AS his year as Ross Golf Club’s Juniors Captain draws to a close, 16-year-old Leo Powell can reflect upon his 12 months in office with a considerable amount of satisfaction and a real sense of personal achievement, reports KEITH RAY.

Amongst a long list of successes, Leo, who currently holds an impressive 1.6 World Handicap Index, will probably point to his winning the Club’s Annual Spring Scratch and Handicap event as his most memorable.

On the day, his gross medal 70 round being 2 under par, resulted in his name at the top of the final score-sheet, 5 shots ahead of his nearest rivals. Leo, playing off a 2 handicap scored 7 birdies that day with a massive field of 116 members taking part.

It was much the same outcome when Leo won the prestigious Adrian Pritchard Ross Juniors Open with a gross 73 medal round finishing 3 shots ahead of the rest of the field.

Since 12, Leo has been selected to represent teams playing for the Gloucestershire Golfing Union and was part of the County’s U18 Severn side Four Counties squad that won the 2023 title for the first time in 7 years.

Leo also came away as Champion of the U18 Chipping Sodbury Junior Open.

A pupil at Dean Magna in Mitcheldean, when appointed 12 months ago as Juniors Captain, Leo was following in the footsteps of his elder brother Niall, who was appointed the club’s first Juniors Captain in 2013.

Now a professional player, Niall will shortly start his second year on the Clutch Pro-Tour which is recognised as the third-tier on the European circuit.

It was fitting and a marvellous family occasion when Leo caddied for Niall for his 3 rounds when the latter won his first Clutch Pro Tour event last year at Astbury GC near Bridgenorth.

At Ross GC’s AGM in March, Leo will hand over the reins as Juniors Captain to golfing pal, James Sayce, 15, who like Leo will be worthy of the recognition and responsibility.

The pair played each other in the 2023 Final of the Bob Beavis Cup for Junior players, when Leo triumphed.