Sue Thurgate’s year of office as captain of Newton Green Golf Club ladies’ section has got off to an explosive start.

The retired head teacher had not bargained for a St Trinian’s style send off. But as she approached the first tee for her drive-in, she was confronted with 60 women golfers, many in ill-fitting school wear they had once worn as youngsters.

As a school bell tolled, startled Sue was dressed up in a teacher’s cape and a tri-part hat, and led to the tee.

She swung her driver, only to make contact with a fake ball, which exploded in a cloud of smoke. However, before she could utter the words “detentions all round,” she had been given a real ball to strike down the fairway.

Prior to the driving off ceremony, Sue had watched retiring captain Carol Durston finish her year by putting out on the 18th green.

Following the drive-in, ladies played a 10 hole, pairs social Stableford.

Results: 29 Cynthia Chapman and Sarah Williams, 28 Caroline Crace and Angela Allen, 27 Sally Cade and Sue Hobbs.

Nearest pin (handicaps up to 28) on 6th Andrea Thompson.

Nearest pin (handicaps 28-36) in two on 2nd Elizabeth Underhill.

The previous evening, the ladies held their AGM when a cheque for £1,000 was presented by outgoing captain Carol Durston to Nick Naughton from The Samaritans. During the year £130.04 had also been raised for Fishermen’s Mission.

Carol said a big thank you from the bottom of her heart not only to those involved with Newton Green’s success in the Haskell, Weston and Cranworth county trophies, but also to all the club’s lady trophy winners for 2013.