DESPITE the 2018 golf season drawing to an end Ross-on-Wye members are already qualifying for next year's annual honours board major Barnfield Trophy.

A new format for the 2018/19 season sees the monthly winter stableford competitions, available to all section of the club, used as qualification.

The opening round of the winter stableford was spread over two days to accommodate the numbers involved 109 players competing.

The top 12 performers qualify from each of the five rounds so that a 60 player start-sheet will contest for the Barnfield Trophy title in March 2019. Each of the rounds have three handicap divisions from which the top four players in each are the successful ones.

The November stableford competition kick-started proceedings and the day's stand-out winner was Robin Butler.

His impressive 44 points haul which included two birdies was a model in consistency resulting in Butler playing eight shots better than his 18 handicap which now moves to 17.

In the November stableford the best ladies' performer was 11 handicapper Sally Fycun with a creditable 35 points score.

She followed this a few days later in the Lady Captain's Last Gasp competition. Fycun was playing alongside Sue Johnson, Carol Smith and Sarah Forrest when their 93 points team total saw them top the final score-sheet by miles.

Ross-on-Wye GC have appointed Andrew Baldwin as their Seniors Captain following the AGM of Ross Mens' Seniors.

Baldwin, a capable 19 handicap golfer, joined the Ross Club in 2010 when he played off a 25 handicap and his dedicated approach to improving himself has always paid dividends.

In his address as outgoing Seniors Captain, David Price presented Baldwin with the Rogues Trophy as the top performer at the three-day Aberdovey Golf Club tour in July.

Price also made a glowing tribute to Patrick Curtis, who has been an integral part of the Seniors administration for more than 20 years and is now standing down while continuing to involve himself in the Club's main events programme.

Ross Club Captain Robert Tuttiett and former Club Captain Kim Hampson were on hand to receive as current holders the Winter League Shield for the 2017/18 series of matches.

Charlie Walker collected the Layton Eclectic Cup and the day's Greensomes Stableford Winners in the 16 holes event which preceded the AGM for the second successive year included David Holborow, this time partnering David Crocker with an outrageous 45 points score.

Other prize winners were Hugh Elliott/Peter Reynolds and Steven Finn/Peter Metcalfe with 42 points each and David Beavan/Robin Taylor with 41 points.