IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, May 1, Khao Kheow B & C – Stableford
CSS 71
1st John Carlin (18) 38pts
2nd Mike Dabanovich (12) 35pts
3rd Dave Edwards (12) 33pts
4th Ben Jackson (16) 30pts
5th Hal Hart (20) 30pts
6th Markku Tynell (22) 28pts
Overcast skies and good winds produced more comfortable playing conditions this week but also made the golf more difficult and scoring was at a premium for most.
The week started out unusually at Khao Kheow where the management had made a Bank Holiday concession price available to the group and three top courses were in prospect.
John Carlin returned his best card for almost four months as he fought his way to the top of the podium to deny Mike Dabanovich after the latter had also returned his best score in some time. Dave Edwards took third place ahead of a very long count back for fourth place which Ben Jackson won on the last two holes after tying the back nine on 17, the six on 12, and the three on 6 with Hal Hart.
For Hal it was the start of a remarkable finish to all of his four rounds of the week. After a magnificent birdie on the 16th par-five where he knocked in a gross four with two strokes on his handicap for five points, he then closed the last two holes with just a single point. Markku Tynell rounded out the podium another couple of points back in sixth place.
There were no 2s in the first division but Markku Tynell cleaned out the multi-rollover pot in the second division with an excellent birdie on the 165-yard C8.
Wednesday, May 3, Pattana A & C (white tees) – Stableford
CSS 73
1st Dave Edwards (12) 35pts
2nd Ray Smallwood (25) 33pts
3rd Ben Jackson (16) 33pts
4th Lyle Blaw (11) 32pts
5th Bruce Hilde (16) 31pts
6th Hal Hart (20) 29pts
At Pattana it was the turn of the white tees to be used on the A and C courses, with a par of 73, and once again the course was found to be in top condition with the greens particularly worthy of mention, being fast and flat.
Scoring was again at a premium with Dave Edwards winning, as he did the previous week over the same two nines, but on this occasion he scored a few less points but still enough to easily take the top placement.
Ray Smallwood recorded his first real success with the group, finally being high enough on the list to actual touch some cash winnings in second place after he won a count back over Ben Jackson with a better 17 to 16 to leave Ben in third.
Lyle Blaw took fourth another one back as Bruce Hilde returned to take fifth, and Hal Hart once again scored just the one point on the last two holes after being well in contention for a higher rating on the day.
Ray Smallwood added to his first collection with the only 2 in the second division on C7, whilst Dave Edwards added to his day’s haul in the first division with one on each on A8 and C2.
Friday, May 5, Treasure Hill (yellow tees) – Stableford
CSS 74
1st Hal Hart (20) 37pts
2nd John Carlin (18) 31pts
3rd Mike Dabanovich (12) 31pts
4th Markku Tynell (22) 27pts
5th Darryl Kellett (14) 26pts
6th Bruce Hilde (16) 25pts
With the day originally scheduled to be a Bank Holiday on all the old calendars, the usual Friday venue was switched to Treasure Hill where the special all-in green fee, caddy and cart rate was set at 1,350 baht, but in the event the day was reconsidered as a non-holiday and an even cheaper rate was the reward for the trip up the 331.
Hal Hart followed up a win the previous day with the Tara Court group, where interestingly he again scored just the one point on the last two holes, with another one with the Haven group, albeit with a slightly lower total of points. But once again and for the fourth time in succession he scored just the one point over the final two holes played. The more kindly of the critics would say he needs a little more stamina to finish off his rounds while the less charitable might say he has become, fittingly as an ex-sailor, extremely adept at throwing the anchor out. But at least his good spell of form has resulted in a couple of dropped shots from his handicap and an extra celebratory round of drinks back in the bar.
John Carlin took second place after winning a count back over Mike Dabanovich with a better 18 to 16, and Markku Tynell placed fourth ahead of Darryl Kellett in fifth and Bruce Hilde in sixth.
Unsurprisingly, with course playing as tough as it was, there were no 2s in either of the divisions.
