Naomi Willans is following in the footsteps of her Astbury GC star Eryn Gravett as the Cheshire Girls Captain. Naomi, 17, attends Sandbach High School and Sixth Form where she is doing her A levels in Geography, Product Design and PE. She sits her exams this Spring/Summer and is hoping to go to university in the UK to study Physical Geography.
Naomi outlined her time playing golf: “I first obtained a handicap in during 2021, the same year I was introduced to the Cheshire girls coaching programme by Sybra Eardley. In 2021, I finished first in the 9 holes Cheshire Girls County Championships and won the Cheshire Girls Spring Stableford.
“Along the way, I have also picked up majors at club level such as the Junior Bogey Cup and Presidents Day and now play for the Astbury Junior’s team, Ladies A team and Ladies Scratch team. “I was a member of the Astbury junior team that were finalists in 2025 in the BMW Matchplay Knockout and holed the winning putt for Astbury Ladies in the final of the Cheshire East Shield in 2025.
“My introduction to golf followed a school taster session when a PGA coach attended school and provided an idea of what golf was like. “This sparked an interest, resulting in me attending group coaching sessions for juniors at Astbury Golf Club where I then became a junior member.
“During my golfing journey, I have been heavily supported by my parents, Astbury Golf Club, Cheshire Girls/Ladies County representatives (Cathy Day, Marjorie Griffiths, Beca Bollan etc) and my current coach Matt Dixon, professional at Astbury GC.
“My aims and ambitions as Girls County Captain – I am looking forward to helping get more girls into golf, getting to know more people and supporting others at matches and competitions. “Beyond my County Captaincy I am looking to continue my golfing journey whilst at university. “My ultimate aim is to become a scratch golfer and to continue to play representative golf for Cheshire, the county of my birth.
Copy & photo’s courtesy of Geoff Garnett
