IPGC golf from The Haven
Monday, Oct. 8, Bangpra – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Wayne Waywood (16) 32pts
2nd Ron De Groot (14) 30pts
3rd Frank Dunstan (26) 26pts
Bangpra provides enough problems without the added difficulty of an extremely wet course, which today offered zero run and made a good recovery from the rough a very dicey prospect. When all added together it made for a day when scoring was at a premium and the best of the day was a four over handicap returned by Wayne Waywood who just held on to win from playing partner Ron De Groot by two points.
Frank Dunstan led in the rest of a very bedraggled field to take third place six behind.
Ole Stamnes.
Without the wetness, the course would have been in tip top condition coming into the high season and it is a pity that the group will not be playing it many times during the coming months as the management have once again switched to split tee times from two tees with the early tee times having to finish teeing off by 8.40 am and the second tee times starting at 11.40 am, making it a gamble that the last tee times in a group of forty players, which is usual during the high season, will be able to finish their rounds if the pace of play is slow after reaching the turn.
It is all a pity as analysis has shown that the maximum numbers of tee times on an eighteen hole course can be achieved by starting from one tee and playing right through the available daylight as there are no later blank spots on the opposite nine when an earlier gap occurs in the starting slots.
There were no 2’s today in the second division but Ron De Groot had one in the first to sweep the pot.
Before the presentations were made there were welcome backs for Bob Maloney, Wayne Waywood and Ron De Groot.
Wednesday, Oct. 10, Pattana A & B (yellow tees) – Stableford
CSS 73
1st Erik Donnestad (4) 35pts
2nd Frank Dunstan (26) 34pts
3rd Trevor Schirmer (17) 32pts
On a course that was in basically good shape there were however some areas that were almost unplayable due to the amount of water, but with some careful drops from casual water, having first decided where the nearest point lies, a reasonable game could be played.
Erik Donnestad, who some will remember played for Norway in the World Cup of Golf a few years ago, led in the day’s hopefuls with a one over handicap round after a return that included two birdies and nine pars that was just enough to consign Frank Dunstan into second place.
Erik Donnestad.
Frank had high hopes of improving on his recent form that has seen his handicap plummet four strokes back at his home course in Sydney, so much so that it now sports a small anchor beside it on the handicap sheet. However, after he had gone out in four under handicap for twenty two points, he sadly slipped into normal mode with just twelve on the inward half.
Trevor Schirmer, who is still struggling with a nagging knee injury, did well in one of his occasional rounds to take third place another two behind. Trevor will be hoping for a full recovery following his proposed trip back to Oz in November where he will be undergoing some surgery to try and rectify the problem.
There were no 2’s in either division and precious few threes either.
Prior to the presentations being made there were welcome backs for Kare Lunde and B.J. Smith.
Friday, Oct. 12, Phoenix Lakes & Ocean (white tees) – Stabelford
CSS 73
1st Ole Stamnes (27) 37pts
2nd Frank Dunstan (26) 36pts
3rd Brian Libbey (9) 35pts
4th Rick Morgan (7) 32pts
5th Erik Donnestad (4) 32pts
6th Shuichi Kodaka (16) 32pts
For the first time in several outings the course of the day was found to be in tip top shape, as is usual at Phoenix where the course seems to drain so much better than most of the other courses in the area. Even golf carts were being allowed on the fairways and although the run on the fairways was not at its longest, a good drive went a lot further than on many of the other courses lately.
Ole Stamnes has taken good note of his playing partner Erik Donnestad’s style and swing recently and put it to use in formatting his win by a single point after an exceptional back nine that saw him accumulate twenty one points.
Wayne Waywood.
Ole’s win was at the expense of the revitalized Frank Dunstan who while he has not matched his handicap while on holiday here in Pattaya, has done enough to encourage him that on his return home to Wakehurst Golf Club he will be looking to remove the anchor from beside his name after another very good nine holes, this time the back half, of twenty points that ensured his third podium placing of the week.
Brian Libbey took third place with a solid one over handicap round, leaving Rick Morgan in fourth after he won a count back over Erik Donnestad and Shuichi Kodaka with a better 17 on the inward half as Erik and Shuichi could muster just 16 with Erik better on the last six by 11 to 9.
Once again there were no 2’s in either division.
Back at The Haven there was a welcome for new member Paul Young and welcome backs for Shuichi Kodaka and Rick Morgan.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact mobile 082 219 0965 or call in to The Haven Hotel, at 185 Soi 13, between Beach Road and 2nd Road. 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 8.30 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
