South Herts Golf Club have elected Gill Williams as its first female captain at the annual AGM.

Williams took up the post after serving as ladies’ captain in 2007 and being on the main management committee for six years.

More than 130 members braved the cold and frost to attend the captain’s drive-in to raise money for Williams' chosen charity of the year, SCAT.

Williams is the daughter of Dai Rees, former golf professional at South Herts for 37 years. In 1946 Rees was appointed the professional at South Herts where he stayed until his death in 1983.

During a long career Dai won a total of 39 major tournaments, finished second in the Open Championship on three occasions, played in nine Ryder Cups, captaining the side no fewer than five times and leading the team to victory at Lindrick in 1957.

Williams started playing golf at the age of 13 but soon abandoned the idea as there were no other girls to play with at the time. She did however work in the pro shop on weekends as a teenager. After finishing her education, including an American Field Service Scholarship she took up teaching. Williams returned to playing golf while in her 20s and has enjoyed both the golf and social side of South Herts. She and her son Stephen have twice won the mixed Sir Albert Barratt Cup at the club.