Midlothian are 2005 Scottish County Champions!

Back row L to R: Claire Hargan, Claire Macdonald, Karen Marshall, Rhona McLennan, Belinda Murphy, Wendy Nicholson
Front Row Jane Turner, Michaela, Kirsten Blackwood

L to R: Kirsten Blackwood, Claire Hargan, Claire Macdonald, Wendy Nicholson, Margaret Macpherson (Captain), Belinda Murphy, Rhona McLennan, Jane Turner, Karen Marshall.
The team mascot is called Micheala

Midlothian Past Captains had to get into the picture!
L to R: Gillian Kirkwood, Fiona Verth, Margaret Rodger, Anne Brownie, Sue Caton (current President), Joan Marshall, Karen Ballanyne and Margaret Macpherson (current Captain)

Cal Carson Golf Agency (Colin Farquharson) writes:-

Thursday 15th September 2005
County Finals Preview
IT'S MIDLOTHIAN AND BORDERS BEST CHANCE TO WIN COUNTY TITLE!
But for an unfortunate clash with the women's home internationals at Dundalk, Lanarkshire would have been warm favourites to win the Scottish women's county golf championship over the next three days at Ranfurly Castle Golf Club, Bridge of Weir.
Scotland team players Clare Queen (Drumpellier) and Jenna Wilson (Strathaven) played a big part in Lanarkshire's capture of the West Division title, which earned them one of the four team places in the county finals.
But Clare and Jenna cannot be in two places at once so Scotland's claim on their services took precedence over playing for Lanarkshire against Northern Counties, Midlothian and Borders, the other divisional winners.
Northern Counties, bidding to win the national title for a third year in a row, have also been beset by team problems, so much so that their president, Isobel McIntosh, one of the North's leading players in the 1980s, has answered a call to deputise for late call-off Linda Smith (Buckpool), who has family commitments.
Northern Counties' line-up already lacked Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) and Meg Sievewright (Keith) who were their leading points scorers in winning the Northern Division title. The reasons for their non-selection have not been disclosed by county captain Mairi Orr.
All of which leaves Midlothian and Borders with probably the best chance they have ever had of winning the Scottish title.
Even Midlothian's team selection has been restricted by the women's home internationals still going on in Ireland while the county finals action is starting at Ranfurly Castle. Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry) is making her debut for Scotland at the age of 14, having won the Scottish girls' match-play championship and reached the semi-finals of the Scottish women's championship at Cruden Bay.
TEAMS
BORDERS
Judith Anderson (Hawick), Julie Birdsall-White (The Roxburghe), Emma Fairnie (Peebles), Karen Hughes (Minto), Mags Morrison (Hawick), Sharon Paterson (Kelso), Martine Pow (Selkirk), Wendy Wells (Peebles).
LANARKSHIRE
Elaine Cuthill (Lanark), Alyson Hendry (Hamilton), May Hughes (Lanark), Lesley Lloyd (Hayston), Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), Ruth Rankin (Lanark), Susan Wood (Drumpellier), Alexandra Young (Torrance House).
MIDLOTHIAN
Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse), Claire Hargan (Mortonhall), Rhona MacLennan (Baberton), Karen Marshall (Baberton), Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall), Wendy Nicholson (Broomieknowe), Jane Turner (Mortonhall).
NORTHERN COUNTIES
Kerri Harper (Inverness), Ashton Ingram (Fort William), Eileen Manson (Thurso), Jenny Milne (Elgin), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Isobel McIntosh (Inverness), Mary Smith (Tain), Laura Walker (Nairn Dunbar).
PROGRAMME
Friday:- Lanarkshire v Northern Counties, Midlothian v Borders.
Saturday:- Borders v Lanarkshire, Northern Counties v Midlothian.
Sunday:- Northern Counties v Borders, Midlothian v Lanarkshire.

