Cirencester Golf Club round-up with Danny Hall

Queen Mother’s Trophy

BARRY MOISEJEVS lifted the first club competition since the return of golf in 2021 when taking the prestigious Queen Mother Trophy at Cirencester by a single shot.

The 20-handicapper made a spectacular start and was just one over par on the sixth tee, including that rare bird – a three on the 4th hole.

Barry then kept it steady with 12 bogeys on the last 13 holes for a stableford total of 41 points.

Barry is currently using a buggy on a medical exemption after one knee operation with one pending. How hard to beat will he be when he has two sound legs!

“I can’t walk the course at the moment,” said Barry. “I was rather apprehensive about going in the comp but played nice and steadily and made a great start with that birdie on the fourth.

“I hit a mediocre drive, a three wood to just short of the green and chipped in for a three.”

Barry is another member to benefit from one of Mitch Caunt’s winter coaching programmes.

“I’ve known Mitch since he was nine years old when I was at South Cerney.

“I have to say that everyone has been so kind and welcoming since I came over from Cerney.

“And Cirencester is such a beautiful course.”

Runner-up on 40 points was Gavin Allen who enjoyed a terrific run from holes four to 16 playing them in one under par. He appeared to be cruising to victory until he had an 8 on the 17th hole.

Paul Gardiner, also on 40, took third ahead of Alan Selby, who spectacularly birdied the 4th, 5th and 6th.

There were 11 twos in the 118-strong field, the eye-catching one coming from Gary Whiteman on the par-4 5th, while club champion Charlie Harraway had birdie twos at both the 2nd and 11th, a feat matched by club vice captain Mark Bisset.

The other twos came on the 2nd from Steve Bishop, Nick Rutter and Callum Wright; on the 9th from Stephen Lamble; on the 11th from Terry Hambling, and Andy Bell had his two on the 13th.

RESULTS

1st – Barry Moisejevs 41pts (20 handicap); 2nd – Gavin Allen 40 (10); 3rd – Paul Gardiner 40 (11); 4th – Alan Selby 40 (14); 5th – Robert Jessop 38 (14); 6th – Dave Gardiner 38 (14); 7th – Paul Jenkins 38 (12); 8th – Gary Whiteman 38 (18); 9th – Terry Hambling 37 (16); 10th – Stephen Lamble 36 (07).

Midweek Medal

MARK BISSET romped to victory in the first Midweek Medal of the year with a sparkling nett 67.

That gave the seven-handicapper a three-shot victory and he also posted the best gross score with his 74.

Mark had a blazing finish with birdies on 16 and 18.

Five players – Marc Berry, Craig Sutherland, James Moorcroft, Mike Robins and Toby Harris – all posted one-under par nett scores of 70, with Marc claiming second spot on countback.

Former club champion Toby Harris had birdie twos on both the 2nd and 9th, while Dan Gregory also got his two on the 9th, with George Peare gaining his on the 13th.

Seniors’ Team Bowmaker

DAYLIGHT was second when the opening seniors’ competition of the season, a team bowmaker, was won in magnificent style by Jeff Salter, Stu Michaelis, Pete Shepherd & Alan Hughes with 134 points.

That nett total of 26 under par – for the best three stableford scores from four to count on each hole – understandably left them seven shots clear of the field.

Captain Jeff Salter (off 15) posted 22 points to the turn and wasn’t even his team’s star performer!

“Alan had 23 points on the front nine and Stu had 21 – they were our main men overall – but Pete and myself contributed well at times.

“From the turn, 21-handicapper Stu went par, birdie, par for 11 points in three holes.

“Six points (twice) was our lowest combined score on any hole.”

As far as Messrs Salter, Michaelis, Shepherd and Hughes are concerned, it would appear that masks in these Covid-blighted times are not confined to the clubhouse!

Late starters Dave Gardiner, Ken Russell, Ali Carter and Pete Townshend posted a hugely creditable 127 points to finish runners-up. While the final place on the podium was taken by early starters David Clark, David Dickson, Dave Walters & Michael Lindsey with an excellent 126 points.

RESULTS

1st – Jeff Salter, Stu Michaelis, Pete Shepherd & Alan Hughes 134 points

2nd – Dave Gardiner, Ken Russell, Ali Carter & Pete Townsend 127pts

3rd – David Clark, David Dickson, Dave Walters & Michael Lindsey 126pts

4th – Paul Sheen, Eamonn Cuthbert, Andrew Rhys-Evans & Bill Peach 125pts

5th – Mike Burbage, Brian Whittaker, Phil Needham & Mike Helyer 124pts

6th – Tony Killick, Rob Bell, Pete Stibbs & Mick Moore 121pts

7th – Andy Ponting, Dave Murray, Ian Perry & John Hall 121pts

8th – George Arnold, Keith Ringshaw, Derek Stewart & Andrew Parffrey 120pts

9th – Geoff Knight, David Neale, Brian Hammond & Jack Bastow 120pts

10th – Pete Ayers, Jeffrey Brantley, Simon Underwood & Danny Hall 119pts

US Masters Sweep

MARTIN RIGHTON looked into his crystal ball and came up with the right answers when winning the US Masters Sweep run by the Cirencester pro shop.

Members were asked to pick three against the field in the 2021 Masters at Augusta – and it proved a catastrophe for the majority of entrants with bankers-for-the-top-20 like Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia all failing to make the cut.

Martin picked his way through the minefield by choosing Jordan Spieth (3rd), Jon Rahm (5th) and Scottie Scheffler (18th).

Martin has already been custom-fitted for his prize, a TaylorMade Sim2 Driver.