I am going to concentrate on the women this week – despite the fact that the elite men’s game as we know it may never be the same again after the first of the Saudi-backed, Greg Norman-led LIV Invitational Golf Series.  And what better place to start than with another Australian, the less divisive, newly-minted US Women’s Open champion Minjee Lee?

Effortlessly elegant, with a magical combination of liquid power and a deft touch around the greens, the Aussie has now ascended to No 3 in the world after winning her second major last weekend.  It took her seven years in the paid ranks to win her first major, the Evian Masters, last year and it would be no surprise if the floodgates now opened and her tally mounted.

Lee started the final round three strokes ahead of American Mina Harigae and finished winning by four – plenty of breathing room which afforded her the luxury of three-putting two out of her last three greens.  Such was her dominance around the exacting, beautiful Pine Needles in North Carolina that there were only nine players within eleven shots of the Australian’s total.  Dare I say it was a Tiger-esque performance?

Her younger brother, Si Woo, a member of the DP World Tour, posted the following on his twitter account:-

I love the picture of Min Woo with his serious-looking big sister and it’s so good to see an Australian woman player back near the top of the world rankings.  This sports-mad country has consistently produced a wonderful stream of players, with the occasional sprinkling of global superstars along the way – think Karrie Webb, and if you’re a little older, Jan Stephenson.

Webb, the Wizard of Oz, was the undisputed world No 1 in the days before the rankings were formalised (2006 I think).  For instance, in 2000, she won nine times (Tiger won 11) and topped $2 million in earnings – no pittance in those days.  Her enduring excellence eventually pushed Annika Sorenstam to new heights.  In all, Webb won seven major titles and has been a willing mentor and help to many of her young countrywomen trying to forge their way in the game.  While still at the height of her powers she would invite some of the best amateurs to be her guests at the US Open where they would stay with her and watch and learn throughout the week.  This front-row seat provided invaluable insight for the youngsters into the preparation and focus needed to be successful on the biggest stage of all.

Minjee Lee has benefitted hugely over the years from Webb’s generosity with her time and her knowledge and has put all of that apprenticeship to great use over the last few years.  A superlative ball striker from her early days it was Lee’s holing out that was occasionally sub-standard.  Well, she appears to have that sorted and holing four consecutive putts of around ten feet in the final round last Sunday made her invincible.  If you find yourself anywhere near Muirfield the first week in August I would urge you to find the time to go to the AIG Women’s Open and seek her out.  You’ll be in for a treat.

That staging of the 77th US Women’s Open at Pine Needles also showcased women in another role altogether, one behind the scenes and of vital importance.  This was the second year of a programme to bring volunteer female agronomists in to join and supplement the regular course maintenance crew at a US Women’s Open venue, having started last year at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.  David Fruchte, the course  superintendent at Pine Needles was delighted to have thirty women from all over the US bolster his team for championship week.

“Getting the women for the whole week is just a huge stress release on me and our staff,” Fruchte said. “They’re all so professional. They know where to go and what to do. The first day was a learning period, getting to know the golf course but since then everything has been really, really smooth. You can’t ask for more than that.”

With only 2% of the 19000 members of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America being female it’s an invaluable opportunity for the women to interconnect and see they are not alone in their industry.  This programme is set to continue next year at Pebble Beach and hopefully more women will realise there’s a fulfilling career available to them in the golf course maintenance business.

Finally, I mentioned the other week that we were in the summer time frame of clubs hosting captains’ days and I just want to mention a couple of clubs of which I’m a member and the fabulous prizes, in my opinion, sourced by the respective ladies’ captains.

Jan Pomfret, this year’s LC at Delamere Forest took the club emblem, the Delamere horn, and the ladies’ centenary trophy of said horn as her inspiration and created a most beautiful brooch as her prize.

Meanwhile Roma English, native of Islandmagee and LC at Royal Portrush, commissioned the making of a wrought iron putter from part of a cart axle found in a quarry near her home.

Congratulations ladies – two wonderfully innovative prizes with special meaning to the captains as well as the lucky winners.

Finally, (again!) it would be remiss of me not to send every best wish to Elaine Ratcliffe and her Curtis Cup team who take on a formidable American side at the iconic venue of Merion over the next three days.  It will be a memorable experience for all those taking part and attending.  Enjoy.

Well, hooray and hallelujah, my faith in human nature is not so dented after all:  I’ve just been to The Belfry to retrieve the nearly brand new 7-iron that I mislaid so carelessly on the PGA National course about a month ago.  There was no sign of it the day after I’d failed to win the Michael Williams Hogget (not for the first time) in early May and Nige, the very helpful Brummie at lost property, didn’t hold out much hope.  Bummer really, considering the club was a very recent, customised acquisition.  I was hoping that whoever found it was very tall, Peter Crouch sized and not in the least bit interested in a little old lady implement.