Friday 16th September 2005
Scottish County Finals
MIDLOTHIAN LEAD TABLE AT END OF FIRST DAY
Midlothian led the table at the end of the first day of the Scottish women’s county championship finals at Ranfurly Castle Golf Club, Bridge of Weir today.
They beat Borders 6-3 while Lanarkshire and title-holders Northern Counties played a 4 ½-4 ½ draw.
Midlothian took the foursomes 3-0 and then shared the singles 3-3 with Claire Hargan, Karen Marshall and Wendy Nicholson winning for Midlothian in the afternoon and Martine Pow, Wendy Wells and Judith Anderson winning for Borders.
A Lanarkshire team already without key Scotland international players, Clare Queen and Jenna Wilson, also suffered a third loss before the finals when the up and coming Pamela Pretswell withdrew, to be replaced by the experienced Pat Hutton.
The foursomes were shared and the singles too after some nerve-tingling finishes.
Ruth Rankin put Lanarkshire ahead in the afternoon by beating Laura Walker 3 and 1 in the top singles.
But 14-year-old Kelsey MacDonald, the youngest ever Northern Counties women's champion, levelled up the scores again by winning 4 and 2 over Elaine Cuthill.
Northern Counties then moved ahead, thanks to a 3 and 2 win by Kerri Harper over Susan Wood.
But the nip-and-tuck match continued to sway one way, then the other when Alexandra Young of Lanarkshire beat county debutante Ashton Ingram by 4 and 2.
Jenny Milne put Northern Counties ahead at 4 1/2-3 1/2 by beating Lesley Lloyd on the last green.
Alyson Hendry saved the day for Lanarkshire by winning, also on the last green, against Mary Smith.
Details:
LANARKSHIRE 4 ½, NORTHERN COUNTIES 4 ½
Foursomes: M Hughes & P Hutton lost to K MacDonald & L Walker 3 and 2; E Cuthill & A Young halved with K Harper & M Smith; S Wood & R Rankin bt J Milne & E Manson 5 and 3 (1 ½-1 1/2 ).
Singles: Rankin bt Walker 3 and 1, Cuthill lost to MacDonald 4 and 2, Wood lost to Harper 3 and 2, Young bt A Ingram 4 and 2, L Lloyd lost to Milne 2 holes, A Hendry bt Smith 1 hole (3-3).
MIDLOTHIAN 6, BORDERS 3
Foursomes: K Blackwood & C MacDonald bt E Fairnie & W Wells 4 and 3; K Marshall & J Turner bt J Birdsall-White & M Morrison 2 holes; C Hargan & B Murphy bt M Pow & J Anderson 2 and 1 (3-0).
Singles: Hargan bt Fairnie 4 and 3, Blackwood lost to Pow 4 and 3, Marshall bt S Paterson 5 and 4, R MacLennan lost to Wells 3 and 1; W Nicholson bt Birdsall-White 2 and 1, MacDonald lost to Anderson 2 and 1 (3-3).

Saturday 17th September 2005
Scottish County Finals
MIDLOTHIAN'S LONG TITLE WAIT LOOKS LIKE ENDING
Midlothian are on the verge of becoming Scottish women's county golf champions for the first time since 1935. They thrashed defending champions Northern Counties 7 ½-1 ½ today after beating Borders 6-3 on Friday.
The writing was on the wall for Northern Counties when they lost the foursomes 3-0. Then Claire Hargan score a 6 and 5 win over Laura Walker in the top singles. Kelsey MacDonald, only 14 years old, squared the next tie with her Midlothian namesake, Claire MacDonald but Wendy Nicholson clinched victory for her team by beating Kerri Harper 5 and 4.
Northern Counties teenage county debutante Ashton Ingram beat Rhona MacLennan by 3 and 2 before Midlothian added two more wins to their scoreline. Belinda Murphy beat Jenny Milne by one hole and Kirsten Blackwood was a 4 and 2 winner over Mary Smith.
In the other Saturday match, Borders scored a 7 ½- 1 ½ win over Lanarkshire who were deprived of the services of their two star players, Clare Queen and Jenna Wilson, because of a clash of dates with the women’s home internationals in Ireland.
Lanarkshire suffered the same 3-0 foursomes whitewash as Northern Counties and also lost the singles 4 1/2- 1 1/2 to Borders. Young Emma Fairnie, Julie Birdsall-White, Judith Anderson and Martine Pow were Borders' afternoon winners. Elaine Cuthill score Lanarkshire's only singles win while Susan Wood and Karen Hughes drew their match.
Midlothian end their campaign by playing Lanarkshire on Sunday while Northern Counties play Borders. Midlothian look certainties to win the title while even the runner-up placing for Borders would represent their best ever performance in the national championship.
Saturday details:
BORDERS 7 ½, LANARKSHIRE 1 ½
Foursomes: J Birdsall-White & W Wells bt E Cuthill & A Young 2 holes, J Anderson & M Pow bt M Hughes & A Hendry 3 and 2, E Fairnie & K Hughes bt S Wood & R Rankin 2 holes (3-0).
Singles: Fairnie bt Rankin 2 and 1, K Hughes halved with Wood, Wells lost to Cuthill 3 and 2, Birdsall-White bt Young 2 and 1, Anderson bt L Lloyd 2 and 1, Pow bt Hendry 4 and 3 (4 ½ -1 ½ ).
MIDLOTHIAN 7 ½ , NORTHERN COUNTIES 1 ½
Foursomes: K Blackwood & C MacDonald bt K MacDonald & L Walker 3 and 2; K Marshall & J Turner bt K Harper & M Smith 4 and 3; C Hargan & B Murphy bt J Milne & A Ingram 3 and 1 (3-0).
Singles: Hargan bt Walker 6 and 4, C MacDonald halved with K MacDonald, W Nicholson bt Harper 5 and 4, R MacLennan lost to Ingram 3 and 2, Murphy bt Milne 1 hole, Blackwood bt Smith 4 and 2 (4 ½ - 1 ½ ).
How they stand
Midlothian 2 wins, Borders 1 win, Lanarkshire 1 draw, Northern Counties 1 draw.

