The new season is underway and the JOP Easter Cup brought several of our number out of hibernation, to join the hardy souls who’ve played all winter long.

JOP is a two round game over the Easter weekend and it produced some very good scores, with Rachel Crowley romping home in the ladies’ competition.

Her total of 59 points was seven shots clear of Mary Price’s 52, with Lynne Campbell a further two behind, just easing into third spot ahead of Anne Morgan.

And it was Crowley and price in the bag draw too, although this time it was Sue Crowley who joined Mary.

The men’s competition was a hard-fought contest. Playing off the whites at this time of year is a daunting task and the scores showed the difference in the weather conditions between the first and last days.

Simon Arthur (pictured) shot a splendid 37 in his first round, followed by 31 for his second. His 68 was enough to win by two shots from Tom Wright who was close on his heels with 66.

Michael Beynon had a 34 on Day 1 followed by a 31, just squeezing into third place ahead of Glenn Hunter who had the same total.

The Seniors’ year kicked off with a bang, when the South Wales Classic draw produced a B Team match away at Builth Wells on Tuesday, with the Builth A’s coming to play at Trefloyne on Wednesday.

The forecast for both days was unbelievably bad so the B Team wisely postponed to a later date. But the Builth A Team insisted on playing, on the day of the horizontal rain in 60 mph winds.

The course was theoretically playable but brolleys were off – put one up in front of you and you’d never move; put one behind you for an instant Mary Poppins moment.

As you played your shot you’d see out of the corner of your eye your trolley slowly creeping off backwards, gathering momentum and crashing over the nearest precipice at some speed.

But in the end local knowledge must have counted because the Trefloyne team was victorious.

Glenn Hunter and Eifion Price won with room to spare, as did Meurig Evans and Randal Day.

Robin Lloyd and Graham Willcocks lost on the 17th, having already lost the will to live when their offer to go in was politely declined although they knew Trefloyne had already won.

And on the following day a trip to Newport, in comparatively Caribbean weather. Once again local knowledge came to the fore as the home team ran out 7:2 winners.

The least said about the golf the better but it was great craic and everyone enjoyed their game.