Jill Andrews could be forgiven for thinking it’s pretty easy to make a mark in Shropshire golf. She’s been playing here for only a year – and has already picked up one of the county’s most prestigious trophies.

Jill moved to Gobowen from Southampton and after sampling a few of the area’s clubs, decided to join Henlle Park.

She played in the Wynn Corrie Challenge Cup qualifier earlier this season which saw her book a place in the final, which is played on the same day as the autumn meeting of the Shropshire Ladies’ Golf Association.

This year, that was at Llanymynech – and on a day when the course was lashed with gale-force winds, Jill carded a nett 73 to lift the silverware.

And it wasn’t even local course knowledge that played a part. “I had played the course once before, but the weather hadn’t been good and it was decided the matches would end after 12 holes – so I’d never seen the final six holes before,” said Jill.

“The weather was tough on the day. I played okay – it wasn’t one of those rounds when I thought I’d be in with a chance of winning. I was playing off 22 then, and I was playing to my handicap. All parts of my game were okay, and although my playing partners struggled a bit, I wasn’t aware my score was anything special.

“We got in quite early, and while we were eating more scores came in and I was still at the top. But to be honest, I thought better scores would come in and I’d finish in the top few.

“But it didn’t happen. No-one did better - and 73 was good enough. But it was tough out there – the standard scratch for the day finished being 75, which shows what the conditions were like.

“I loved the course - even on a day like that, the views were stunning.”

The host club’s Valerie Jones was runner-up, one shot behind.

Valerie did have the consolation of winning the Marjorie Wycherley Bronze Division Trophy for the best gross score in relation to standard scratch from the summer or autumn meeting, with a 95.

Jill and her husband Chris had been regular visitors to the area when they lived in Hampshire, and when they retired they decided to make Shropshire their home.

“We both play golf and we looked the clubs in the area and we both loved Henlle,” she said.

“It’s such a friendly club and we find the course a quite challenging – it felt right. We love it here.”