IPGC golf from The Haven
Wednesday, Jan. 2, Phoenix – Stableford
CSS 72
Division 1 (0-19)
1st Keith Emerson (13) 40pts
2nd Mick Lowe (19) 35pts
3rd Paul Taylor (19) 34pts
Division 2 (20+)
1st Kenny Priddy (25) 33pts
2nd Bob Pratt (28) 32pts
3rd Mike Hill (23) 31pts
With no fixture on New Year’s Eve and the first day’s golf in the new year scheduled for Phoenix, a good turnout meant the formation of two divisions with the cut coming at a fairly high 19 in the first division.
Keith Emerson.
Playing the Lake and Ocean courses from the white tees would be considered the easiest option of the possible combinations normally played, but the day turned out to be surprisingly difficult with only one player able to equal or better their handicap the competition standard scratch for the day just managed to remain at 72 by the narrowest of margins.
Keith Emerson was the only contestant to better his handicap and walked away with the first division top place by five clear shots after having gone out in one over handicap. He completed the back nine in five under which include five pars and a birdie to round off a very good day.
Mick Lowe was almost very good but two holes with zero points made a big difference but he held on over the inward half to take second spot at one over handicap. This left Paul Taylor in third after he had finished very strongly but a poorer outward nine where he dropped four to his handicap cost him the chance of a better finish.
The second division saw a bit more of a scramble to accumulate some points with Kenny Priddy coming out on top started with a very steady level eighteen point half and just holding off the challengers, even after taking a couple of one pointers to finish but a very good par on the sixteenth par three sealed the win for the day.
Kenny Priddy.
Bob Pratt took second place with a strong finish that saw him home with 19 over the back nine after a quiet beginning that included a couple of blobs. It proved to be just enough to consign Mike Hill into third spot as he had ended the round with too many zeros and ones on his card – it was starting to look like a computer programme but was a lot better than many others on the day.
There were no 2’s in either division.
Before the presentations were made there were welcome backs for Terry Hodgkiss and Marty Garnett.
Friday, Jan. 4, Pattaya Country Club – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Shane Heavey (19) 39pts
2nd Mick Lowe (19) 38pts
3rd Bob Pratt (28) 37pts
4th Adrian Cook (19) 37pts
5th Keith Emerson (13) 37pts
With many poor reports of the condition of the back nine following the extensive renovations to the course during the low season, many players did not show up for the once a month trip to our most local course. But with the judicious use of a local ‘lift and place’ rule through the green, the course became very playable and afforded those that supported the course management in their endeavours to improve the playability of the course with the reward of a good day’s golf when scores could be made even over the maligned back nine. In fact the scores returned for the day were equally good for both nines with half the field having a better return over the last nine than the first.
Shane Heavey.
Shane Heavey took his first win for some time with a three under handicap round that owed much to a very solid front and back nine with both including a zero pointer but still amounting to 19 on the front and 20 on the back, giving him a one point margin over second placed Mick Lowe. Mick had a bad finish to the front nine with two zeros on the eighth and ninth holes but then lit up his round and day with a stunning six under back nine that included six three-pointers and one four-pointer and just failed to catch his playing partner Shane for the top spot.
Bob Pratt, who was also playing in the same group, obviously took a few pointers from the two top players as he returned his best score for some time, which included a three under handicap back nine that was enough for him to take the win in a count back for third place with 21 points as Adrian Cook, in fourth with20 on the back nine, and the in-form Keith Emerson, in fifth with 15, failed to keep up the pace after good starts to their rounds, with Keith actually flopping badly after a four under outward half that even included a blob.
Once again there were no 2’s in either division.
Prior to the presentations there were welcome backs for Phillip Cass, Lyle Blaw, Alan Hanlon and Trevor Schirmer giving his knee its first test since the operation.
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 8.15 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days that you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
