The first round of Ross Golf Club’s Annual Layton Cup for their Men’s Seniors members was very well supported with 92 members taking part. This provided the opportunity for 12 handicapper John Palmer to enjoy an exceptional round scoring 42 stableford points to top the final score-sheet by miles and see his handicap take a 1 shot reduction in the process.

This was on a difficult day for scoring, it was John’s highly effective putting on the greens which enabled him to amass two birdies and eight pars and he takes a significant lead in the competition which consists of six stableford rounds played throughout the Summer with the overall winner decided on the total score of their best three rounds. Another in-form player Ian Caves, after winning the Seniors 1st Midweek medal event in March, came closest to giving John some competition and his 38 points score against the courses 72 standard scratch for the day cost him his second handicap reduction this year. David Every with 36 points was in 3rd place to surprise himself and his countless friends, followed by Roger Alford, David Morgan and Martin Johnson who all carded 36 points scores. The 35 pointers can also feel pleased with their overall performances and who were Jim Hamilton, Brian Clouder, Barry Smith, Peter Smith and Allen Mawby.

The Club’s Men’s ’A’ Team, in the care of team manager Neil Lancett and now performing in Division 1 of the North Gloucestershire Foursomes League, were always expecting a tough start to their 2016 season. In having to face the top 2 teams in their opening matches a 6-0 whitewash defeat at Minchinhampton Golf Club has been followed by a 4-2 loss when they entertained a strong Cotswold Hills GC team. Despite recording just 1 win, in this 12 foursomes matches sequence, thanks to Club Captain Warren Moore and Steve Wallbank, with halved match results being achieved by James Morgan/Niall Powell and Arthur Cartwright/Matt Hind, the majority of the remaining match outcomes were closely contested.

In the men’s friendly matches programme, looked after by Terry Jarrett, the Club have recently entertained Rolls of Monmouth and Newport Golf Club providing Ross wins 4.5/1.5 pts and 3.5 /2.5 pts respectively while the Seniors squad in the care of Seniors Captain, David Williams had suffered their first defeat of the season in 6 matches when they returned home from Stinchcombe Golf Club having lost narrowly 4/ 3.