IPGC Golf from The Haven
The Haven golf group has now relocated to Soi Lengkee, on the corner of the road leading to the Vogue Hotel, where there are good parking facilities but sadly no room for club storage.
Whilst the kitchen is being renovated there is a limited range of food available, but the supply of beverages continues at ice cold temperatures.
Monday, May 9, Bangpra – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Markku Tynell (23) 32pts
2nd Fumiaki Matsuura (18) 31pts
3rd Fred Land (12) 30pts
4th Shuichi Kodaka (18) 29pts
The hot dry weather has played havoc with the vast majority of the local courses as the managements struggle in their attempts to keep them playable. Bangpra has suffered more than most it would appear by the condition of the course everywhere except on the greens, with burnt off hard fairways offering the tightest of lies. But at least the greens are bit more friendly as the greenkeepers had let them grow to prevent them burning out.
Daryl Burkett.
The end result was a very difficult course on which to score well and consistently which was reflected in the CSS for the day moving out to 75 and becoming a non-counting event.
Markku Tynell started off a very solid week of results taking the top step of the podium even though being four over handicap as the whole field found the going a bit too tough.
Fumiaki Matsuura took second place one shot back with Fred Land another point away in third.
Shuichi Kodaka plodded in a further shot back but ahead of the rest of the other tired hopefuls.
There were no 2s in either division.
Wednesday, May 11, Khao Kheow B & C – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Jon Batty (8) 35pts
2nd Markku Tynell (23) 34pts
3rd Sam McLellan (13) 34pts
4th Daryl Burkett (12) 32pts
5th Phil Cass (17) 28pts
Jon Batty.
Khao Kheow is probably the best course in the area at the moment as it continues to play well and the management obviously has a good grasp of the requirements needed to provide a good course in very difficult conditions. The scores on the day were not a true reflection of the condition as the heat, that was somewhere near the 40 degree mark, took its toll on the whole field.
Jon Batty survived the grueling conditions the best and took the win at one over handicap with a steady round as he astounded the fellow players in his group with his approach to the game.
Markku Tynell went two better than when he won previously to take second place on a count back over Sam McLellan, scoring a better back nine of 19 to 17 and leaving Sam in third spot on his return to the group.
Daryl Burkett, having survived the route march now entailed in reaching the new venue, lasted well enough to tuck up fourth place a few shots ahead of fifth placed Phil Cass.
Once again there were no 2s in the second division but Mike Dabanovich stroked in a short one on C8 after a 165 yard 9 iron to sweep the roll over pool.
Friday, May 13, Phoenix Mountain & Lake – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Daryl Burkett (12) 36pts
2nd Mike Hill (20) 36pts
3rd Markku Tynell (23) 35pts
4th Fred Land (12) 31pts
Phoenix is another of the well-presented courses that is benefitting from the extra care from the greenkeepers as they prepare for the upcoming Kings Cup event in July and again, apart from the complaints regarding the amount of sand in the bunkers, the course is in good shape and very playable.
Markku Tynell.
The continuing discussion regarding the redesigned fifth and sixth holes on the Lake course still weighs heavily against but on checking the results at the end of the day it was seen that the fifth averaged 1.8 points and the highly derided sixth averaged 2.4 points. It would therefore seem to be the mindset of the individual player that determines their score on a hole that may not require the use of driver to score well on.
Daryl Burkett blobbed the fifth and then birdied the sixth on the Lake course on his way to taking the top spot for the day following a count back over Mike Hill, which he won with a better 19 to 17 to leave Mike ruing a three-putt on the fifth hole through the back nine.
Markku Tynell added a third place to his two previous first and second places even though it was his best round of the week but as always he smiled his way through the whole day and after event get together.
Fred Land took fourth place a few more behind and a few in front of the rest of the hopefuls.
There were no 2s in either of the divisions.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact 094 465 5002 or call in to The Haven, 315/13 Soi Lengkee, situated between Third Road and Soi Buakhao. All transportation to the course is arranged and you do not need to sign up prior to the day, but you should be there by 8.15 on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days that you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played throughout the year can be found on the web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
