Graft Golf 2026 Season Newsletter

Graft Golf 2026 Season Newsletter

Season 1 of the Graft Golf Amateur League is in the books, and what a finish. After 117 verified rounds, just 7 points separated the top three, and our champion was decided in the final weeks.

Thank you to every one of the 18 golfers who signed up, declared their rounds and backed themselves on courses home and away. Here's how the season played out.

Final standings

Viv Moss is our first Graft Golf champion, finishing 6 points clear of Steve James.

Pos

Player

Home course

Rounds

Best 6 (pts)

1

Viv Moss

Sudbrook Moor GC

12

233

2

Steve James

Styal Golf Club

12

227

3

Mohammed Qasim

iGolf

12

226

4

Zishan Ahmad

iGolf

12

220

5

Anton Bardsley

Styal Golf Club

12

220

6

Yasir Thathall

iGolf

11

216

7

Simon Goodall (OBG Golf)

Holywell

7

215

8

Scott Hassell

Styal Golf Club

9

211

9

Richard Armstead

Styal Golf Club

12

202

10

Florian Ahmad

Styal Golf Club

7

190

Best 6 totals include the +1 away point. Zishan takes 4th from Anton on countback.

Champion: Viv Moss

Viv started the season off a 34 handicap, with her shots capped at 30 under league rules, and finished it off 26. That's an 8-shot drop in one season, and she still won the league.

Her best 6 included two 41-point rounds and a 39, and she played all 12 cards. She saved one of her best for last: a 40-point round, plus an away point, in her final card to seal the title.

Viv is the proof that Graft rewards improvement, not just low handicaps. Congratulations, Viv.

Runner-up: Steve James

Steve was the model of consistency. In 12 rounds he never dropped below 29 points, and he finished the season strongly with two 41-point rounds in his last four cards. Second place, 227 points, and back in 2027 to go one better.

Third place: Mohammed Qasim

Qasim started the season off 16 and finished it off 11.8, a drop of more than four shots. Along the way he posted the round of the season: 44 points away from home, worth 45 with the away bonus.

That's what this league is built for. Twelve rounds, every one declared in advance and counting towards a table: it's competitive golf under real, everyday pressure. If you want to test yourself and improve, Qasim's season shows it works.

The early pace-setter: Richard Armstead

Richard set the early pace, getting rounds in week after week and leading the league in the opening stretch. He used all 12 cards a month before the season ended, finishing with a 41 among his best scores. With nothing left to submit, he could only watch as the chasing pack overtook him. A lesson for all of us in Season 2: pace your cards.

The chasing pack

  • Zishan Ahmad (4th, 220): solid all season and played every round away from home. He just couldn't crack the top three, missing out by 6 points.
  • Anton Bardsley (5th, 220): level with Zishan on points, separated only by countback. He closed with 41 and 37 in his final two cards.
  • Simon Goodall, OBG Golf (7th, 215): some outstanding golf, including a 41. From just 7 rounds, he finished only 11 points off the podium. With a full set of cards he'd have been right in the mix.

The season in numbers

 

 

Rounds submitted

117

Round of the season

45 pts: Mohammed Qasim (44 + away point)

Best home round

44 pts: Scott Hassell

Gap between 1st and 3rd

7 points

Biggest handicap drop

Viv Moss, 34 to 26

What's next: Season 2027

Viv, Steve and Qasim are all coming back to defend their places. The question is who's coming for them.

  • Early Bird league pass: £55 (usually £65), until 31 December.
  • The prize pot grows with every sign-up, so bring your playing partners.
  • A brand-new Player Portal: your live position, cards left, and every round tracked from declared to verified.
  • Start date and Opening Major announced soon.

Sign up at golfal.co and follow @graftgolfal for updates.

See you on the first tee.

Jahan, Graft Golf. 

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