Cirencester Golf Club round-up with Danny Hall

Seniors’ Stableford (December)

IT was Groundhog Day at Cirencester Golf Club as the seniors lined up for their second stableford of the winter.

As had been the case in the November event, Emrys Williams woke up, drove to the course and promptly saw off all the opposition with another score in the 40s – his highlight being a fine birdie two at the 11th.

Having been cut a shot for his previous victory, his margin of success this time was not as clearcut as he required countback to see off Bob Allen and Alastair McKeeman, who also both shot 40 points.

Bob can perhaps feel hard done by after recording seven pars and a birdie, while Alastair repeated some of the fine play he has been showing in social golf recently.

“The weather conditions were conducive to good golf,” said Emrys.

“The greens were very receptive, the course was in great shape and the ball seemed to go further than usual.

“The 2 on the 11th was very pleasing. It looked good in the air and as it is the first two I have recorded for two years in competition, it was very welcome.

“I was delighted to get a good score as I was playing a shot lower than last month. I will be a shot lower still in the next competition, so I very much doubt I can make it three in a row.”

We wouldn’t put that past the resurgent Williams, who has set the bar high in the winter series for the Charles Griffith-Jones Salver (three rounds from five to count) with scores of 43 and 40 already. The third of the series is on January 13.

There were 13 birdie twos recorded by: Dave Allen (2nd), Duncan Cairns (9th), Ian Powell (9th), Emrys Williams (11th) along with Bob Allen, Dave Gardiner, John King, Graham Marshall, Ken Mills, Steve Page, John Parsons, Jeff Salter and Tony Scrivens, all at the 13th.

RESULTS

1st – Emrys Williams (40pts); 2nd – Bob Allen (40); 3rd – Alastair McKeeman (40); 4th – Rob Bell (39); 5th – Paul Freeman (38); 6th – Simon Hall (38); 7th – David Lowbridge (38); 8th – Dave Gardiner (38); 9th – Simon Embleton-Smith (37); 10th – Trevor Sallis (37).

Ladies’ Section

ON Thursday, December 3, the ladies resumed their competitions following the second lockdown with the annual Turkey Trot.

Sixteen ladies took part in the 14-hole stableford format which was won by Irena Windslow with 33 points.

Thirteen-handicapper Irena, who had a hole in one recently, had the competition in safe keeping early on after birdies on the 2nd and 4th holes.

In second place was Emma Collins, with 28 points, closely followed by Fiona Fyfe (27pts) in third.

Thirty-six ladies took part in the 14-hole Christmas Stableford the following week which was closely contested.

Jill Cloughton and Liz Allen both finished with 29 points, Jill pipping Liz on countback to win.

Muriel Telling, Ann Fisher and Elaine Killick were all snapping at the heels of the leaders, each of them scoring 28 points, with Muriel snatching third place.

Cirencester member Alison Kelly was mentioned in dispatches at the Gloucestershire Ladies County Golf Association virtual AGM last week, when her achievement for winning the trophy as the leading senior player in the county championships was acknowledged.