HONORARY MEMBER JESSIE VALENTINE DIES AGED 91

Our very own Jessie Valentine, arguably the best and most competitive female Scottish golfer of the 20th Century, has died at a Bridge of Earn nursing home. Jessie recently celebrated her 91st birthday on March 18. Born in Perth and daughter of club professional, Joe Anderson, Jessie won the British women's open amateur championship three times, the first as a 22-year-old in 1937 at Turnberry and then, after the World War II years when she might have been at her peak as a golfer, she won the title a second time in 1955 at Royal Porthcawl and for a third and last time at the age of 43 in 1958 at Hunstanton. Jessie appeared in no fewer than four British finals in the 1950s. Jessie won the Scottish women's close amateur championship six times over an 18-year span 1938, 1939, 1951, 1953, 19551956. In56.In 1955, she also became the first Scottish player to win her native title and the British championship in the same year. The 1950s were unquestionably the high point of Jessies brilliant golfing career. In 1957 she won the Spalding women's tournament, then in 1959 and 1961 she won the Kayser-Bonder event, first with Mrs Anderson and then with her good friend, Janette Wright. In a run of three years from 1963, Jessie partnered John Behrend to victory in the Worplesdon mixed foursomes, which, at the time, was a big event on the British golf calendar. Jessie was also New Zealand open match-play women's amateur champion in 1935 when she was 19 and a member of the Ladies Golf Union team touring Australia and New Zealand. She played for Great Britain & Ireland against the United States in the Curtis Cup matches of 1936, 1938, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1956 and 1958. Jessie was considered one of the finest female iron players in the world, particularly on links courses. Jessie was awarded the MBE in 1959. A member of Craigie Hill Golf Club, Perth all her life, Jessie gave up her amateur status when took over her fathers sports business and also designed golf equipment for women. Jessie last played golf in 2001 when she was 86. In her latter years, she was confined to a wheelchair but she never complained. My eyesight is good, my hearing is good, so Ive got nothing to complain about. Ive had a very good life, she would say. We had good fun on the golf course although we were trying just as hard to win as they do nowadays. But we did not take it so seriously. They seem to go around with very long faces on the golf course. My father taught me to play golf in the 1920s at Braemar where he was the pro in the summer months. Was I born too soon to make the money they can as lady pros nowadays? No, I dont think so. I would have hated to play golf for money. Jessie's son Iain has lived in Hong Kong for many years. To enable him to travel home for the funeral service, it will not be held until Tuesday, April 18 at 2pm in St Johns Church, Perth.

Jessie was a fantastic ambassador of Ladies golf and Perth and Kinross County are honored to be associated with this great lady.
Photo courtesy of Cal Carson