IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, Jan. 2, Treasure Hill (yellow tees) – Stableford
CSS 74
1st Larry Gibb (21) 35pts
2nd Brendan Dunne (28) 32pts
3rd Mark Williams (8) 31pts
4th Alan Hanlon (14) 28pts
5th Dave Cadwallader (13) 28pts
A very pleasant day of inexpensive golf started out the year for the merry group from Soi Lengkee at Treasure Hill, where the course was found to be in excellent condition although even playing from the forward yellow tee markers the almost 6,400 yard course was not an easy prospect.
The best of the day turned out to be Larry Gibb’s one over handicap return that, together with the rest of the day’s scores, proved to be the basis for the CSS being set at 74. It left Larry a clear winner by a margin of three ahead of Brendan Dunne in second place.
Mark Williams took third place, also three in front of a count back for fourth and fifth which Alan Hanlon won with a better 9 to 6 over the back six after he had shared the back nine on 14 apiece with fifth placed Dave Cadwallader.
Once again there were no 2s in the second division but Alan Hanlon and Mark Williams shared the first division pool.
Wednesday, Jan. 4, Khao Kheow B & C – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Mark Williams (8) 38pts
2nd Shuichi Kodaka (17) 34pts
3rd John Carlin (19) 33pts
4th Adrian Cook (10) 33pts
5th Markku Tynell (21) 33pts
6th Alan Griffiths (12) 32pts
The once a fortnightly visit to Khao Kheow was as usual well attended although just short of the required numbers to require two divisions. As usual the course was in tip-top shape with the greens worthy of special mention for their speeds and flatness.
Mark Williams finally made good on all the promises to be back to “be back normal as soon as the travel weariness wears off”, with the first win of his winter tour following a good card at two under handicap and finishing a solid four shots ahead of the nearest rival.
That rival was Shuichi Kodaka who was hoping for an even better day but just failed to drop in a couple of chances of birdies on the par threes, but did just enough to lock up second place one in front of a three-way count back for third. That was won by John Carlin who beat Adrian Cook 11 to 10 on the last six after they had tied the nine on 17 each. That left Adrian in fourth and Markku Tynell in fifth as he could muster only 15 on the back nine.
Alan Griffiths took the last place on the podium another stroke behind that trio.
There were no 2s in the second division swelling the pot to an almost record proportion but the first division found the par threes much easier as there recorded five between them scored by Alan Griffiths, Peter Skinner and Kevin Blake with one each and Mark Williams with two.
Friday, Jan. 6, The Emerald – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Brendan Dunne (28) 35pts
2nd Tony O’Neil (22) 35pts
3rd Mike Dabanovich (11) 34pts
4th Alan Hanlon (14) 34pts
5th Yukio Kikuchi (19) 32pts
6th Peter Skinner (10) 32pts
A return to The Emerald after almost a year’s hiatus proved to be popular with the group after they found the course much improved. With the addition of a local rule of ‘lift and place’ in the fairways to deal with the crab grass still to be found in many areas, the day’s results were on average the best of the week although the leaders could not reach level handicap.
Brendan Dunne took the top spot after winning a count back over Tony O’Neil with a better 17 to 15, leaving Tony to regret missing a less than thirty centimeter tiddler on the last green.
Mike Dabanovich also won a count back for third place over Alan Hanlon after closing with 21 points and leaving Alan in fourth place after he had had a good 19 points.
Yukio Kikuchi then won the third count back of the day with a better 20 to 19 for fifth place to leave Peter Skinner in sixth.
The first division 2s pot was split between three players with Mike Dabanovich, Adrian Cook and serial winner Mark Williams getting one each. And finally the second division pool was cleaned out when Tony O’Neil knocked in a beauty on the 160-yard fifth hole after stroking a five-iron to the center of the green.
