Bunker Boys Golf Society
Monday, Jan. 2, Treasure Hill (yellow tees) – Stableford
1st Colin Greig (11) 40pts
2nd Ken Elmore (23) 35pts
3rd Stuart Trinkler (14) 34pts
Near Pins: Andy Brady, Geoff Parker, Jimmy Carr, Lewis Greig.
A smaller than expected group of seventeen players assembled at the M Club for the trip to Treasure Hill, a venue which is becoming almost a weekly event on the Bunker Boys calendar due to the quality of the course and the good deal on green fees. Today green fees were slightly higher due to it being a Thai holiday, but the upside was a much less crowded course and faster play.
There was the usual holdup on the second tee but that was the only delay. Rumor has it that Raleigh Gosney lost his favorite ball on the second due to the amount of time he spent looking for it, only to be hurried along by his playing partners who convinced him to declare it lost and take a drop.
Shot of the round went to Les Humphries who, having lost a drive into the rough, teed up a second time only to drive his next ball directly into a large drainage pipe. His caddie, being a little on the pum-pui side, could not be convinced to attempt a retrieval effort.
Colin Greig continued his recent run of good form with a very respectable forty points, five ahead of Ken (hole in one) Elmore and Stuart Tinkler a shot further back.
Near pins were shared by some names appearing with great regularity.
Wednesday, Jan. 4, Crystal Bay C & B (white tees) – Stableford
1st Mike Brett (18) 40pts
2nd Frank Quinlan (35) 39pts
3rd Ken Elmore (23) 38pts
Near Pins: Keith Norman, Geoff Parker, Donny Walding, Neil Carter.
There was a good turnout for our visit to Crystal Bay, a regular favorite on our schedule. The course was in good condition and mention must be made of the attention to the bunkers which have had new sand, been trimmed and were generally up to the standard expected for a quality venue.
Ken Elmore finished in the placings for the second time this week with a score two better than his handicap and can expect to lose a shot or two next week. Frank Quinlan thought he had finally won for the first time in a year only to find out that Mike Brett had pipped him at the post with a fine 40pts, which included a exceptional par on the final hole where his approach from a downhill lie of over 200 yards found the back of the green, then the downhill putt ended up 8 foot past the hole, but Mike was on form and nailed the return putt for the win.
Friday, Jan. 6, Khao Kheow (white tees) – Medal
A Flight (0-16.9)
1st Colin Greig (10) net 71
2nd Robbie Watts (10) net 73
3rd Dave Ashman (17) net 74
B Flight (16.9+)
1st Trevor Priestly (23) net 66
2nd Andy Brady (17) net 69
3rd Les Hall (21) net 81
Near Pins: Colin Greig, Robbie Watts, Trevor Priestly, Mashi Kaneta.
Twenty-two golfers made their way to the beautiful Khao Kheow course, a favorite of many where the layout is always in great shape, good play is rewarded and poor play is punished more severely than most other courses.
Play commenced on time and proceeded at a steady pace throughout the front nine, however in the transition to the back nine a small window opened up and a Thai five-ball was put out in front of our lead group of three, with the expected result of slow play. Whilst most people would recognise the need for courses to maximise revenue, course marshals need to be more mindful of the negative effect this has on a society group trying to play competitive golf.
Club Champion Robbie Watts blitzed the field until the last few holes where he crashed and burned somewhat. Nevertheless, he still finished with a very respectable net 73 to be just two strokes behind the A flight winner Colin Greig who won for the second time this week.
The B flight was a different story with Trevor Priestly registering his first win, bettering his handicap by a remarkable six shots to finish three ahead of Andy Brady and a street ahead of third placed Les Hall on net 81.
The diminutive Peter Allen made a long awaited reappearance at the M Club, alas without clubs, so we await his overdue return to the course.
