The Outback Bar Golf Society
Tuesday, March 21, Pattana – Matchplay
We welcomed our German Swiss Society friends again for our monthly tournament at Pattana and our group of 24 players battled it out in a four-ball matchplay format.
This time the Outback came out on top, winning 3 matches, losing 2 and drawing 1 to retain the trophy. In fairness, the competition was quite even and it could have gone either way but the result in favor of the Outback probably came down to a 20ft put on the last hole by Steve Mann to half his match. All in all, good fun and everyone enjoyed this format of competition that we play once a month against another society.
Kerry Back and Steve Plant (OB) won 2/1 against Daniel Grob and Thomas Rechsteiner (GS), Benny Mueller and Nong Pimphukhiao (GS) won 4/2 against David Thomas and Steve Watkins (OB), Bob St. Aubin and Neil Lavery (OB) won 4/3 against Werner Eickmeier and Werner Reinhart (GS), Sugar Ray Handford and Steve Mann (OB) A/S against Christoph Balzli and Uwe Wegner (GS), Raivo Velsberg and Christoph Balzli (GS) won 1 UP against Mark Walter and Keith Thorn (OB), and Andre Coetzee and Fynn Csizmadia (OB) won 4 up against Alice and Lisa Balzli (GS).
Wednesday, March 22, Khao Kheow – Stableford
With a decent group of golfers visiting Khao Keow this week, we plan to have a lot more golf at this course during the low season (starting April) with a very low price of THB 1550 for green fee, caddy and cart, so keep an eye on our calendar to join us for this fabulous track.
Roy Steinbach is becoming a threat to our usual competitors, spending countless hours on the driving range (with Facebook selfies to prove it), scoring an eagle two weeks ago at Green Valley on a par 4, and this week beating the field in obvious tough playing conditions. His 36 points took the winning spot this week while Thomas Luescher managed to beat Geoff Braithwaite on count back with 35 points for second and Steve Nellis and Adam Farrell claimed fourth and fifth spots respectively.
There were three 2’s today, coming from Adam Farrell, Gordon Etheridge and Steve Plant.
Thursday, March 23, Siam Old Course – Stableford
As the Outback attract more people on the non-regular golf days (Tuesdays and Thursdays), we will be visiting the top Siam courses in Pattaya more frequently. During April, we will also host a three-day Songkran tournament at these beautiful courses with several other options in the month for both members and non-members to join our society playing there.
Siam Old course is not my favorite (too boring in its layout in my view), but you can’t compare any course in Pattaya for its manicure. The course has a friendly layout, not nearly as tough from tee to green as other courses, but around the greens it presents heaps of problems with the thick narrow blade rough and tricky putting surfaces. No wonder it is the LPGA choice course here and it certainly is one that any visitor to Pattaya should try and play.
Kevin Odea finished third today with a very respectable 36 points, Shaun Pullen had a great day in second with 37 and Mark Walter won with 38.
Friday, March 24, St. Andrews – Medal
Playing St. Andrews in a medal is insanity, at least so I thought, but with Green Valley closed for the Singha tournament and the rumours still swirling around that they may or may not close after Songkran, the only alternative is Silky Oak, and between the lesser of two evils we gave St. Andrews a go for the medal.
For the higher handicappers it is probably an equal challenge as a lot of holes have water carries at Silky Oaks and not playing drop zones – that could be a killer for these blokes. As it turned out, only 6 out of 50 people had NR’s at St. Andrews, which is about the same ratio as at Green Valley, so it may not be such a bad idea after all!
Joint sixth place went to Sugar Ray Handford and Kerry Beck, each scoring 1 under par 73 net. In joint third were Kevin Odea, Peter Nixon and Thomas Luescher with 72 net, while second place went to Geoff Braithwaite on 71 net. The winner this month was Mark Allen, scoring a fabulous 5 under 69 net to win the day.
Out of 50 players in the field there were seven ‘2’s recorded by Wayne Bridgeman, Geoff Braithwaite, Tony Pattison, Hans Heystraten, Adam Farrell, Martin Burbridge and Bill Peach.
