Cirencester Golf Club round-up with Danny Hall

Seniors Winter Stableford

EMRYS Williams made history at Cirencester Golf Club when winning the first competition since the sport’s adoption of the World Handicap System.

And it is probably safe to assume that he is a fan, as Emrys has been playing for much of the season off a handicap of 16, but competed in the last comp before the country’s second lockdown off 18.

Emrys sealed his one-shot win in style with a birdie three on the tough closing 18th hole which gave him 43 points and a narrow victory in the Seniors’ Stableford for November over John A King, who scored a similarly fine 42 points.

“Having been a member at Cirencester for five years I am at last learning how to play the course,” said Emrys.

“This is my best result for a long time as the last occasion I had a good score was when I won the Brickhampton Open in 2010.

“The new handicap system played its part as I got more shots than usual but I really attribute this success to the sessions I have been having with Mitch who has straightened me out and got me swinging properly again.

“I was trying to remember his words of advice on the way round and it must have worked as on the back nine I started with a par on the 10th and finished with a birdie on the 18th, which I don’t normally do.

“My playing partners Dave Findlay and Leo Ferro also kept me focused which helped enormously.

“I hope I continue in this vein once we are allowed out again and can get my handicap back down.”

On a day of fine scoring in the first of five winter senior stablefords which count towards the Charles Griffiths-Jones Salver, six members scored 40 points or better, with Paul Taylor pipping Paul Simmonds on countback for the last place on the podium in third.

There were half a dozen birdie twos in the field of 97 players from Simon Hall (2nd), Ben Marsh (2nd), Charles Reed (9th), Derek Stewart (11th), Keith Hughes (13th) and Gordon Stone (13th).

RESULTS

1st – Emrys Williams (43pts); 2nd – John A King (42); 3rd – Paul Taylor (40); 4th – Paul Simmonds (40); 5th – Andy Tunnicliffe (40); 6th – Mike Burbage (40); 7th – Dave Findlay (39); 8th – Gerry Bruton (39); 9th – Mark Woodhead (39); 10th – Jeffrey Brantly (39).

Woods wins the Masters

AFTER four great days of golf at Augusta we found a winner in our own Pro-Shop Masters tournament.

Our leaderboard was tighter than the one in Georgia with Lester Woods coming out narrowly on top.

Members were asked to nominate their three players against the field and Lester put up Dustin Johnson (1st), Justin Thomas (4th) and Rory McIlroy (5th) for the lowest aggregate total of 10 points.

He wins a brand new Bushnell Tour V5 rangefinder.

Two shots back in a tie for second were Robin Smart and Steve Kirwan who both chose DJ, JT and John Rahm – 7th despite that topped/hooked fairway wood on the 8th hole of his third round followed by a ‘recovery’ shot that hit a tree and rebounded into a bush. We can all relate to that!

Robin and Steve will both receive an Under Armour top.