THE new captain of Ruthin-Pwllglas Golf Club is a keen sportsman who did the double of men’s junior and senior titles at Ruthin Tennis Club in the same year and played the game for the RAF.

Former Ysgol Brynhyfryd pupil Vince Gill served from Buchan in Aberdeenshire to Belize in Central America during 13 years in the RAF, which also took in in the Falklands, London, Cyprus and Northumberland where he took up golf at Foxton Hall, near Alnmouth.

The 63-year-old retired purchasing manager from Ruthin, who worked in the food industry, was also a talented snooker and pool player and has earned a reputation on the course as a tough competitor with a razor-sharp short game.

He has a string of board competitions to his name in 30 years as a member at Pwllglas and though now playing off 15, he once shot 69 off a 10 handicap to win the club’s Centenary Trophy.

 

Denbighshire Free Press: Ruthin-Pwllglas captain Vince Gill driving in on the first holeRuthin-Pwllglas captain Vince Gill driving in on the first hole (Image: Submitted)

 

He said: “I enjoy my golf and at Pwllglas we are lucky enough to have a fantastic course with some of the most spectacular views in the country.

“As part of my year in office I want to support all the excellent work being done by chairman of greens Andrew Spink and our new greenkeeper Dylan Evans.

“We also have a very good committee here under our chairman, Ian Vaughan Evans, and a growing membership to build on for the future.”

Vince is the third member of his family to be a captain at the club following his older brother, Geoff, and sister-in-law, Stella, and he sees his main role as an ambassador for the club.

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Vince is married to Jill and the couple have a daughter, Ceri, a doctor, who practices in Liverpool.

His captain’s charity is the British Heart Foundation, a choice in memory of the late Graham Lowe, a popular member of the club from Corwen who died suddenly recently.

His year in office began with his captain’s drive-in where, into the wind and on fairways with very little run, he managed a very respectable drive of just over 182 yards.

He was joined on his opening round as captain in the drive-in competition by Denbighshire Golfing Union captain, Jonathan Tym, from Wrexham Golf Club, vice-captain Gary Teeson and past captain John Hendre Williams.