Cirencester Golf round-up with Danny Hall

Bill Burn Trophy

Andrew Parffrey gained some recompense for missing out by a shot in the recent Jubilee Cup when winning the Bill Burn Trophy for seniors at Cirencester Golf Club.

Andrew put together a very showy round of 10 pars and one birdie to accrue 41 points. That left him two shots clear of Eamonn Cuthbert (39pts), with John Appleby a couple further adrift on 37.

“My short game was very tidy,” said Andrew, the reigning Clappen Cup (Seniors’ Knockout) holder.

“I holed two snaky, long putts on 5, for a birdie, and on 17 for a par.

“I also got up and down several times, most pleasingly with a pitch to an inch from the hole from short and right of the 4th green.

Andrew would be happy to regale members with further details of his success in the Bathurst Arms, where he is the newly-appointed bar manager.

Brantly hole in one

COSMOPOLITAN Jeffrey ‘Ace’ Brantly, who splits his time between Rio and The Cotswolds, brought some samba style to the course with a hole in one at the 13th on October 5.

Jeffrey hit a towering high fade with a seven iron which landed a foot from the pin and dropped in the hole on its second bounce.

“My three hole-in-ones have all come in the last six years,” said Jeffrey, who is a member at both Sunningdale and Cirencester.

“The others came on the 4th of Sunningdale’s Old Course, and the 180-yard downhill par-three 15th at Tandridge in Surrey.”

Glos & Somerset PGA

REIGNING Gloucester and Somerset PGA Order of Merit champion Ed Goodwin of Cirencester GC has given early notice of his desire to win the title for a third successive year by taking the opening two medals of the 2020/21 season.

Ed was the only player to beat par on a decidedly damp day at Mendip Spring Golf Club near Bristol with his one-under-par 70, which left him four shots clear of the field. His card included five birdies.

The following week at Chipping Sodbury, Ed posted a three-under-par 69, including four birdies, giving him a two-shot victory.

Fellow Cirencester pro, Luke Gaskins, also finished high up the leaderboard, taking fifth place at Mendip Spring, with his six-over par round of 77, and joint-fourth at Chipping Sodbury thanks to his two-over-par 74.

In his current brilliant form, Ed was seriously looking forward to the national final of the Skycaddie PGA Pro Captain Challenge at The Belfry this week after qualifying with club captain Steve Bishop at Bowood.

Sadly, the event has been belatedly postponed until May next year due to Covid-related issues.

Ladies’ section

DIVISION One of the ladies’ October Medal, which was played in watery sunshine and a brisk, cold wind, was won by Sam Mitchell with a handicap-equalling nett 73.

In a 19-strong-field, second place went to Ann Fisher (nett 75), with Sheila Telling in third on nett 77.

Division 2 went to the in-form Emma Collins with her nett 69.

Second and third places were claimed respectively by two new members, Helene Bonne and Heather Whelan.

Also, news is through concerning the two Macmillan Spoon competitions run this year.

This year the Cirencester ladies raised £203 for Macmillan Cancer UK, up from £117 12 months ago.