The investment in people culture through ’continuous improvement’ inspired by Ross Golf Club’s award winning PGA Head Professional, Tim Hall, and the coaching and training processes through his ’School of Golf’ team reached unprecedented levels in 2018.

The Club’s latest initiative, run by the Golf Foundation, saw the Junior Forum of volunteers working alongside Tim to develop Junior golfers in a new short form of golf called ’GolfSixes’ after the Ross Club was chosen as one of the 125 clubs nationally invited to take part.

Although some of the youngsters had never played in a competition before, and were without handicaps, the format of 12 players per squad with six in a team enabled them to dip their toes into a fun Texas scramble competition, playing six holes against other Clubs.

With their inter-club league including Junior teams from Brickhampton and Cotswold Hills Golf Clubs, they played in six round robin matches and, winning four of their matches by some margin, the Ross squad, supported by enthusiastic watching parents providing ideal family engagement, were crowned Champions of their Regional League.

Those taking part were Fred Dineen, Cam Hughes, Dominic Gabb, Soyan Sherchan, Fred and Harry Unthank, Andrew Eckley, Harry Bennett and Savannah Griffiths. The GolfSixes squad proudly joins the three other Ross teams; the Men’s and Ladies ’A’ Teams and the Under 18 Juniors, who have enjoyed Gloucestershire County Championship success in 2018 at the very top level, an outstanding achievement.

For the Eckley family, the year will be specially remembered as young Andrew, partnering his Dad Robin, a regular in the Men’s ’A’ Team, subsequently won the Club’s Annual Adult/Junior Shield stableford event.

The youngsters are also being taught how their ’continuous improvement’ challenge in golf can be a lifetime goal, as illustrated by some of the performances by Club’s Seniors golfers. Octogenarian, David Rees.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.