In an exciting final against Harewood Downs, Buckingham regained the trophy they last won in 1999. Four clubs had battled their way through the earlier rounds of the Ladies' County competition to reach the semi-finals on Friday August 22, which were held in the morning, with the winning teams going through to the 18-hole final in the afternoon.

Each team contested seven individual matches, with the winning team being the first to register four victories. Individual contests were played off a full handicap difference and Buckingham Ladies found that most of them were giving strokes to their semi-final opponents from Harleyford Golf Club.

Christina Hancock led off for Buckingham and controlled her match to win 4&3. Vicki Frost came from behind to win the second match and Kerry Sumner played steadily to take the third victory. In the final three matches Buckingham Ladies were all at times behind, so the fourth match looked to be pivotal.

However, Mo Dawson and Mary Clarke managed to turn around their deficits, but the decisive victory came just ahead of them as Bernie Howe held her nerve to sink the winning putt on the 18th green.

In the other semi-final between Harewood Downs and Richings Park the score was standing at 2-2 with three matches still out on the course, but Harewood Downs managed to take the further two victories required.
In the afternoon final Buckingham playing captain, Di Hofman, took the decision to rest herself in favour of Elaine Harrison.

Buckingham ladies got off to a flying start, with most of the team being ahead after four holes, but with many having to give two or three strokes in the following four holes, several of the Harewood Downs ladies clawed their way back into contention.

Christina Hancock continued her devastating morning form to record a 6&5 victory, but Vicki Frost suddenly found herself three holes down. Kerry Sumner commanded her match and eventually won comfortably.

Bernie Howe continued her calm and steady play to close her match out 4&3, so with Elaine Harrison being two up after 14 holes and Mary Clarke one up after 12 holes it looked as though the winning point could come from one of those two matches.

However Vicki Frost showed her fighting spirit to turn her match around to win on the final green, thereby securing the Shield for Buckingham, a trophy which they last held in 1999.

Thanks go to the Bucks County Ladies Golf Association for staging the contest, to Magnolia Park for hosting finals' day and to all those club members who turned out to support their teams