The latest major events in Ross-on-Wye Golf Club’s 2016 men’s programme have produced some fine performances with the Club’s Gorsley based tree-lined course playing at its longest and providing a real test for everyone.

The annual Spring Scratch and Handicap medal attracted 130 entrants and a special feature was that the best gross performer of the day, 5 handicapper, Tim Wyatt, also proved to be the best nett performer as well. His gross 72 nett 67 round included 9 pars and 5 birdies and after 9 holes, when he was 3 under gross par, the effectiveness of Tim’s putting was illustrated in that at that stage he only needed to make 11 putts which is quite remarkable and Tim’s handicap now moves to 4.

Harvey Hancock, playing off 4 must have thought that his gross 73, nett 69 round would have been good enough to finish top of one of the score-sheets, but he had to be content with the runners-up gross slot and a handicap reduction to 3.

Alistair Watkins with gross 75, nett 70 was in 3rd place followed by Matt Hillier with gross 77, nett 68, Colin Gladwyn’s gross 78, nett 73 and gross 79’s by David Daniels and Jamie Wilde and gross 80’s by Nick Ellis, Ross Jenkins and Colin Stanbridge. In the nett category Stephen Forrest’s 69, Roger Alford and Chris Good with nett 71s all earned 1 shot handicap reductions, as did 13 year old Harry Griffiths, with a marvellous nett 70 to give his 2016 summer season a good feeling and which he much deserves as he moves down to a 12 handicap.

In the annual George Griffiths Greensomes Stableford, with 36 pairings taking part, Paul Ford and James Porter combined exceptionally to produce a 45 points round that they will remember with much satisfaction, enabling them to book their place at the Club’s annual prize-giving ceremony in September. With 12 pars and a birdie, Paul & James’s consistent play won them the Trophy by miles, with Harvey Hancock playing with his father, Derek again just missing the top spot and finishing runners-up with 41 points, followed by Nigel Gibbs and David Mason, who also carded a 41 points score.

There were creditable 40 points scores for Arthur Cartwright, partnering Ross Club Captain Warren Moore and Mark Dee/Craig Newman and 38 points totals by Adrian Berry/David Higdon and Ross Jenkins/Richard Matthews.