I checked back with Nige yesterday, just on the off chance, having reverted to my old 7-iron, a classic Ping Eye 2 (it was older than the club fitter when I decided to invest in some modern technology), hoping that I’d be in luck – and I was.  Phew.  Many thanks to whoever found it and took the trouble to return it.  Now it might be a good idea to take it to the practice ground and find out how it works.

On Tuesday, I represented the AGW in a match against the Golf Foundation at The Berkshire and, bar the odd proper golf shot, was no help whatsoever to my long-suffering partner.  Neither of us was at our best, so we were well beaten by opponents who played rather well, certainly far too well for us.  Fortunately, our teammates did well enough to salvage a 3-all draw – although that meant the GF, celebrating its Platinum Jubilee (why does that sound familiar?  Was there a fuss?), retained the rather splendid trophy (pictured at the top of the piece, if a tad inexpertly, all being well).

We played the Blue course, which starts with a par 3 of more than 200 yards – off whatever tee you choose – and I hit a cracker (bearing in mind my limitations).  We all thought I’d cleared the heather comfortably – “It’s the first time I’ve ever hit it over that heather,” sez I with a certain amount of surprise and a lot of satisfaction – but I hadn’t!  Ah well, some things are not meant to be.  I may never play The Berkshire again, which is my excuse for helping myself to two puddings (melt-in-the-mouth bread and butter and a delicious pannacotta) at a lunch that more than lived up to its reputation and my memories of repasts past.

When I set off for home, heading in the direction of Ascot (correct, a rare example of getting one of my 50-50 chances – left or right – right, as in spot on), I had a vague sense of unease.  Something was niggling.  Had I put my golf shoes in the boot?  Those swanky, rather large Italian jobs.  Where were they?  I found a spot to stop, checked the boot and, no surprise, surprise, no shoes.  Back I went, recovered the shoes and headed off back to Ascot.  A bit of an up-and-down, round-and-about tour later I found the direction I needed and, eventually, opened my own front door.  Wonders will never cease.

The Berkshire hasn’t changed much since I was last there, goodness knows how many years ago and it’s full of happy memories, particularly of Avia Foursomes past.  I sent Maureen this picture to remind her of old times and it took her a while to recognise it – because there was nobody there!  She was used to it being packed full of women preparing for action.

It was lovely to see that there was a portrait of Angela Uzielli (nee Carrick), one of The Berkshire and England’s best players, who won the British Ladies’ Amateur Championship in 1977, in the members’ bar downstairs, not tucked away upstairs with the other ladies of distinction.  Angela wasn’t just an excellent golfer, she was a force of nature, full of verve and vim, who died too young, at the age of 59, in November 1999.  I realised that I was smiling broadly and chatting to her as I snapped this photo.

You’ll be glad to know that I won’t be moving from lovely amateur reminiscences to pondering the ramifications of the LIV series.  Crystal ball gazing is not my thing but warehouse loads – much bigger than shedloads – of money and lots of macho posturing are an explosive combination.

If Greg Norman and co are really serious about introducing different, more entertaining formats (money aside, there’s no doubt that an unremitting diet of 72-hole strokeplay can pall), they should consider the Jubilee Frolic that we enjoyed in the red, white and blue (not obligatory) at WHGC last week.  It was called Bing, Bang, Bong and, if nothing else, greatly exercised what remained of our little grey cells.  Ou est Poirot when you need him?

It seems relatively straightforward but the discussions that ensued threatened to go beyond full and frank!  Here we go with the rules:  First on the green equals one point (1st on green = 1 pt); nearest pin (when all on green – quite a bone of contention as it turned out) = 1 pt; first in hole = 1 pt.  NB:  Furthest from pin must putt first and there are no gimmes.

There was also a team element (a la LIV I believe) and I quote verbatim:  “Each hole a different player takes the Jubilee Ball [supplied] and plays as above within the group, their score is your team score on that hole.  It is also their individual score for the individual comp.  Every group player takes their turn around all 7 holes….”

It reminded me of when I used to do quiz questions for Candy Devine’s show on Downtown Radio and how hard it was to phrase the question in such a way that there was only one possible answer…

On a less contentious note, I leave you with one of Mary McKenna’s marvellous bird photos.  It was a toss up between the blackbird and a staged, promotional shot of Annika and Henrik, who are co-hosting the Scandinavian Mixed tournament at Halmstad in Sweden this week – the way professional golf should be perhaps…