THE ladies and men’s Herefordshire County Golf champions have been crowned at two recent events.

Karen Darby, playing off a handicap of one, retained the women’s title while Ady Marshall was the men’s victor.

The Herefordshire Ladies County Golf Championship took place on Saturday at Kington Golf Club.

The unpredictable weather threw up a host of challenges with a gale force wind, rain and sunny intervals.

With the strong wind many players were relating scores of 12, 14, 16 and in one case “I stopped counting”.

Darby was also troubled by the wind and gave an anecdote afterwards that on one hole she faced a shot of about 85 yards, only to see a full six iron fall short due to the strength of the wind.

Nevertheless, it did not stop her from retaining the championship trophy with a gross score of 80.

Kate Kerry gross 94 and Lynn Relph gross 95, both of South Herefordshire were second and third.

Kington player Kay Taylor posted a nett score of 68 (gross 93), early in the day, which proved totally unbeatable and she won the Hereford Times Bowl by a seven-shot margin from Wendy Douglas, Sue Lewis was third with a nett 78, both Kington,

The over-60s trophy was won by Wendy Priday, Kington’s lady captain, with a nett 75.

Other prizes: 0-20 handicap first Gillian Sandell, Leominster, nett 76; second Toinette Davies, Kington, nett 78; third Jill Wargon, South Herefordshire, nett 81.

21-36 handicap: first Carol Gardner, nett 78; second Yvonne Painter, nett 78; third Heather Cass, nett 79. All Leominster.

The Woodpecker Team Trophy was won by Kington with a score of nett 221.

The men’s county championship was held at Alexander Park GC where the Herefordshire Club golfer Marshall was crowned champion over 36 holes with scores of 71 and 80 total of 151 gross.

His morning round of 71 was a course record for an amateur golfer.

In second place with scores of 75 & 79 was Liam Williams (Burghill Valley) and third was

Ed Morley 74 & 81 (Burghill Valley).

The best nett score was Colin Kerfoot 147 (Alexander Park) in second place was Ben Brown 152 (Herefordshire) and third Steve Griffiths 155 (Herefordshire). The team winners for the best three gross scores was Burghill Valley GC.