We all have big moments in our lives. For some people it may be a charity parachute jump, for others it may be taking on a triathlon or an Ironman challenge.

For Gill Ashton, it was the drive-in on captains’ day at Naunton Downs Golf Club.

“It was in front of about 60 people… and my drive was awful, absolutely awful,” she laughed. “It went about 30 yards and it was my worst shot of the year, needless to say.

“I mucked it up. It skewed off to the right and hit a tree!”

That was at the beginning of March and fortunately things have only got better since then, even though the 72-year-old’s handicap has gone up one from 28 to 29.

“That’s the stress of being a captain,” she laughed.

Gill, who would “normally hit a drive 150 to 180 yards on a good day with a good bounce”, has been playing golf only for the past seven years, although she first swung a club more than 30 years ago.

She told The Local Answer: “It was when I was living on the Isle of Man. I’d had a set of golf clubs and I decided to have some golf lessons.

“But then I had a bad car accident so I had to stop the lessons.

Gill returned to Cheltenham in 1984 with her husband James – he was a production manager for Dowty Rotol – and they bought a house “a seven-iron” from Lilley Brook Golf Club in Charlton Kings.

Her desire to take up golf again was thwarted, however, by Lilley Brook’s five-year waiting list, work and bringing up two children.

It wasn’t until 2010 and with retirement looming after 47 years in the nursing profession that she decided to give the sport another go.

It was third time lucky as everything just clicked. She was introduced to Naunton Downs, liked what she saw and has become a regular on the greens and fairways of the beautiful Cotswolds course.

“Some weeks I’ll play four times,” she said, “and I’ll play twice a week in the winter. It’s a beautiful course in the heart of the Cotswolds. It’s a challenge with a mix of slopes, hills, long holes and short ones.

“It’s a very good, friendly club.”

Gill, of course, contributes hugely to that feel-good factor through her role as ladies’ captain.

It’s an important job and makes for a busy year, one of the highlights of which is the Ladies’ Open, which this year took place on Wednesday July 5th.

“All the places in the Open are always taken by January,” said Gill proudly.

She also organised a captain’s away-day which this year saw 38 ladies head off to Burghill Valley Golf Club in Herefordshire.

Not that Gill is a one-trick pony. She has ridden horses all her life and still rides with her daughter Hannah, an animal physiotherapist who lives in Prestbury.

She was also Isle of Man squash champion when she was there in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

So, does she still play the game made famous by the likes of ex-Cheltenham College pupil Jonah Barrington?

“No way,” she laughed. “I’m much too old for that. All these youngsters came along with legs that could run forever. Mine just stopped!”

Her love of sport has rubbed off on her son Robert, who works in the City. He plays golf, tennis and squash when he can although being a dad to two small children limits the amount of time he can play.

He doesn’t play his mum at golf these days. “That would be too selfish,” said Gill, “time spent with the grandchildren is very precious.”

But when asked who would win if they did, Gill chuckled: “Ooh, I’m not sure, I think it would vary!”

Robert wasn’t there for his mum’s drive-in, nor was husband James – “It was too early in the morning,” said Gill – and at least her drive went further than some other newbie captains in years gone past.

“I remember one year one of the men captains hit it only four feet,” she laughed, “and someone else pretty much missed the ball altogether. So, I wasn’t the worst even though there was just a sort of sympathy after I’d played my shot.

“The members always do a sweepstake to guess the length of a captain’s drive. The shortest guess was 88 yards and the winner received a bottle of fizz but all the money raised goes to charity.

“The sweepstake raised £136 for my charity so the humiliation was worth it!”

Gill’s charity is the Multiple Sclerosis Society, an organisation that is very close to her heart. Her husband has MS and is wheelchair-dependent although it doesn’t stop him from attending social events at Naunton Downs. “He’s always made very welcome by all the members,” said Gill.

Gill’s good work as captain will be carried on next year by Dawn Rimmer, who is currently the vice-captain.

“She’ll be an amazing captain,” said Gill. “She’s a professional golf referee and plays off eight. Every captain should have a vice-captain like Dawn.”

While Gill may not be captain next year, she will still be very heavily involved in the club. And 2018 will be a very special one for Naunton Downs because the club will be celebrating its 25th anniversary.