete for the Weathervane international trophy against a U.S. professional side at Sunningdale during which Babe Zaharias narrowly defeated her.
In 1964, she became Ireland’s first female golf professional and as a sweet swan song to her golfing career, in 1970 at Royal Portrush she won her fifteenth Irish title after her re-instatement to amateur ranks.
She won many domestic titles, including six Leinster and two Munster titles.
What adds to her legendary status was her refusal to wear the Union Jack as the team emblem in the 1958 Curtis Cup matches and offered to her previous badge with the four country emblems. Her position was supported by team captain Daisy Ferguson (Royal Co.Down) and the ILGU but an LGU emergency meeting decided to keep the Union Jack emblem and so Philomena declined to play - the Curtis Cup team badge was altered thereafter.
In the LGU’s History, “One Hundred years of Women’s Golf”, Lewine Mair wrote “perhaps the strongest club in her bag was a concentration so intense that she would not even be aware of low-flying aircraft”.
ILGU Chief Executive Sinead Heraty commented: “Philomena was a fantastic competitor whose magnificent golf record has left a marvellous legacy in our sport. A very gifted player, she raised Irish women’s golf to a new level and inspired many talented players to achieve their potential. Her contribution to the game was immeasurable.”
A native of Baltray in Co. Louth, she will be fondly remembered by the golfing public as one of the number of post-war players of distinction who have rightfully carved a niche in the history of the game.
Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
Ladies Irish Close Champion
1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1970
Leitrim Cup
1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1962, 1969
Ladies British Amateur Open Champion
1957
Curtis Cup Team
1948, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1960
Vagliano Trophy Team
1959, 1963
Ladies Home International Team
1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 (Captain), 1956, 1957 (Captain), 1958, 1959 (Captain), 1960 (Captain), 1961, 1962, 1963, 1969
Senior Cup Champions (Co. Louth)
1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1962

Top Welsh prospect Ben Enoch

killed in car accident

just after 19th birthday

Welsh golf has reacted with shock to the tragic news of the death in a car accident of Wales international Ben Enoch.
The 19-year-old Walker Cup squad member was on his way from his Truro home to Lancashire for the Lytham Trophy when his Peugeot crashed into a trailer at Whitchurch, Herefordshire.
Welsh Golf Union Chief executive Richard Dixon summed up the feelings by saying, “Everyone is devastated by the news. Our thoughts are with the family at this terribly sad time.
“Ben was one of the most promising golfers in Wales, a bright and vibrant personality in our teams.
“He had a chance of getting into the Walker Cup team this season, such was his talent, and would surely have represented Great Britain and Ireland at some stage before enjoying a career in professional golf.
“For this accident to happen just a few days after his 19th birthday is heartbreaking. He had such a bright future ahead of him.”
Enoch was runner-up in the Welsh Amateur Championship last summer and had a strong start to this season, challenging in all events.
He was due to go to the United States later in the year to take up a golf scholarship at East Tennessee university, where his older brother Rhys is already a student. Rhys is also a Wales international golfer.
Last summer Ben was part of the Great Britain and Ireland Boys team which won the Jacques Leglise Trophy against the continent of Europe. He also won the Clwyd Amateur last season.
Ben Enoch was based in Truro and attended Truro College, but represented the Wales Boys teams in 2006 and 2007, representing the Wales senior team in 2008 and 2009.
++Image above of Ben Enoch by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography.

Georgie Hart, past chairman of Ladies Golf
Union, dies on holiday visit to Australia

FROM THE LADIES GOLF UNION WEBSITE
It is with deep regret that the LGU notes the sudden death of Georgie Hart, Past Chairman of the Ladies Golf Union, while visiting family in Australia.
A native of Coleraine and member of Royal Portrush Golf Club, she will be fondly remembered for her kindness and immense contribution to ladies' golf.
She was a splendid ambassador for the game during her Chairmanship of the LGU from 1993-1994 and was hugely involved in the LGU's Centenary celebrations.
Georgie also served on I.L.G.U. Council from 1988-1990 and more recently as an Irish selector.
She will be missed by her many golfing companions. Our condolences go to her immediate family, relatives and friends.

