Fairway to seventh heaven

Jul 7 2011 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

“I had tried so hard to get it last year but didn’t quite manage it.

“My younger brother Paul was watching us as well on that day and we knew it was going to be the last club championship he would see as he was very ill with cancer.

“I decided to try and win it this time and equal the record and my other brother Mark caddied for me.

“It is great to have a caddy with you who wants the title as much as the player does.

“He wanted it so much for me as well and it was a very emotional day.

“My first club championship was very special but this one was maybe more so for the emotional side of it as I dedicated it to Paul during the presentation who was also a very keen golfer and who played off a handicap of five.

“It was a real family day and I think Paul was there watching and cheering us on.”

A broad smile widens on Karen’s face as she talks about her family and the sibling rivalry between them which ultimately inspired her to reach the level she is at.

“My Dad golfed as did my two younger brothers Paul and Mark and we would go out and hit a ball into the fields,” she said. “I wanted to follow in their foot-steps and give it a go and keep up by playing as well as they did.

“My brothers definitely inspired me to play.

“My competitive streak is taken from my family as we are all competitive.

“Whenever my Dad, brothers and I would go out and play golf we all wanted to win and beat one another, even in bounce games.

“I loved being able to go out and play golf with them all.”

Karen putted her way to seventh heaven on the second last hole to finally edge out her rival Mairi Hall but it was a win that could have been even more comfortable had she built on her blistering front nine.

“I went off to a flyer and was five strokes up after eight holes but then Mairi started birdieing well,” continued Karen, who plays off a five handicap.

“She birdied nine, 13 and 15 and when we reached the 16th tee I was suddenly only one up with three holes to play.

“I then birdied 16 before doing the same on the 17th to win the championship.

“It was something else and there were more than a few tears shed because it was so fantastic.”

Her triumph means Karen joins Norma Gray and Polly Connor for winning the most club championships and while she is desperate to take the record outright she knows it won’t be easy.

“I’ve been in 10 finals, so beaten on three occasions, and by three different women.

“It’s been really good and it’s nice to have your name on the board in the club house.

Asked of she has her sights on the record she replies: “Of course I am but I’ve got to go out there and play well. It would be nice to beat it but Norma is still playing too so she has as much of a chance as me to do it.”

Despite being a member of Bathgate Golf Club for almost 20-years, Karen still clearly has many years of top quality golf ahead of her. It is surely only a matter of time before she makes the record her own.