Martin Dempster: Elaine Farquharson-Black's leadership proves key
After being team-mates on a winning team in the same event at Prairie Dunes in 1992, Farquharson-Black and Catriona Matthew saw their careers head in different directions. While Matthew became a major winner and global star, Farquharson-Black stayed in the amateur ranks and became successful in a non-golfing profession.
Her passion for the game never diminished, though, and after cutting her teeth as a skipper with Scottish teams, she has now joined an elite band of women to taste success as a Curtis Cup captain. Don’t for one second underestimate that achievement and well done to Farquharson-Black for adopting a style of captaincy that focused on her players feeling relaxed and making sure that “enjoyment” was the biggest thing she wanted them to get out of the event. It’s a pity that she’ll have to wait until next March probably but Farquharson-Black has already secured one of the 2016 Scottish Golf Awards. How proud must dad Colin, a golf nut, be feeling right now!