With golf courses in England due to reopen on Monday 29^th March, Richmond is well and truly ready to welcome all its members and visitors back to playing at their splendid facility.  With the Club having recently been accepted as a signatory to the R&A’s prestigious Women in Golf Charter, 2021 will see a significant drive to bring more and more women and girls into participation.  We asked Penny Holroyd, Ladies’ Captain at Richmond this year why she had come to live and play golf here in North Yorkshire and what she hoped for the sport in 2021.

“I moved from Surrey, not far from Richmond on Thames, here to Richmond in North Yorkshire in January 2010 in preparation for retirement.  A key reason for choosing ‘this’ Richmond, apart from the beauty of its location in the Dales, was the accessibility to a golf course, and I couldn’t have chosen better than RGC.

“Having been a member at both Strawberry Hill GC (Lady Captain in 2006) and Fulwell GC in Surrey, both friendly and social Clubs, I was looking for the same here in the North.  Although I didn’t know anyone when I first arrived at RGC I was made very welcome, with Sue Stoney, Lady Captain at the time, introducing me to the other ladies and I was soon playing a lot of golf, including Yorkshire County Inter Club matches.

“It became a family affair for a while with my son working part time at the Club as a greenkeeper for three years while studying at university.  I was honoured to be asked to stand as Lady Captain in 2014, especially being such a new member, and am looking forward to taking on the role again in 2021. I can’t wait to work with Graeme Storm, our tour professional, and his team bringing on the big group of starter ladies we have who are raring to go.

“Since moving to Yorkshire I’ve served as Competition Secretary, Honorary Secretary and am currently Vice-Captain of Yorkshire Veterans Ladies Golf Association and will serve as Captain in 2022.  We’ll be hosting a number of prestigious Yorkshire County matches at RGC next year, which will be a great honour for me and the Club – and show off our glorious course to those who rarely venture this far North.

“Since taking up golf it has become a great part of my life and has given me great pleasure (and frustration!) and made me many friends.  Rest assured I’ll be working hard over the next two years, both at Richmond and throughout the County, to promote the great game of golf and to encourage more ladies and girls to take it up.”