It has been a memorable 2017 season for Team Manager, Neil Lancett and all those involved with the Ross Golf Club’s Mens ’A’ team squad, following their combined exploits in the North Gloucestershire Foursomes League.

After the squad’s 2016 disappointment, when they suffered relegation from the League’s Division one status after just one year’s stay, it was important that the experience should represent an immediate learning process, and so it proved.

With just one defeat in the 2017 Division Two league 10 matches programme, their 16 points total made them worthy Champions from fellow promoted rivals, Stinchcombe Hill GC, who finished with 12 points. Flushed with this success, the Ross squad were in fine fettle to take part in the end of season Trophy Presentation event, when all NGFL affiliated Clubs are invited to compete for the coveted annual NGFL Cup.

This is a scratch medal competition with each club represented by four pairings with the top three scores determining the overall winners. For the Ross team, performances of gross 75 scores by Steve Wallbank/Alastair Watkins and Arthur Cartwright/Robin Eckley and gross 81 by Stephen Price/Simon Mills, meant that their gross 231 total headed the final score-sheet, tieing with the Minchinhampton GC squad, who were playing on their home course.

With the result of each team’s fourth pairing deciding the Champions, it seemed entirely appropriate that the gross 81 score by Ross Team Captain Neil Lancett, and 2016 Ross Club Captain Warren Moore should result, by the narrowest of ’count-back’ margins, in the Cup, returning with the team for this Ross-on-Wye Club the first time.

It was a well deserved personal triumph for Neil, who has been managing the squad for several years, resulting in Ross Juniors Academy players being successfully introduced to this highly competitive form of primarily adult golf to add to their development and culture of continuous improvement.