Eileen vows to keep going after 33rd win
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EILEEN Manson once again showed why she's the Queen of the Greens as she stormed to her way to a 33rd Thurso ladies' club championship.
A superb performance from Manson saw her overcome Laura Durrand with ease by a winning margin of 5&4.
In the other event played at Thurso Golf Club, Emma Durrand beat Jean Clasper 3&2 to win the handicap championship.
Manson, who plays off a handicap of three, has been a regular fixture at Thurso Golf Club since the mid-1970s.
Since her first championship in 1981, she has more than made her mark on the Caithness golf scene with her mantelpiece straining under the weight of all the titles she has acquired over the years.
Given her dominance of the event, you would think the club would have barred her from entering for a year as to give the others a chance at winning something. There's just one slight problem with that plan, though.
"I'm the club's handicap secretary," she laughed. "If they wanted to do such a thing they would need to ask the handicap secretary and that's me.
"But I'm not unusual in winning 30 or more titles. I believe someone in Aberdeenshire has done the same at one of the clubs there.
"Aside from my success in the club championship, I also used to be a member of Reay Golf Club and I won their own event 16 times in a row.
"I've won 33 titles at Thurso but the first 24 were consecutive successes. The failed bid to make it 25 didn't bug me as I lost that one to a good pal of mine.
"Had it been to someone I didn't like then it would have bothered me. I didn't let that affect me, though. Some boxers go on a unbeaten streaks, then lose one and the confidence is no longer there. Thankfully I didn't have that type of thing affect me and I picked up title number 25 the year after."
Manson reveals that had it not been for a friend many years ago, golf's loss may well have been badminton's gain.
She added: "I played badminton with a pal who was also into golf and she introduced me to it. My aunt in Lossiemouth had a set of clubs and five balls.
"So I went to the course and gave it a try. I lost all the balls but there was something about the game that hooked me in. I was back out on the tees not long after.
"As for the future, I'll still be competing for the title at Thurso every year – they would have to drag me off the course to stop me from being there.
"I am at the stage, though, where if I win, I win, and if I lose then it won't bother me. I'll continue to carry on playing golf.
"I'm certainly not fed up of winning, though."
