Sussex Spotlight: Paula Carver

Sussex Spotlight: Paula Carver
Member of Worthing Golf Club and current SCLGA 2024 Scratch Foursomes, Beryl Pockett and Di Landridge Salver (Senior County Championship) Winner. Paula has been a past County Champion, a 1st Team Player and has also had the honour of not only playing for the England Seniors Team but bringing home a Gold medal. Paula is currently the Worthing Seniors Club Champion having won their Seniors club championship which was open to all members.

It was a great opportunity to meet Paula and chat about her golf journey and what keeps her motivated.

When did you first take up Golf?
Unlike many others, I was never a junior golfer and only started playing the game in my 20s. My husband was a keen footballer which took up a lot of our time in the winter months and so during the summer, we decided to have a go at golf and started visiting the driving range at Pease Pottage and playing 9 holes. As soon as it was winter, we would return to football. This continued however by the 3rd year running, I was increasingly enjoying the golf and decided to join West Chiltington GC. I was never a sporty person at school and hockey was only for the posh kids so never had any stick or ball co-ordination as a youngster. 

What was your first HCP and lowest? My first handicap was 19 however the following year it went up to 21. As soon as I gained a handicap, my goal was to reach single figures. In 2000, I reached a 5 handicap. Lowest HCP was +1.

How did your golf evolve?
I enjoyed playing West Chiltington, it was a great place to start with a narrow course (sadly it no longer exists and is now a vineyard!) however after 5-6 years I decided to look for another club that offered weekend competitions and also team events which I particularly enjoyed. I joined Worthing in 2000 and have been a member ever since. The club is very inclusive so much so that last year, I won the Seniors Club Championship which was open to all men and women at the club.

When did you start playing/representing County?
The first time I represented County was at County Match Week (CMW) in 1993 which was held at Crowborough Beacon. I had played in the County Championship and didn't have any knowledge of CMW but was selected to play after I did quite well. I remember turning up at Crowborough Beacon with no idea of the format and/or how it ran. I was there with Chloe Briance and Michelle Auger and we were all 'newbies'. I recall Chloe and I were put out at the end in the foursomes and won every match. I retired from the 1st team in 2015 however continue to represent the County in our Seniors fixtures. The Seniors team have had a formidable year with an unbeaten record in 2024 and winning the Mulligan Larsen Bowl (Scratch League).

What have been your Golf highlights? Proudest Moments?

Winning the County Championship in 1999 at Copthorne has to be one of my highlights (pictured right). I qualified and played for the England Seniors Team at the European Team Championships in 2019. We travelled to Bulgaria and for the individual competition I came 3rd and as a team we won 1st place and received Gold Medals. Representing England in the Home Internationals that same year in Ireland is also high on the list. 

Winning the Beryl Pockett and the Di Langridge Salver (Senior County Championship) last year was special because I had never won those Sussex events, now I have the complete set on my golf CV!  Also, winning the Scratch 4s last year for Worthing with my playing partner Amy Davey was really cool because Amy is one of our intermediates who has only just returned to golf.  It was her first serious event back and we just had such a good time though I had to call upon a few coping strategies to keep her calm!

What do you enjoy most and least about golf? I really enjoy playing different courses and meeting the huge variety of people from different walks of life that play this game. When I played 1st Team I really enjoyed being paired in the foursomes at County Week with the newbies, players such as Chelsea Masters, Alice Barnes, Stacey Rodger and Emma Carberry - I might have taught them some new words along the way!  There isn't much I don't like, though as my Worthing playing partners will tell you, when we arrange a game I always say – I don’t do rain!    

What do you do outside of golf? Career? Other Interests? I have always worked full time as an IT Consultant for multinational and international companies such as Sony, The Open University, HSBC, British American Tobacco, European Space Agency, Government of Jersey to name a few.  I create and deliver training programmes for End Users to learn how to use software called SAP (sponsor of Ernie Els) to do their everyday job, they might be CEOs, Nurses, Doctors, Teachers, Managers, Lecturers or any other role within the organisation. I have been fortunate that my work has enabled me to travel around Europe, Scandinavia, India and the USA. There isn't much time for anything else after work and golf!

Future goals: To simply play as long as I am upright and to enjoy it. 

Quick Fire Questions: 
Current Handicap: 3.6
Clubs: Irons - Titleist T100s, Callaway Paradigm, 5 wood – Callaway Rogue, 4&5 hybrids – Ping G410, Putter - Odyssey
Ball: Pro V1X
Coach: Calum Callan, Cottesmore
Favourite Course: Downland: Worthing, Heathland: West Sussex and Links: Rye
Matchplay or strokeplay: Matchplay because you can play a hole like a donkey and still win!

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It was great to talk with a golfer who started their journey as an adult and has achieved so much - so many highlights and to hear that she won her Senior Club Championship last year was impressive, a 1st. It would be interesting to know how many other Sussex clubs host their club championships for both men and women.

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