Retired veterinary nurse Judy Ammon is Leighton Buzzard Golf Club’s new ladies champion, winning the title at her first attempt.

The 12-handicap golfer carded a score of 174 after completing two rounds of the Plantation Road course in searing temperatures which forced several other players to retire.

Judy, no stranger to winning prizes at the Leighton club, beat former champion Jenny Stafford by two shots, with Niki Clarke taking third place.

Said Judy: “The heat made it pretty tough going for all of us, but I managed to string together a steady couple of rounds.”

Hairdresser Anne Tilbury had earlier won the Handicap championship with a nett 146, with Jane Tizzard runner-up four shots behind.

Cedars student Olivia Campbell – daughter of club professional Maurice Campbell and wife Nicola – had a round to remember in the Ladies stableford competition, carding 43 points despite failing to score on four of the back-nine holes.

The 15-year-old blitzed her way through the first nine holes, scoring 29 points with a near-perfect collection of birdies and pars.  Olivia, who took up golf at the age of seven, scored another 14 points on the back nine, despite “blobbing” on holes 10, 12, 16 and 18.

“It was just one of those days” said Olivia after beating seasoned campaigner Jill Pniewski by four shots.

Fire service boss Graham Freer was in red-hot form for Leighton’s July Midweek medal – winning with a nett 66 which earned him a one-shot handicap reduction to seven.  Jack-of-all-trades John Tarbox finished runner-up on countback after he carded a nett 67 with former car racing champion David Banwell.  Other leading scores were:  68 – Oliver Banwell, Colin Ball, Will Sampson, Philip Spratt-Callaghan; 69 – Dharm Naveen Diwakar, David Roffe, Ron Burgoyne, Stuart Leslie; 70 – Lee Sanders, Roger Kingston, Steve Light.

It’s been a sweet ‘n sour July for Leighton teams. The club squad beat South Beds 4-0 with wins by skipper Robbie John and Neil Laming, Nick Tingey and Tim Martin, Andy McDonald and Simon Enright and John Latimer and Simon Rossiter, with Billy O’Neill and Dave Roffe halving their match.

But Leighton Seniors are still searching for their first away win of the season, losing 5-3 at Dunstable Downs. George Bashford and Stephen Maddison, Andrew Mcdonald and Steve Marriott and Ian Rimmer and Graham Avery were the Leighton winners.

Leighton golfer John Smith won the Sandhouse Conemarra Cup with 36pts at Wellingborough – and returned to the same course the following day to win the Mentmore Old Boys meeting with 38pts, beating Anton Bednarek on countback.  Leighton’s Paul Johnson won the Rushmere Cup Captain’s Day meeting at Tadmarton Heath with 37 points, and added the prize for the longest drive for good measure.