GARY GLITTERS AS A COACH, SHEENA SHINES AS A TITLE-WINNER

     Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) and her coach, Gary Forbes (Murcar Links)

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Sheena Wood has been winning titles, first as a Hazlehead Golf Club member and subsequently as an Aberdeen Ladies member for more than two decades.

You might think, at forty-something, Sheena's star might not be twinkling as brightly as it once was. You would be wrong.

This season has been one of her best - Aberdeen Ladies club champion, Aberdeenshire women's county champion and North of Scotland women's champion.

"I’m certainly enjoying my golf this year!" says Sheena who was capped for Scotland in the women's home internationals of 1999 and 200.

"I would have to give huge credit  to  Aberdeenshire county coach Gary Forbes of Murcar Links. I have really enjoyed working with Gary.  

"His expert coaching, approach to shot-making  and natural enthusiasm  have inspired me to work hard and compete more.

"Gary has given me confidence in my game and I am having a lot of  fun competing against all these youngsters!"

In the Aberdeen Ladies club championship at Balgownie in June, Sheena was leading qualifier with scores of 80 and 76 (CSS 78).

She beat Marion Donald (7 and 6), Emma Connon (7 and 6) before beating Fiona Seedhouse (SLGA president Margaret Macnaughtan’s daughter) 9 and 8 in the final.

"I never dropped a shot and was two under par when the match finished. The Balrownie rough is now very thick so I just was swinging easy to keep out of it!" said Sheena. 

She has now won the Aberdeen Ladies' club title 16 times, the first being in 1991, then  93-95- 96-97-99-2001-02-04-05- 06-07-08-09-11 and now No 16 in 2012.

"Before I joined Aberdeen Ladies I had won 10 in a row at Hazlehead," said Sheena, adding:

"This year was my fifth  Aberdeenshire county championship win (she beat Carol Wilson of Murcar Links by 4 and 3 in the final at Balgownie, having been in the final nine times.  I have won it twice at Cruden Bay (1996 and 2002), Murcar Links (2000), Aboyne (2001) and now Balgownie (2012)."

Sheena's third North of Scotland championship triumph was achieved this year at Blairgowrie where she beat Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) 5 and 4, Claire Prouse (Hazlehead) 5 and 4, Jemma Chalmers (Monifieth) 2 holes, then Ann Ramsay (Kirriemuir) at the 19th in the final.

Sheena's first North of Scotland triumph was in 1989 at Balgownie where she beat Magi Vass 4 and 3 in the final.

Twelve years later, in 2001, when the championship was played at Deeside, Sheena beat Lyndsey Devenish (Cruden Bay) 2 and 1 in the final.