Looks like the World's No. 9 player (Charley Hull) will be missing from GB & I Curtis Cup team

It looks as though 15 year old Charley Hull has ruled herself out of selection for the Curtis Cup team, as she has accepted an invitation to play in the first major of the season on the LPGA Tour, which clashes with the dates of the LGU selection weekend for the Curtis Cup squad.

See article

I know that some will say "rules are rules", but are the LGU shooting themselves in the foot? Ranked 9th in the Amateur world rankings, Charley would obviously be a shoe-in for the GB & I team, and I guess that the experience of playing in an LPGA Major does not come along very often for 15 year olds, so can we blame her for taking the opportunity?

Typical LGU is you ask me. Of course she should be in the team. The experience of playing in a Major at the age of 15 far outweighs a selection weekend in (probably) damp and drizzly Scotland. Are they really saying that someone 9th in the world amateur ranking might not be good enough? What a load of tosh.

We're in good company - Karen Stupples on Twitter has said she thinks it's crazy too.

Similar comments from Catriona Matthew (which is where I picked up the story).

Shame that the Golf Unions are so precious, and at times seem to be stuck in the dark ages.

Looks like this might be a "Ladies Only" thread!

Mary_S wrote:Looks like this might be a "Ladies Only" thread!

Commenting on issues concerning 15 year old girls may have scared us off though the matter is about procedures and such.

It's a story I've been following on Twitter, Mary

I just don't have anything else to add at the moment except to agree with the comments about the LGU being crazy

Love watching ladies golf and find it very interesting, and I also like to compare the state of the ladies ET against the US ladies tour. I'm not too knowledgable about the heirechy though at our end. From reading this though, it strikes me as stupidity in the extreme, and almost makes me think we have a Finchem type running our ladies game

It does appear short sighted of the womens game but if it was laid out that only those who attended the selection weekend are eligible then who are we to argue with that. We have plenty of rules is rules discussions on here and this one is just the same as those.

Hull may be of the opinion that it doesn't matter if she misses this one. There will be one in 2 years time when she is 17 that she will most likely be picked for. I don't blame her for choosing the major invite it's a great opportunity for a player at her age. Who knows once she finds booze and the opposite sex golf may take a back seat.

Here's the latest situation:

http://golfweek.com/news/2012/feb/29/hull-steadfast-decision-rejects-lgu-offer/

LGU had offered to let her leave Scotland early to fly to Florida but she still says No. Having read her reasoning, I must say I don't blame her. And I'm sure as a 15-yr-old, she won't have made this decision on her own.

Seems to be news on Twitter that the LGU have relented and picked Charley anyway even though she missed the selection weekend and is currently preparing for the Kraft Nabisco Masters

Good on the LGU if they have indeed backed down

Hadn't seen that one Davie! Great news - hopefully it will give Charley an extra boost going into the KN Masters this week.

I'm struggling to find any news about it at all Mary apart from what is being tweeted

Pfft fancy putting your first major in Sunny California ahead of a team training session in damp old Scotland.

Obviously now that the LGU have backed down it will be interesting to see if the next "Training Session" like this is mandatory.

Pity the LGU didn't have the balls (if you know what I mean ) to admit they had made a right cock-up of it all and that they were wrong to suggest Charley should not be considered for selection. The announcement on the LGU website states that it was a decision of the "independent selection panel" and therefore appears to suggest that if had been left to the LGU, she wouldn't have got a look-in.

The trouble is, that now puts her under more pressure to perform and prove she deserves her selection which is something a 16-year-old could well do without - no matter how talented. Well done LGU (where's the ironic smiley when you want one?).

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:
once she finds booze and the opposite sex golf may take a back seat.

Grumps, she's 15 years old and comes from Scotland. I'm sure she discovered both a long time ago...

She had a birthday a week ago she is now a veteran at 16.

hogie wrote:She had a birthday a week ago she is now a veteran at 16.

This thread could go down hill very quickly now that she's "legal". I'm pulling out before any damage is done.

I hold my hands up Ray, I didn't realize she was Scottish so you're probably right.

Fair play to the LGU for listening to the selection committee and picking her. Who's going to be brave enough to pick her in Venice's fantasy league comp? Or is that another moment