Published: Wednesday, 5th December, 2007 09:30
Club champion – for the 25th time
By Tracey Bryce
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Golf Champion Sonia Grant gets her hands on the Tillicoultry Ladies trophy yet again.
Pic by: Jan van der Merwe
ALVA golfing sensation Sonia Grant has proved she’s really into the swing of the sport – after scooping the Tillicoultry Ladies’ Championship for a 25th time.
But the 45-year-old claims the key to her success isn’t practice, it’s down to having driving ambition – and the right tools for the job.
Sonia told the Advertiser, “I don’t have a lucky club, but I always play with white tees and always use a five pence piece as my marker.
“And I always carry three tees, a marker and a pitch repairer in my pocket, nothing more, nothing less. That simple trick seems to bring me all the luck I need.”
The mum-of-two was presented with a special rosebowl at the Tillicoultry Golf Club Ladies’ Section AGM last week after winning the championship title for the 25th time since joining the club.
“I’ve only ever missed two championships because I was working away at a music camp,” she said. “I was a student at the time and I needed the money, so I had to go.”
Sonia first started playing golf aged 10, but it wasn’t until she reached 17 that her career in the sport really teed-off.
By the time she was 18, the former Alva Academy pupil had already won her first championship.
From there, she progressed to a plus two handicap, won competitions all over the country and set the course record at several courses.
In 1997, at the height of her sporting prowess, Sonia was presented with an award from the Glasgow Herald for leading the Scottish order of merit – and was asked to join the Scottish Ladies Team.
“Reluctantly, I had to decline because I was pregnant with Alison at the time,” she said. “But it was a major achievement to have been asked.”
Her most successful weekend on the course to date involved winning three trophies on three consecutive days.
“I won the Highland Ladies Open at Pitlochry on the Friday, the Tilly Ladies Championship on the Saturday and the Ladies Open at Muckhart on the Sunday – that was quite an impressive run.
“And the qualifying rounds for two of those competitions both fell on the same day earlier that week, so it was all a bit of a whirlwind week.
“I remember getting back from Pitlochry and having to tee off at Tilly straight away. The ladies had my shoes and ball all set up so all I had to do was hit the shot. It was crazy!”
Sonia attributes her success to “natural ability” and a strong sporting family background.
“My grandfather, father and younger brother all used to play golf and, by coincidence, all had a handicap of three at their best,” she said.
“My dad is now 77 and retired, but he’s still out on the course regularly – he is definitely an inspiration to me and one of my biggest golfing heroes.”
These days, Sonia adopts a much more relaxed attitude to golf and is happy playing just for fun, leaving her plenty of spare time to spend with husband Nigel and daughters Alison (9) and Jennifer (7).
“Golf is more of a social thing for me now,” she said.
“I love getting out on the course and spending time with my friends.
“The difference between men’s golf and women’s golf is that men chat about the club they are using or the ball they are putting, but ladies go out on to the green and put the world to rights whilst hitting shots in between!”
Sonia, a PE and support teacher at Bannockburn High School, now boasts a handicap of six, which she’s hoping to retain until Alison’s swing improves.
“The girls play club golf at the moment and Alison is already a member of Tillicoultry Golf Club,” said Sonia.
“My ideal plan is to keep winning the championship for the next 10 years or so until Alison is old enough and good enough to take the title off me.
“I’m getting far too fond of it now to let it go!”
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