Meet Your Ordinary Member Files: Claire Dowling Edition

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An unbylined item in the Midweek Herald introduces us to one of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews' new "ordinary" female members, Claire Dowling.

The East Devon Golf Club member has a long resume of volunteer duties with the R&A and is a four-time Curtis Cupper.

Most impressive of all, and kind of a stunning accomplishment that never hurts to bring up: "She also captained the Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup team in 2000, having played for the team four times; including in the memorable victory at Prairie Dunes course in Kansas in 1986 - the first time any British or European golf team, male or female, had won on American soil."

And there was this revelation:

Claire still plays off a two-handicap, but has never played a competitive round at St Andrews during a distinguished career. Her only experience of the Old Course was in a friendly four-ball with three men when she was a member of the R and A’s Amateur Status Committee 15 years ago.

Getting a tee time should be a lot easier now. Ordinary does have its privileges.