JUNE Savidge upset the odds and showed that practice makes perfect winning the Ross-on-Wye Golf Club’s annual Huggett Putter knock-out competition.
The event began seven years ago, kindly sponsored by Brian Huggett, who played in six Ryder Cups and was captain of the Great Britain/Ireland Ryder cup team in 1977.
This popular event attracted 51 men competing in the knockout event and 22 women in their event.
The men’s competition was won by Tim Wyatt (four handicap) becoming men’s Huggett Putter champion after beating Peter Neilens.
The women’s competition was won by June Savidge (40 handicap) winning on the 17th hole after beating Dinah Johnston (17 handicap).
Savidge is a relatively newcomer to golf, having been a lifelong tennis player.
She joined Ross-on-Wye Golf Club in March 2019 after completing the Get into Golf programme run by the Tim Hall School of Golf.
She had a very successful first season at Ross, dropping her handicap from 45 to 40, and qualified to play both championship courses at the Turnberry Golf Complex in Scotland with five other Ross Ladies in October 2019.
Savidge was hoping to build on her successes of 2019 this season, but Covid-19, a rib injury and an ongoing wrist injury have conspired against her reducing her handicap further, as she has had to stop playing in the competitions.
Determined to improve one aspect of golf that she was still able to do Savidge honed her putting skills.
Clearly this paid off, as not only did she win the ladies’ Huggett Putter competition, but went on to win the overall competition in a head-to-head final against the men’s champion Wyatt.
An exciting match, with an audience of socially distanced members around the putting green saw Savidge, outwardly calm and focused throughout, sink a long putt on the 18th hole to win the title of 2020 Club Huggett Putter Champion.
Brian Huggett and his wife Winnie were delighted to present the trophy to Savidge and to offer commiserations to Wyatt.
