Practice makes perfect for Ferris

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Jim Ferris (centre) with Keith Melbourne (left) and Robbie Keogh.
Jim Ferris (centre) with Keith Melbourne (left) and Robbie Keogh.

PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society

Monday, Oct. 1, Laem Chabang – Stableford

A Flight

1st Pete Seil (5) 36pts

2nd Paul Durkan (7) 36pts

3rd John Pierrel (11) 36pts

B Flight

1st Darren Beavers (21) 36pts

2nd Seamus Langan 21) 34pts

3rd Tony Traianon (24) 31pts

On Monday, the society made its penultimate visit to Laem Chabang this season to play a stableford round in two flights with the cut at sixteen and under. Still limited to the B and C nines, after a weekend of some heavy rain, the course was soft and there was a restriction on the use of the compulsory golf carts. A lot of walking lay ahead on heavy fairways under a heavily overcast sky, with high humidity. Quite a test!

Conditions conspired to keep scores low and in the top flight the principals were decided on countback with Pete Seil (36 points) taking the day from Paul Durkan (36) and John Pierrel (36).

In the second flight, only three golfers appeared in the top twenty scores, with Darren Beavers finally coming good with 36 points, followed by Seamus Langan on 34 and Tony Traianon with 31. It was a first green jacket for Darren and he was suitably chuffed at his performance.

Near pins went to Darren Beavers (B5), Colin Service (B8), Tony Traianon (C5) and Chris Barker (C8), whilst the best front nine was won by Lee Cobban (18 points) with the best back nine award going to Maurice Roberts’ 19 points, again!

Wednesday, Oct. 3, Bangpra – Stableford

1st Jim Ferris (22) 39pts

2nd Bill Copeland (15) 36pts

3rd Chris Barker (12) 32pts

4th Darren Beavers (21) 32pts

As we gathered at the first tee I said to Jim Ferris “ I hope all that practice we did yesterday works for us”. For Jim it certainly did work as he stretched the field scoring a great 39 points on a difficult track.

Bangpra is offering a special of 700 baht green fee on Mondays and Wednesdays for October and it was a nice surprise to find the course in such good condition. They have had their problems at times, but today we had well grassed fairways and greens getting back to the “old days’.

Carts were allowed on the fairways so it was “play it as it lies”. However, overnight rain at the course did leave the fairways quite muddy in places, particularly the back nine, but we all played the same course.

With 22 players in the comp (a 23rd not in the comp), prizes were for one flight, four places. Coming in second behind Jim was a well played 36 points from Bill Copeland, followed by his USA countryman, Chris Barker, scoring 32 points to win a countback over Darren Beavers, in amongst it again.

As there were only four places John Pierrel, who also had 32 points, just missed, because his back nine was short of the other two. John’s front nine of 18 points was better than anyone else though. Phil Davies was the pick of the best back nine, beating Masa Takano on a countback.

Near pins went to Jim Ferris, Takeshi Hakozaki, Chris Barker and Derek Phillips.

Friday, Oct. 5, Greenwood – Stableford

A Flight

1st Phil Davies (11) 33pts

2nd Masa Takano (8) 33pts

3rd Adam Barton (13) 31pts

4th Maurice Roberts (14) 30pts

B Flight

1st Darren Beavers (21) 40pts

2nd Derek Phillips (18) 35pts

3rd Bill Copeland (15) 31pts

4th Stuart Thompson (17) 29pts

Darren Beavers.
Darren Beavers.

On Friday, the society travelled to Greenwood golf club to play a stableford event on the A and C nines which were the worse for wear after prolonged rain the days before. Fairways were soft and squelchy, the raised approaches to all greens were soft and holding and humidity was very high. It would be quite a challenge to get near par in these conditions.

Thirty golfers were divided into two flights at fourteen and under and the top flight saw the expected low scores with fourth place going to Maurice Roberts with 30 points, trailing third placed golfer Adam Barton by one point. Runner up was Masa Takano who lost the top spot on countback with 33 points. The man who beat him was Phil Davies with the same 33 points.

The second flight followed the same pattern with one huge exception. Stu Thompson made fourth with 29 points with Bill Copeland third with 31 points. In second place was Derek Phillips on 35 points. The exception to the day was the performance of Darren Beavers who chewed the course up with 40 points.

How on earth did he do it? Well on C1 three-for-five helped as did C9 where four-for-four ended his fine round. The course suited his long hitting and his back nine did the trick with 23 points coming from the very soggy C track.

Wayne Peppernell recorded the best front nine of sixteen points, with Chris Barker matching the effort on the back nine.

Near pins went to Iain Jones, Colin Service and Bill Copeland.