Veronica Anstey

{{short description|English amateur golfer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox golfer | name = Veronica Anstey | image = | imagesize =  | caption = | fullname = Veronica Anstey | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|1|14|df=y}} | birth_place = England | death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|3|4|1935|1|14|df=y}} | death_place = England | height =  | weight = | nationality = {{ENG}} | spouse = | children = | college = | status = Amateur | yearpro =  | retired =  | awardssection =  }} '''Veronica Anstey''' (married name Beharrell, 14 January 1935 – 4 March 2014)<ref name=wgm>{{cite web |url=http://www.womengolfersmuseum.com/Famousgolfers/B.htm |publisher=Women Golfer's Museum |title=Beharrell, Mrs Veronica (nee Anstey) |access-date=26 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Wills?surname=beharrell&yearOfDeath=2014&IsGrantSearch=True#wills |publisher=probatesearch.service.gov.uk |title=Find a will |access-date=26 September 2021}}</ref> was an English amateur golfer. She played in the 1956 Curtis Cup. A car accident curtailed her playing career.

== Golf career == In 1953, Anstey was selected for the England girls team for their annual match against Scotland, played before the Girls Amateur Championship. It was played at Woodhall Spa, England winning 4–3.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5UpAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6340%2C843677 |title=England beat Scotland in girls' golf |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=9 September 1953 |page=9}}</ref>

In 1955 Anstey played for the English team in the Women's Home Internationals. She won all her three matches. England and Scotland tied their match but Scotland took the title with better results against Ireland and Wales.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nnVDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4049%2C1399589 |title=Scotland and England draw at Portrush |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=13 May 1955}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n3VDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4198%2C1606702 |title=Women's golf team title for Scotland |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=9 |date=14 May 1955}}</ref> Anstey was selected as part of a British women's team that toured Australia and New Zealand in the second half of 1955. Because many of the senior players were unavailable, the team turned into a team of five juniors, aged between 18 and 21.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19550216.2.130 |title=British women's team |newspaper=The Press |volume=XCI |issue=27585 |date=16 February 1955 |access-date=26 September 2021 |page=14 |via=Papers Past}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19550602.2.153 |title=British women juniors |newspaper=The Press |volume=XCI |issue=27674 |date=2 June 1955 |access-date=26 September 2021 |page=14 |via=Papers Past}}</ref> Anstey had a successful tour, winning the Victorian Women's Amateur Championship, the Australian Women's Amateur and the New Zealand Women's Amateur Championship.<ref name=kirkwood>{{cite web |url=http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/2014/03/death-of-1956-curtis-cup-team-player.html |publisher=KirkwoodGolf |title=Death of 1956 Curtis Cup team player |access-date=26 September 2021}}</ref> The tour was such a success that the team was awarded the Association of Golf Writers trophy, the first time a team had won the award.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jHtAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4998%2C4373872 |title=Award to junior women's team |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=7 February 1956 |page=9}}</ref>

At the end of March 1956, Anstey was selected for the Curtis Cup team.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3WlAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6304%2C3524091 |title=Half of British women's team under 22 |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=29 March 1956 |page=9}}</ref> Britain won the match 5–4, their second win in the event. Anstey lost her foursomes match and was not selected for the singles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_ZxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2215%2C5180493 |title=Britain wins Curtis Cup through singles superiority |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=11 June 1956 |page=4}}</ref> Anstey also played in the Women's Home Internationals at Sunningdale.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CXFAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5345%2C6814993 |title=Scots retain shield |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=4 July 1956}}</ref> In 1957 Anstey played in the Women's Home Internationals and then reached the semi-finals of the Women's Amateur Championship, losing 4&2 to Philomena Garvey.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bX5AAAAAIBAJ&pg=3062%2C6886758 |title=Scotland win two matches |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=9 |date=22 June 1957}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bn5AAAAAIBAJ&pg=1977%2C7019488 |title=Scotland retain shield |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=11 |date=24 June 1957}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cX5AAAAAIBAJ&pg=4141%2C7427828 |title=Valentine-Garvey final for women's title |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=27 June 1957}}</ref>

Anstey has been involved in a car crash after the 1956 Women's Home Internationals. She had made a recovery but suffered from back pain. In 1958 she announced that she was reducing the amount of golf she would play, effectively putting an end to her competitive career at the highest level, although she continued to play golf and be involved in the administrative side of the game.<ref name=kirkwood/>

==Personal life== Veronica Anstey married John Beharrell in 1960. Beharrell had won The Amateur Championship in 1956. She died on 4 March 2014.<ref name=kirkwood/>

==Team appearances== *Curtis Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1956 (winners) *Women's Home Internationals (representing England): 1955, 1956, 1957 *England–Scotland girls match (representing England): 1953 (winners)

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anstey, Veronica}} Category:English female golfers Category:Amateur golfers Category:1935 births Category:2014 deaths Category:20th-century English sportswomen