THE Suffolk Ladies' County Championship starts at Rookery Park today with the 36-hole Strokeplay event, which is a championship in its own right, but is also the qualifying phase for the Matchplay stages following at the weekend.

THE Suffolk Ladies' County Championship starts at Rookery Park today with the 36-hole Strokeplay event, which is a championship in its own right, but is also the qualifying phase for the Matchplay stages following at the weekend.

Sharon Luckman defends both titles. It is a measure of her success over the past few seasons that her handicap gets ever lower.

Along with Hannah Rees, the county vice-captain, she is now playing off two.

Rees, unfortunately, has a health problem and will not be playing in the championship, which is a pity because she would have had home advantage and it will not be quite the same without her.

How times change, though! Some few years ago, the number of single-figure golfers in a championship field would have been in the minority. Now, out of a 28-strong field, more than half are under 10 and more than half of those are off five or less.

Barring surprises, the county captain's task of picking a side to represent Suffolk in the English County Championship should perhaps be easier than normal. That comment is made with caution, however, because selection is guaranteed not to please everyone!

Several of the promising golfers are youngsters, a tribute to their own hard work, but also to the efforts of the county junior organisers. Korell Holley, Joanne Taylor and Heidi Baek are still juniors, Heidi being the outstanding player of the three.

Very composed and always concentrated, she has been gaining competitive experience within the National set-up and will attend an England coaching session on finals day, thus ruling herself out of the Matchplay Championship.

Victoria Inglis and Sarah Anderson, who has recently settled in Suffolk, are not much older.

Many familiar names are also on the list and doubtless the genuine competition offered by the younger players will act as a spur. Amanda Norman, Lizzie Laflin, Vicki Hunt and captain Lils James all appear to be on good form.

Watching should be fun and Lils James is hoping for a great festival of golf played in fine spirit.

Start times

09.00 & 13.30 Lils James (Rookery Park) & Liz Laflin (Stowmarket).

09.06 & 13.36 Carole Bostock (Rookery Park) & Korell Holley (Stowmarket).

09.12 & 13.42 Kathryn Pitts (Bury) & Tina Alexander (Stowmarket).

09.18 & 13.48 Vicki Hunt (Ipswich) & Joanne Taylor (Rushmere).

09.26 & 13.56 Diane Oliver (Bungay) & Amanda Norman (Felixstowe).

09.32 & 14.02 Melanie Firth (Bury) & Heidi Baek (Felixstowe).

09.38 & 14.08 Emma Jukes (Stowmarket) & Vicki Inglis (Woodbridge).

09.44 & 14.14 Sarah Anderson (Diss) & Sharon Luckman (Felixstowe).

09.50 & 14.20 Sharon Davey (Stowmarket) & Tessa Summers (Aldeburgh).

09.56 & 14.26 Liz Nichols (Bungay) & Lucy Black (Stowmarket).

10.02 & 14.32 Pam Anderson (Diss) & Mariette Robbertse (Bury).

10.08 & 14.38 Yvonne Hollis (Felixstowe) & Mary Wilderspin (Rookery Park).

10.14 & 14.44 Sarah Owen (Rushmere) & Ann Lockhart (Rookery Park).

10.20 & 14.50 Jackie Moore (Bungay) & Ann Maskell (Felixstowe).