Sunday 18th September 2005
Scottish County Finals
IT'S MIDLOTHIANS' TITLE AFTER 70-YEAR WAIT
Midlothian have won the Scottish women's county team championship for the first time since 1935. They followed up earlier wins over Borders and Northern Counties with a 7-2 victory over Lanarkshire at Ranfurly Castle Golf Club today.
Although Claire Hargan (Mortonhall) lost her final singles match to Ruth Rankin (Lanark), she shared the honour of being the most successful player at the tournament with Midlothian team-mates, Kirsten Blackwood (Glencorse) and Belinda Murphy (Mortonhall). Each won five times with Belinda actually finished with a 100 per cent record as she did not play in the first-day singles.
Northern Counties, who had won the title for the past two years, finished on a high with a 7 ½ -1 ½ win over Borders to fill second place in the final standings.
We will never know if Lanarkshire would have been a match for Midlothian had they not lost the services of their two star players, Clare Queen and Jenna Wilson, due to an unfortunate clash with the last day of the women's home internationals at Dundalk.
As Midlothian officials and players would point out - quite rightly - you can only beat the players that are there ... and Midlothian certainly did that with something to spare.
Well done, Midlothian!
Details:
SCOTTISH WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
Renfrewshire GC, Bridge of Weir.
Third Day
NORTHERN COUNTIES 7 ½ , BORDERS 1 ½
Foursomes: L Walker & K MacDonald bt M Pow & J Anderson 3 and 2,
J Milne & K Harper bt J Birdsall-White & W Wells 5 and 4, Manson & A Ingram bt E Fairnie & K Hughes 2 and 1 (3-0)
Singles: MacDonald lost to Fairnie 1 hole, Walker bt Hughes 4 and 3, Harper bt S Paterson 4 and 3, Ingram bt Wells 5 and 3, Milne halved with Birdsall-White, M Smith bt Anderson 4 and 2 (4 ½ - 1 ½ )
MIDLOTHIAN 7, LANARKSHIRE 2
Foursomes: Blackwood & C MacDonald bt S Wood & R Rankin 3 and 2,
K Marshall & J Turner bt A Hendry & P Hutton 3 and 2, C Hargan & B Murphy bt E Cuthill & A Young 1 hole (3-0).
Singles: Hargan lost to Rankin 3 and 2, Marshall halved with Cuthill, MacDonald halved with Young, W Nicholson bt Wood 4 and 3, Murphy bt L Lloyd 6 and 5, Blackwood bt Hughes 4 and 2 (4-2).
Final placings: Midlothian 3 wins, Northern Counties 1 win and 1 draw, Borders 1 win, Lanarkshire 0 wins and 1 draw.
TOP PLAYERS' RECORDS
MIDLOTHIAN
5 pt K Blackwood, C Hargan, B Murphy.
NORTHERN COUNTIES
3 1/2 pt K MacDonald, K Harper.
BORDERS
3 pt E Fairnie, M Pow, J Anderson.
LANARKSHIRE
3pt R Rankin.

The photographs below were taken by Margaret Reid of Lanarkshire. Check out the Lanarkshire website for more photos of the County Finals.

Claire Macdonald and Kirsten Blackwood	Kirsten Blackwood
Foursomes partnership: Karen Marshall and Jane Turner	Claire Macdonald driving
Belinda Murphy	Claire Hargan
Claire Hargan and Belinda Murphy	Claire Hargan
Karen Marshall	Kirsten Blackwood and May Hughes (Lanarkshire)
Belinda Murphy and caddy Tracy Laughland line up putt	Claire Hargan
Claire Hargan putting with Ruth Rankin (Lanarkshire) in background	Clubhouse rockery