THE Wrag Barn club will have a "southpaw" at the helm again this year, writes Ernie Newell.

Rod Grinsted, who was elected club captain at last week's annual meeting, has driven into office as successor to fellow left-hander Steve Powers.

Grinsted, 49, is a founder member of the 18-year-old Sevenhampton club and plays off a handicap of nine.

A top-notch club-man, he ran the club's thriving junior section for a number of years before he was elected vice-captain last year.

He is married with two sons, one of whom, teenager Alex, is a 13-handicapper at the club. They live in Stanford-in-the-Vale.

He has chosen the Sobell House Hospice in Oxford as his charity for the year.

And it benefited by £1,400 as a result of the proceeds from his drive-in.

Retiring captain Powers raised more than £10,000 for his designated charity (the Banbury-based Dogs for the Disabled) during his year in office.

Grinsted will have as his vice-captain Ian Pearson, from Watchfield. A former handicap secretary at the club, he has been a member since 1997 and plays off 19 handicap.

Anne Davidson has succeeded Jane Bale as women's captain at Wrag Barn.

She has been a member since 2004, plays off 27 handicap and lives in Dunfield, Gloucestershire.

Her vice-captain is Freddie Geddes, from South Marston. She joined the club in 1999 and plays off 17 handicap.

Brian Brown, from Faringdon, has taken over from Chris Cliff as seniors' captain and Josh Loughrey, the Wiltshire junior champion, has succeeded Josh Plaister as junior skipper.

Young Loughrey's elder brother, Wiltshire county player Ben, was junior captain at the club in 2006.

An Ambrose Scramble, held before the drive-ins, was won by Hemant Patel, Mike Inskip, Robin Szymura and Scott Talbert with a net score of 61.6. A total of 32 four-person teams competed.