STEVE Scott-Smith made sure that he wouldn’t be playing off his old 21 handicap mark for a while when he scored an exceptional 45 points in the Cirencester Golf Club July Stableford Competition.

On his way to victory Scott-Smith enjoyed a remarkable burst of gross and nett birdies from the sixth to the 13th holes.

By the end of play there was a five-point gap between him and his nearest pursuer in Division Two, John Cross, whose 40 points would normally have put him in with a shout of the winners spot. However, with Scott-Smith in storming form, his effort was only enough for second place, two points clear of third-placed Mike Bond on 38.

Bob Allen’s steady scoring earned him fourth place in Division Two with 36 points, with Jack Bastow in fifth on 36.

Division One, for the lower handicapped players, was taken by Robert Tweedale with 39 points.

His birdie at the 16th clinched it from second-placed John King, whose own birdie three on the uphill par-four fifth was the highlight of his 37-point round. Geoff Kirman returned to form, making hardly a mistake in his round of 36 points. Of four players tied on 35 points, John Morris and Mike Bishop were placed fourth and fifth on countback.

As a team, Cirencester enjoyed success recently as they beat Ross-on-Wye 7-1.

Earlier in the season Ross had taken their home leg 6-2 and home advantage played its part this time, with only two of the matches being any sort of contest. The most impressive win came from Geoff Southwell and Bob Mills, who won 5&4. Andrew Sommerville and Gerry Bruton took their match by 4&3 and last year’s Seniors captain, David Findlay, also won 4&3 while partnering Mike Helyer.