THE BARROWS DEFEND MOTHERS-DAUGHTERS FOURSOMES TITLE

By Jo Thesiger

Elaine Barrow, the Hampshire junior organiser from Brokenhurst Manor, will pair up again with her younger daughter, 15-year-old, Charlotte, a 6 handicap, to defend the Mothers Daughters 27-hole stroke-play foursomes at Royal Mid Surrey golf club in Richmond on Saturday, April 21. This unique and traditional golfing event, in its eightieth year, has been attracting some of our top amateur golfers with their mothers or daughters, since it was first played at Ranelegh in 1932.  Vivien Saunders, Angela Uzielli, Jill Thornhill, Liz Boatman, Angela Bonallack and more recently Alex Peters are just some of the famous golfing names on the winners' honours board.
For Elaine, the joy of winning this historic title, was slightly muted by the fact that she has another talented golfing daughter, 17-year-old, Laura, a five-handicap, who could only enjoy the family success as a spectator.  Although, it was Elaine’s plan to rotate her daughters each year, Laura has generously insisted that her younger sister Charlotte should have the opportunity to defend the title.

However, this will be no easy task with the field scattered with past winners hoping to stand in their way.  Former Hertfordshire Champion, Elsie Provan and her daughter Sarah Saggers from Ipswich, the joint winners in 2004, will be aiming to reclaim title.
While the Griffiths from Walton Heath - Christine, a former pro and her 18-year-old daughter, Charlotte, the 2011 Surrey junior champion, will be eager to put their name on the trophy for the first time, having missed out by a single shot last year.
England International and Middlesex Champion, Tara Watters, off plus one, the lowest handicap in the field, might well be able to carry her mother, a higher handicap, to victory.
The youngest competitor is 12-year-old, Martha Lewis, whose handicap matches her age.  Martha has already enjoyed great success in the mothers and daughters by winning of the 27-hole handicap trophy, with her mother Evelyn, two years ago, aged only 10!