Death of Therese O'Reilly, a Champion of Ireland

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION
It is with deep regret that the ILGU has learnt of the death of Therese O’Reilly (Grange), past Irish champion, international and international team captain after a long illness bravely borne.
Following her inter-provincial debut for Leinster in 1977, Therese’s impressive ball-striking saw her win international selection that same year and again in 1978.
After starting a family in the early eighties, she returned to competitive golf and captured the Irish women’s close championship at Castlerock in 1986. As a player, she continued to represent Ireland and Leinster through to 1988 and captained the Irish team in 1994 at Huddersfield and again the following year at Wrexham.
Aged 52, she led the field of past internationals by two strokes to win the Irish senior women’s championship at Thurles in 2006.
A past chairman of the Eastern District, and more recently vice-president, she was actively involved in the administration of the ILGU at all levels. She will be fondly remembered as an outstanding sportswoman who was never short of an encouraging word for her fellow competitors and in particular talented juniors.
A role-model in the promotion of the women’s game, she loved life, laughed loud and often. Her characteristic good humour and sense of fun will be sadly missed by her many golfing companions and lifelong friends.
Our condolences go to her husband Des, son Andrew, daughters Jennifer, Laura and the late Nicole, brothers, sisters, relatives and many many friends.
Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.
Removal this evening, Friday 1st August, from Fanagans Funeral Home, Lower Main Street, Dundrum to St. Patrick's Church, Monkstown, arriving at 5pm.
Funeral tomorrow, Saturday morning, after 10am Mass to Shanganagh Cemetery.
Family flowers only, donations if desired to Blackrock Hospice.

ELIZABETH PRICE-FISHER DIES AT 85

Golfer-turned-golf writer Elizabeth Price-Fisher, who played in six Curtis Cup matches between 1950 and 1960 and was British women's amateur golf champion in 1959, died today at the age of 85.
She was the women's golf correspondent of the Daily Telegraph between Enid Wilson and Lewine Mair and had been a member of the Association of Golf Writers since 1975.
She was being treated in a nursing home for the last three months for a diabetes-related illness and finally died of a heart attack.
She leaves a daughter, Myfanwy and two grandchildren, Sarah and Sam.

Tribute from SLGA President Ethel Jack

Scottish ladies golf has
lost a great character
with the passing of
Tony Moffat

Ethel Jack, president of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, has paid tribute to the late Mrs Tony Moffat with the following words:

With the passing of Tony Moffat, Scottish ladies' golf has lost a great character. Tony was an avid supporter and spectator of Scottish female golf at all levels. Her contribution to golf was enormous.

She gave her heart and soul to golf, in particular to Aberdeenshire and to the Scottish Veteran Ladies' Golfing Association. But no matter what event she attended, she supported everyone and spoke to everyone.

Tony was a gentle, kind lady - always cheerful, smiling and laughing. I, and many others, will best remember Tony as the lady who drove her motorhome the length and breadth of the country to watch golf and and who always had a bagful of Werthers Originals to hand out to all and sundry.

She was known affectionately as "The Sweetie Lady" by many of us.

Ladies' golf in Scotland has lost a wonderful person and we will miss her very much indeed.

+The death notice in "The Press and Journal" today states that the funeral will be private, at her request.

DEATH OF MRS J L
(TONY) MOFFAT

Sad news to report today with regard to Mrs J L (Tony) Moffat of Aberdeen Ladies. It is understood she was found dead at her home in Aberdeen on Thursday. She was 85 and had been a widow for many years.
A vice-president of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, Tony was Aberdeenshire Ladies County Golf Association president from 1992-1993 and was one of the leading figures on the club and county golf scene for several decades.
She won the Aberdeenshire title in 1955 at Murcar and again in 1958 at Balgownie. She was beaten finalist five times - 1971 by Mrs Audrey Henderson at Hazlehead, 1974 by Mrs D Robertson at Cruden Bay, 1978 by Annette Laing at Peterhead, 1982 by Pamela Wright at Hazlehead and in 1983, when she was 60, by Elaine Farquharson at Aboyne. She was also a semi-finalist in 1973 and 1976.
Mrs Moffat was an Aberdeenshire county team player for many years. She was a member of the very strong Shire team that won the Scottish county championship for the first time at Elie in 1971 and also the following year when they made a successful defence of the title in the finals at Cruden Bay.
She was still holding down a place in the county line-up in the 1980s.
Tony was also a prominent figure in seniors and veterans' golf. Her name will be perpetuated in several championship trophies she presented. She was a past president of the Scottish Veteran Ladies Golf Association and the current president of the Northern Division of the SVLGA.
She was also the honorary president of Aberdeen Ladies Golf Club.
Aberdeenshire county captain Fiona Hay (Deeside) said:
"It's with great sadness we learned of the sudden death of Tony Moffat. Tony had been a huge supporter of Scottish ladies golf at all levels, always there with a pleasant smile and words of wisdom for the players. Events won't be quite the same without her handing out her endless supply of Werther’s Originals to players, officials and spectators."

+The funeral will be private at her own request.