Sue Bull has been playing golf for fewer than six years.

But she’s clearly a fast learner because she’s now club captain of Brickhampton Court, the 1,200-member golf club in Churchdown.

She’s also captain of the ladies’ section – it’s her second term as ladies’ captain – so the 60-year-old is certainly making a big impression.

“I was a mere novice when I started playing in September 2018,” she admitted. “I’d played a bit on putting greens but that was it.

“I did a three-month trial with my friend Mary Hemming at Brickhampton to see if I liked it.”

That trial was on the 9-hole Glevum course – the club also boasts an 18-hole Spa course – and it’s fair to say that Sue took to golf straight away.

“I’d always been quite sporty when I was younger,” said the one-time Churchdown School pupil. “I played hockey in my teens and into my 20s before the kids came along.”

The mum-of-two played for Cheltenham and Eagle Star and she continued: “I enjoyed it but when I started ferrying the kids around I stopped.”

And she stopped playing sport for about 30 years before she rocked up at Brickhampton, a decision that has changed her life.

“I didn’t know what club to use when I first started,” said Sue with a laugh. “I think my first shot was probably an air shot.

“But I used to play twice a week and I’d go out on a Sunday and play on my own.”

She also attended the beginners’ classes for ladies at the club on Tuesday evenings – they are currently being run by Lizzie Claridge – and her enthusiasm and hard work around the par 27 course soon started to pay dividends.

“When I started I was shooting 54 but it soon went down to 44,” added Sue, who lives in Hucclecote. “But it wasn’t just the golf, it was the social side too.”

And while she was having fun, she wanted to challenge herself as well.

“I wanted to test myself on the 18-hole course so I joined the Spa course in April 2019,” she explained. “I was getting scores of 120, something ridiculous like that, but I was getting round.”

Her best score at Brickhampton is 87 – par is 71 – and she would love to go lower than that in what is obviously a very special year for her.

“I was very moved when the committee asked me to be club captain,” she said. “It wasn’t something I expected but it is a big honour.”

Sue is currently playing off 18.4 - her handicap has been as low as 15 – and she’s just the second lady club captain, after Kerry Brimfield in 2019, in Brickhampton’s 30-year history.

There are some 150 to 160 lady members at the club and Sue, who works for Zurich, said: “I was asked to be ladies’ vice-captain in October 2020.”

She admits she felt that it was a bit too early to take on the extra responsibility but accepted the role anyway before becoming ladies’ captain in 2022.

She served as vice-captain to Rosey Williams in 2023 before taking on the lead role again this year.

Being part of a leadership group is obviously something she has got used to but she readily admits: “Being a captain is something completely new to me. When I played hockey I was always the vice-captain.”

She’s getting used to making speeches in her role as golf captain but while that isn’t her favourite part of the job there’s plenty about the position that she does like.

“It’s reinforcing what is great about Brickhampton Court,” she said. “I’m really passionate about the club. All the sections – seniors, men, women, juniors – play together, we’re very inclusive.”

Sue is particularly pleased to see the success of the juniors – “They’re the future,” she said.

And while they are enjoying themselves, so is Sue.

“My first handicap was 32 in 2019,” she said. “I wish I’d started playing earlier but now I want to keep on challenging myself, carry on enjoying playing golf and get to know the new ladies at the club.

“I want to give something back to golf.”