Jono Massey, the captain of Stinchcombe Hill, goes through the same ritual before every round of golf that he plays.

And no, he doesn’t head to the driving range or spend time on the putting green to make sure everything is in sync, it’s actually more straightforward than that.

“I don’t carry a phone or wear a watch when I’m playing,” he said. “I remove both, it’s my time, I don’t want to be interrupted.”

And it’s certainly something that has been working for the 67-year-old because although he took up the sport later than most, he’s enjoying it as much as ever.

“I started playing about 18 years ago,” said Massey, who plays off 12. “My brother Martin persuaded me to start playing when he moved back to this area from London, he’s a good player.”

Martin plays off six these days – “He’s on a downward spiral,” joked his older brother – but Jono Massey, who has played off 11, is certainly pleased that he took up the great game that is golf.

He’s only ever been a member at Stinchcombe – he lives in Leonard Stanley – and served on club committees before taking over as captain on 1^st April.

“When you’ve been involved with something for that long, it’s nice to put something back,” he said. “Mind you, the public speaking is taking a bit of getting used to, I’m nervous about that!”

But while that is a necessary part of the role, there are many aspects of his position that he enjoys.

“It’s a nice feeling to be involved in the decision-making,” he said. “We’re not a large club, we’ve got about 450 members, but everybody is very friendly, everybody is very approachable, you can play with anybody.”

And Massey certainly enjoys playing at Stinchcombe Hill.

“It’s a nice course, not very long,” he said. “It’s a par 68 and although it’s called Stinchcombe Hill it’s relatively flat, you can play a round quite quickly, you can do it in under three hours.”

That’s pretty good going, so what are Massey’s strengths and weaknesses as a player?

“I’d say my short game and putting are better than my long game,” he said. “Getting off the tee is the first problem!”

So how did the captain’s drive-in go?

“Not very good,” he laughed. “It was a bit nerve-wracking. It went 166 yards left, I’d hoped to be nearer 200. My friend Tim Cleverley, who has been a member at Stinchcombe for longer than me, guessed the distance!”

The one-time Marling School pupil, who is married to Chris – they have two daughters – is hoping to retire in the next six months or so, which will mean he will have more time to work on his long game.

Not that that is the be-all and end-all for Massey.

“I just want to keep on playing for as long as I can,” he said. “We regularly play with people in their 80s. Handicaps may change but enjoying playing golf is the main thing.”

And it’s even more enjoyable when no-one can get hold of you and there are no time restraints, of course!