Local women’s team takes country week title

MEMBERS from three Ballarat District Golf associated clubs are on a high following their recent win in the Golf Australia 2023 Victorian Men’s and Women’s Country Week Teams Matches.

Taking the competition’s women’s division two title, the squad teed off over three days of matches at the Yallourn, Traralgon, and Trafalgar golf courses.

Buninyong Golf Club’s Helen Pascoe captained the local team, and said it was an incredible achievement for all nine players.

“It was awesome because at one stage we were struggling to get enough players to get the team together, and we had a couple girls step in at the last minute,” she said.

“It was great we had some success and the girls experienced that. The highlight for me was seeing the camaraderie between the girls and how they really supported each other.

“We had to win or draw our last game to seal our position and we came through and won six, one so it was really exciting and a wonderful finish.”

In preparing together, the team held one group session at the Ballarat Golf Club on the Sunday prior to the competition.

Playing five matches across the three days, the group took on players from the Western, West Gippsland, South Gippsland, South Western, and East Gippsland districts, winning the title against the latter.

Pascoe said she looks forward to next year’s opportunities as a result of the team’s win.

“Winning the division two means we’ll go up to division one which is great because we haven’t been having a lot of success in Country Week for the last few years,” she said.

“The last time we reached division two was in 2015. We went up to division one and got relegated back. Last year we got washed out at Shepparton so morale was down.

“It was good this year that everybody rallied together and supported one another. We started off the first day with two wins which always gives you a boost.

“Next year we’ll play against stronger districts in division one so hopefully we’ll do okay and stay up in the division.”