GOLFCAN the Suffolk Ladies team win the Norfolk Bowl and move on to the second part of the English County Championship in 2007?Lils James, their captain, is a great team builder and has some good material to work with.

GOLF

CAN the Suffolk Ladies team win the Norfolk Bowl and move on to the second part of the English County Championship in 2007?

Lils James, their captain, is a great team builder and has some good material to work with. She will be hoping that the mixture of experience and youth and relationships established over the winter will do the trick.

All that is needed is for her players to come up with some good golf and a determined attitude and they should have every chance of success. She does have a couple of problems though. Suffolk should have had three rookies in the side, but Jo Taylor has pulled out, citing exam revision as the cause.

That leaves Heidi Baek and Korell Holley, both from the junior ranks. They have earned their places on merit and the older players will be rooting for them when they tee up in a senior county match for the first time. Secondly, Hannah Rees, one of Suffolk's most prolific points' scorers over the years, has recovered from her medical problems but remains doubtful about 100% fitness.

Royal Norwich is the scene of battle for three days starting tomorrow. Dry April was followed by very wet May and, as anyone who has played there will testify, when the rough is lush it is tough.

According to the professional, the course is playing long and the green staff are having a job keeping up with the mowing requirements. Second cut measures about three inches but, if your ball finishes in there, it is off line and punishment is due!

Keeping it on the short stuff is obviously the priority. The greens will be fast with a good covering of grass and everything is set for keen competition.

Suffolk meet Bedfordshire tomorrow. Some years ago, this would be seen as a good draw and the temptation was to consider it as a warm-up match because Beds were the weakest side of the four taking part. Now that is true no longer. For the last few seasons, the county has fielded a strong, well-ordered side of technically sound golfers and Suffolk will have to play hard to get a point on the board before meeting Cambs & Hunts on Wednesday.

They were last year's winners of the Norfolk Bowl and will be keen to retain the honour No quarter there, then! On Thursday, it is the turn of Norfolk and this one is always closely fought.

Suffolk team

Heidi Baek (Felixstowe), Korell Holley (Stowmarket), Vicki Inglis (Woodbridge), Lils James (Captain, Rookery Park), Liz Laflin (Stowmarket), Sharon Luckman (Felixstowe), Amanda Norman (Felixstowe), Hannah Rees (Rookery Park)

Timetable

Tomorrow: 8.45 and 1.15 Suffolk v Bedfordshire. 9.25 and 2.15: Cambs & hunts v Norfolk

Wednesday: 8.45 and 1.15, Suffolk v Cambs & Hunts. 9.25 and 2.15: Bedfordshire v Norfolk.

Thursday: 8.45 and 1.15 Norfolk v Suffolk. 9.25 and 2.15: Cambs & Hunts v Bedfordshire.