PSC Golf from the Café Kronborg
Monday, April 23, Plutaluang W&N – Stableford
After the almost two week break due to Songkran we were all looking forward to playing the popular Plutaluang layout (unlike the scribe of another Pattaya golf outlet) and with a couple of late inclusions we had a field of seventeen.
After assembling at Café Kronborg we welcomed back The Admiral from his annual trip to the USA and also Kevin Dinan who has returned from five weeks in Ireland. Also it was good to see Fred Cuypers from Perth, Australia who is visiting for a few weeks on his way to the UK. Sadly we were saying farewell to Arne Max Pedersen, Lotte Boskov & Henrik Aargaard who will shortly be returning to Denmark.
Peter Blackburn, left, receives the Cafe Kronborg April Monthly Mug from ‘The Admiral’.
Departing the Kronny right on schedule at 0815 hrs we arrived at the course 45 minutes later and it didn’t seem to be too busy. We were allocated the West & North nines and our first group, a three-ball, teed off 25 minutes ahead of schedule at 0935 hrs. The weather was fine and hot with a few threatening rain clouds overhead but that’s as far as it got as it stayed fine all day.
The course was in terrific shape with very well maintained greens and Plutaluang continues to be one of the best value for money courses in the region. Moving along at a good pace our first group was able to complete their full round in the very good time of four hours & ten minutes.
There were 2 flights on the day, A Flight for handicaps 0 to 17 and B Flight for 18 and over.
The golf course was certainly the winner on the day with not one golfer playing to their handicap or better. Back from his recent Kanchanaburi golf trip, Martin Todd took out the A Flight with 35 points, one point ahead of another trip member in Walter Baechli (18 point back nine) in second place who beat Fred Cuypers (14 point back nine) in a count back. In fourth place came the departing Henrik Aargaard with 33 points.
Martin Todd, ‘The Admiral’ & Graham Buckingham.
Yet another Kanchanaburi trip member Graham Buckingham won the B Flight with a modest 32 points and Bo Cardwell finished second 1 point behind. Continuing his improvement on the Kanchanaburi trip Dick Braimbridge (17 point back nine) made his first appearance ever on the podium and finished third by beating Frank Donnelly (14 point back nine) on a count back, both golfers having 30 points.
A Flight (0-17)
1st Martin Todd (9) 35pts
2nd Walter Baechli (17) 35pts
3rd Fred Cuypers (13) 34pts
4th Henrik Aargaard (17) 33pts
B Flight (18+)
1st Graham Buckingham (22) 32pts
2nd Bo Cardwell (27) 31pts
3rd Dick Braimbridge (36) 30pts
4th Frank Donnelly (23) 30pts
The Compass Cap (awarded for worst score on the day) was awarded to Dave Richardson who seemed to struggle after playing just the one game in the last month, and Hunter paraded Deefa the Dog who once more collected many donations to charity from the ever generous Kronny crew.
Thursday, April 26, Pleasant Valley –Monthly Mug, Stroke
As Pattaya Country Club is just a nine hole course at the moment due to extensive course maintenance, it was decided that the Café Kronborg Monthly Mug be held at The Pleasant Valley course. It’s that one time in the month that we play a stroke round and we had 16 golfers signed up to contest for the coveted Mug.
We welcomed Les Brown from Cornwall in England and headed off from the Kronny at 0815 hrs on the dot. In just 40 minutes we were at the course which was practically deserted and we were invited to tee off as soon as we were ready. Our first group got away 40 minutes ahead of schedule at 0920 hrs in perfect weather conditions although hot & humid with just a mild breeze attempting to cool things down.
The course as usual was in great nick with mainly lush fairways and well maintained greens. We played at a fairly good pace although drink stops were a necessity due to the humidity and we completed our full round in four hours & thirty five minutes.
In addition to the Monthly Mug Award we had five place-getters. There were rewards for nearest the pin on two of the par threes kindly sponsored by Walter Baechli and a longest first putt on the 18th green kindly sponsored by Mike Gosden.
Your humble correspondent had a “day out’ in shooting 78 off the stick and won the Café Kronborg April Monthly Mug with a score of net 66. That fine golfer Mike Allidi had an even par round to finish second with net 69 and another man in form, Aussie Martin Todd shot 79 for a net 70 to finish third. In fourth place came the winner of the Fashion Award, Mr Walter Baechli with a net 72 and in a count back for fifth & sixth places on net 73, Fred Cuypers (net 23 on last 6 holes) edged out Ken Bernek (net 24 last 6 holes) after they were even on count back for the back nine.
At presentations back at Café Kronborg we acknowledged Bjarne Nielsen and his family & staff for once more sponsoring this monthly event.
Monthly Mug
1st Peter Blackburn (12) net 66
2nd Mike Allidi (3) net 69
3rd Martin Todd (9) net 70
4th Walter Baechli (17) net 72
5th Fred Cuypers (13) net 73
6th Ken Bernek (16) net 73
Near Pins: 8th – Walter Baechli; 17th – Bo Cardwell
Long Putts: 18th – Ken Bernek
The Compass Cap was well won by Dick Braimbridge, and Hunter paraded Deefa the Dog who collected lots of donations to charity from the Kronny Crew.
Note: Just a reminder that coming up next month, Thursday May 10th is the Papa Ray Rogers Birthday Memorial Tournament to be held at Plutaluang. It is a 4 person scramble and the entry fee is 500 baht per person which includes prizes, a commemorative shirt and dinner back at Papa Ray’s house on Siam Country Club Road. The sign-up sheet is in Café Kronborg so please organize your groups and put your money in the box provided.
