Cirencester Golf Club

CIRENCESTER Golf Club junior captain Jess Brown has verbally accepted the offer of a golf scholarship at Wingate University in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Jess will be tackling a four-year degree in Exercise Science and playing NCAA golf in the North Atlantic Conference.

She will join the university and golf team in August 2020, after finishing her diploma at Cirencester College.

Jess has made tremendous strides in the last two years, coming down from a nine handicap to her current three.

She continues to progress and put up her best finish in a national competition when finishing third in the recent England Golf Junior County Champion of Champions tournament at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire.

The field consisted of 28 junior county champions, several of them England internationals, so it was an exceptional effort by Jess, whose 158 aggregate (80, 78) over the very demanding 36 holes was just two shots behind the runner-up.

Jess, who was partnered by dad Nick, will also be presented with the Stradling Cup for 2019, after winning the mixed foursomes summer matchplay tournament by defeating Brenda Smith & Pete Crawford in the final.

This week Jess will take her place in the Gloucestershire Ladies’ side at the Ladies’ National County Finals held at Delamere Forest GC in Cheshire.

North Gloucestershire Foursomes League Cup

CIRENCESTER’S A team has won the North Glos Foursomes League Cup for the first time in its history.

The winning team consisted of Johnny Cowley, Tom Waller, Hamish Mason, Mark Foster, Nick Peare, George Peare, Lewis Flett & Tom Shaw.

The pick of the county’s players took part at Ross-on-Wye and the best three pairs out of four counted in the foursomes format.

The Peare brothers topped the leaderboard with their 69, the lowest gross score of the day over the par 72 circuit.

Waller & Cowley came in with 75, while Mason & Foster had an 80.

Ron Card Tankards

THE trio of Brian Kelly, Pete Shepherd & Stuart Michaelis have triumphed in the traditional Ron Card Tankards team competition with a sparkling score of 89 points.

The best two stableford scores on each hole counted, off full handicap.

Just one shot back in second place were Nick Baker, Andy Lewis & Andrew Stocks, with third going to club champion Charlie Harraway, Adrian Kember & Craig Sutherland, who finished on 87.

Pete Townshend, Stuart Stancombe & Dave Gardiner stood on the 18th tee with 83 points – and a chance of perhaps forcing a tie – but all failed to score on the final hole.

Five twos were scored, all on the 2nd hole, by Daniel Atkin, Steve Bishop, Phil Woodall, Brian Kelly & Charlie Harraway.

Seniors’ section

Seniors Singles Final

ANDREW PARFFREY ended a 20-year drought on the silverware front by winning the Seniors’ Singles Knockout for 2019.

Andrew, whose handicap had just gone up to 12, got the better of the ultra-consistent Brian Whittaker by 5&4.

From all square after six holes, the Barnsley CC stalwart took charge when winning three consecutive holes from the seventh, and maintained the momentum when gaining a battling half from out of the trees on the 10th. He finished off the match with a par four on the tough 14th.

In his mid-90s heyday, Andrew won back-to-back Douggie Rolles Cups (1995 & 1996), as well as the Tovey Cup knockout in both 1996 & 1997.

Seniors Open Bowmaker

VISITING teams took the top two prizes at the Seniors’ Open Bowmaker held at Cirencester last Wednesday.

Alan Laughlin, from Ross-on-Wye, along with a trio of teammates from Tewkesbury Park – Doug Kane, Mike Feeley & Mike Hirst – had a shot to spare with their score of 93 points.

Runners-up were Tony Smith & John Sharpe from Bath GC, who teamed up with Robert Price (Burnham & Berrow) and Eugen Kupich (Stockwood Vale).

Home player Jeff Salter grabbed third place with 91 points when paired with Andy Rhodes (Taunton & Pickeridge), Iain Macdonald (Lee-on-the-Solent) & Paddy McAlpine (Goodwood).

In fourth place, also on 91 points, were home duo Mick Moore & Rob Bell, recent winners of the Seniors’ Pairs’ title at Cirencester, who teamed up with Pete Goodger & Chris Rayers of Puckrup Hall.

Senior Captain’s Away Day

SOME 45 players from Cirencester joined seniors’ captain David Lowbridge on his ‘away day’ at Cumberwell Park Golf Club near Chippenham.

The three-man teams for the stableford competition, with the best two scores from three to count, were chosen randomly and the visitors donned their wet-weather gear and headed to the two-tee start on the club’s Red and Yellow courses.

Quickest out of the traps was the trio of Mike Helyer, James Gore & Mike Burbage. Mike Helyer put his approach on the par four opening hole to three inches for a birdie – and they never faltered, posting an 84-point total for a four-shot win.

Second was the always consistent Gerry Bruton, along with Martin Kinch & Malcolm Crossley, who amassed 80 points, with Dave Warden, Robert Houghton & Paul Horrell third on 79 points.

Nearest the Pin prizes: 3rd hole (Red course) Ian Hunter; 16th hole (Yellow course) Duncan Cairns.

Longest Drive went to Gerry Bruton.

Awards were also presented to Mike Helyer for that superb approach on the first, and to John Parsons whose shot into the 8th rebounded off the windscreen of a huge tractor before nestling near the green.

Stover GC Seniors’ Mixed Pairs Open

SUE and Keith Hodgson, fresh from their trophy win at the Tewkesbury Mixed Open, nearly bagged some more silverware the week before last.

Having travelled to South Devon for the Seniors’ Mixed Pairs Open at Stover Golf Club, Newton Abbot, their 42-point total was just a shot away from lifting another cup.

They dovetailed beautifully on the day and were compensated by winning a £50 voucher each.

Ladies’ section

Sprott Bowl

MURIEL TELLING won the Sprott Bowl which was contested by

ladies with handicaps up to 29.4 on Thursday.

Muriel’s stableford score of 37 points gave her a slender advantage over Irena Windslow (36) and Jane Brodrick (35).

Jae Berens (2nd hole) and Liz Allen (13th) posted twos and in total there were five birdies hung on the tree in the changing room.

Rabbits Cup

THE Rabbits Cup, played on the same day for ladies with handicaps from 30 to 36, was won by Emily Gorman with 28 points. Runner-up was Sally Boyd on 22 points.

September Medal

ON Saturday in glorious weather, the ladies played their September

Medal with Jane Muncer heading the overall standings thanks to her nett 74.

She was followed home by Ann Fisher (75) who also had the lowest gross score of 89.

In Division Two, Jan Stephens (74) held off Jan Flynn (77) at the head of affairs.