Gillian Cowell enjoys playing golf but more than that she likes others to enjoy their golf as well.

That’s one of the reasons she’s in her second spell as captain of the ladies’ section at Cleeve Cloud – she was also captain in 2013 – and her second time in charge has come on the back of a three-year stint as chair of Gloucestershire Ladies’ County Golf.

“I was hoping to maybe have a year off in between,” she chuckled, “but we’re only a small ladies’ section.

“The first time around it was pretty hard as everything was new to me, but there’s a very good ladies’ committee to help out and second time around it is easier.”

Her current run as captain at Cleeve finishes at the end of the year, but of course, when the time does come to hand over the reins she’ll still be out on the course playing the game that she loves.

She reckons she plays twice a week most weeks although it’s only in the last few years that she has started playing more regularly.

“I started playing back home when my husband and sons took up the game,” explained the 58-year-old. “I thought if they were going to play I would too.”

Her accent tells you that she is originally from north of the border although ironically neither husband Brian nor her sons, who are now grown up, are anything more than occasional golfers these days.

“We played golf at West Kilbride in the West of Scotland,” recalled Gillian. “I was never very good and I think when I first started I was given a handicap of 46. I had got it down to 36 when I left.”

Her husband’s work brought her to Winchcombe in 2009 but she didn’t start playing golf again until 2011.

“I reckon I had three or four years off because I stopped playing before we left Scotland,” said Gillian, who joined Cleeve Cloud when she took up the sport again.

And there must be something about the rarefied air on top of Cleeve Hill that brings out the best in Gillian because she has halved her handicap since joining the club.

“I play off 18 but until a week ago I was playing off 17,” she told The Local Answer at the start of September. “I hope I haven’t peaked!”

So what does she need to improve if she is to lower her handicap?

“My putting is alright but it’s not great,” she admitted. “I can also hit a long ball but it’s not always straight. If I could hit it straight I’d be quite good!”

But while she’d obviously like to go round Cleeve Cloud in fewer shots, that’s certainly not the be-all and end-all for Gillian.

“I enjoy the social aspect of golf,” she said. “You also feel like you’re getting a bit of exercise, it’s certainly not a good walk spoiled.”

And she particularly likes playing at Cleeve Cloud.

“Yes, I do,” she said, “I love it, I can’t imagine joining anywhere else. I love the open spaces, the fresh air.

“And the great thing about golf is that you can play with anyone whatever their handicap.”