Brisbane Women on another Diamond-hunting expedition

After winning the prestigious Friday and Sunday Yellow Diamond divisions of the Brisbane District Ladies Golf Association Pennant competition in 2023, The Brisbane Golf Club has firmly set its sights on repeating the success in 2024.

The Pennant competition, played in four Divisions – Yellow Diamond Friday, Yellow Diamond Sunday, Sapphire Zone 2 and Sapphire Zone 3 – will tee off from April 19, and finish before the end of May. BGC has entered teams in each of the four divisions.

As well as winning both Yellow Diamond Divisions last year, BGC was also successful in Sapphire Zone 2. Members of that winning team will move to Zone 3 in 2024, with the fourth BGC Women’s team to contest Zone 2.

Overall, 17 clubs within the BDLGA district have entered 25 teams in the 2024 Pennant competition, including teams from Brisbane, Redcliffe, Pacific, Royal Queensland, McLeod, Wantima, Nudgee, Indooroopilly, Redland Bay, Bulimba, Wynnum, Ashgrove, Oxley, Gailes and Keperra, as well as Sandgate and Boonah (nine-hole courses) and Bulimba, a Par 3, nine-hole course.

“With so many clubs involved, it shapes as an extremely interesting Pennant season,” predicted Janet Nathanson, Women’s Captain of BGC.

“It was simply awesome winning all three divisions we entered in 2023, and we will be giving it our best to repeat the succuss in 2024.”

Janet was keen to clarify the difference between Women’s and Men’s Brisbane District Pennant competitions, given that BGC has dominated both in recent years.

“Women’s Pennant is a completely different competition, favouring inclusivity and participation, rather than focusing solely on excellence,” she said.

“The Men play exclusively on Sundays, with a team of 21 players comprising a mix of Masters, Opens and Juniors.

“Each of the 17 BDGA member club is entitled to enter one team, with four Pennant divisions, and employing a promotion and relegation system. All matches, in each division, are played off the stick, with no handicaps applicable.”

In Women’s Pennants teams consist of seven players, with only the top three ranked players in the Yellow Diamond teams (Friday and Sunday) playing off the stick (no handicaps).  All other matches both in Yellow Diamond and Sapphire are played with full handicap difference. Girls aged 13 or over, are also eligible to play in the Pennant teams.

“Only one geographical zone contests Yellow Diamond matches (both Friday and Sunday), while three other zones compete in the Sapphire Division on Friday, and a further two zones play on Sunday,” Janet explained.

“Clubs can enter more than one team in Sapphire Division – as BGC has for the 2024 competition – and the teams will be placed in different zones.

Details of 2024 TBGC Women’s Pennant teams and players – essentially a form guide for the 2024 Pennant Season – will be published closer to the April 19 starting date. – TONY DURKIN