The men finished an ignominious last in the Northern Counties League and did no better in the northern qualifying for the English Championship, denying them a defence of a title they have dominated in recent years.

In contrast, the ladies team of Emma Brown, Naomi Edwards, Sara Garbutt, Laura Harvey, Kim Crooks, Nikki Dunn, Helen Searle and Ellie Robinson, swept up the honours in the English County Championship final at Long Ashton with a day to spare.

The White Rose team raced to a record fifth title in a row with a 100 per cent record against Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Sussex, Warwickshire and Dorset, the other regional champions.

But when Yorkshire bid for a 12th title success next season they may be without former English champion Edwards, who is expected to join the pro ranks.

The county champion from Ganton will attend the Ladies European Tour qualifying school at La Manga in January.

Pre-qualifying is on January 5-9 with final qualifying played over the following six days – when she bids to join former county teammates Gina Simpson, Rebecca Hudson, Kirin Matharu and Rachel Bell on the tour.

Meanwhile, Frank Brammah, the 2005 Bradford Union president from Northcliffe, won the inaugural Yorkshire Inter-Union Past Presidents' Re-Union Trophy at Forest Park, York following a card play-off with Harrogate's Bob Mayo, the 1992 Harrogate Union president, after they tied on 38 stableford points.

Finally, Gordon J Brand has a big chance to make up ground in the chase for the Order of Merit title on the European Seniors Tour this weekend in the £225,000 Scottish Seniors at Dalmahoy, near Edinburgh.

The Yorkshire star from Ilkley, a two time winner this season – in The De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall and the Travis Perkins Senior Masters at Woburn – currently stands third in the money list and leading duo Ian Woosnam and Bernhard Langer are not in the field.