By Amanda Little

Last updated 08:59, Saturday, 29 November 2008

NEW county women’s golf captain Mary Rhodes knows precisely who to turn to if she needs advice about the role.

Set to make her mark: Cumbria Ladies’ County golf captain, right, with vice-captain Sue Cotter

Mary is following in the footsteps of her husband Terry who captained the county men’s team for five years.

Mary, a 13 handicapper, was introduced to the game by her husband – and has been playing for 34 years.

She attended all the county men’s matches with her husband and admits he has been an invaluable source of advice as she settles into the post she will hold for the next 12 months.

Mary, a member of Ulverston Golf Club, said: “I’ve nicknamed Terry my P.A because he’s been very good helping me out on the administrative side.

“He has been a huge help and it helps that we are both interested as golf is a big passion for us both.

“It’s a real honour to be appointed captain for both myself and for my club as well.”

Mary’s first big event in charge is the Northern Counties Match week, which will be held at Heswall Golf Club on Merseyside next June.

All the women’s matches against Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Isle of Man are condensed into one week.

The event will be held at Carlisle in 2010 and with that in mind Mary and new vice-captain Sue Cotter have made a key coaching change.

She said: “We met up with Graeme Lisle, the Carlisle pro, recently as he is going to coach the women’s team.

“They have always gone to Paul Jenkinson at Penrith Driving Range, and he is very good so we’ve been very happy. But because the Northern Counties Match week is going to be held at Carlisle, it would be good to have coaching there and the more we play on the course the better.”

Mary and Sue, a five-handicapper from Carlisle, are also hoping to attract a new generation of women to take up the game to try to boost the Cumbria women’s team.

Mary said: “Cumbria is a big county but we only have a few golf clubs so we really struggle to find top-class ladies. Lancashire and Yorkshire have their pick of players.

“We have some terrific players in our squad and we also have a great team spirit.

“The average age of women members at clubs, like the men, is getting older. We want to try to encourage more girls to take part.

“We have a county development officer, Jo Tinsley, and she is getting more youngsters involved, including girls.”

Cumbria women’s team have agreed a two-year sponsorship deal with Mercedes Benz of Carlisle.