PSC Pattaya Links Golf Society
Wed. Jan. 29 Eastern Star Stableford
Peace and calm was restored at Eastern Star Wednesday as there was not the over booking that caused a lot of running around and brow wiping on our last visit three weeks ago.
The first of our nine groups teed off 5 minutes after the scheduled time and made good headway, although a little slow at times.
The course is still in very good condition and the greens still have good pace, not affected at all by recent sanding. Downhill putts went further than some thought they might.
Not so many players, so we played two flights and one set of near pins.
This course, as with Treasure Hill, is not renowned for high Stableford scores and Wednesday that legend stayed intact as, of the 36 players, only Wayne Peppernell was able to play to his handicap. That gave him the win in A flight and a long awaited next Green Jacket.
David DeCaminada’s 34 points put him in second spot. He has been close to the top a couple of times, and nearly made it.
Rana Gurnam is spurred on by a private competition against Phil so has been consistent. 33 points got him to third place.
Paul Gill did well to survive a countback with 32 points for fourth.
The B flight saw Mikael Lindberg, in his last outing this trip, take the top spot with 34 points to win a countback over Garry Hookey.
A rare appearance from Niall Caven let him get third place with 33 points and Bill Stewart won a countback on 32 points to grab the final place on the podium.
Near Pins A flight: Mike Ehlert, Other ‘A’ flight pin not claimed.
Near Pins B flight: Bill Stewart, Helen Lindberg
A Flight (0-16)
1st – Wayne Peppernell (16) – 36pts
2nd – David DeCaminada (9) – 34pts
3rd – Rana Gurnam (14) – 33 pts
4th – Paul Gill (11) – 32 pts c/back
B Flight (17+)
1st – Mikael Lindberg (24) – 34 pts c/back
2nd – Garry Hookey (18) – 34 pts
3rd – Niall Caven (21) – 33 pts
4th – Bill Stewart (20) – 32 pts c/back
Best Front Nine (non-winners) Tony Browne 18 pts c/back
Best Back Nine (non-winners) Gordon Laviolette 17 pts c/back
Mikael and Helene Lindberg have had a good long holiday this trip and both have figured very prominently at the presentations. Being environmentally conscious, they saved all the pink envelopes and gave them to Phil for recycling.
Phil began the presentations in an unusual order by announcing the winner of C flight (when there was none) as Mikael Lindberg with 31 points. Mikael was more surprised when his name was called again and again until we all realized Phil was reading from the recycled envelopes, where the Lindbergs had won them all and, after much laughter, finally tossing them all into the air.
Then on to the ‘real’ prize winners.
During reading of B flight Mikael, same one, disagreed with the score announced for his name. A quick check found the scorer had misread the figures on the scorecard. A hasty rearrangement of placings and on with the show.
All this must have thrown Phil as he presented the ‘silly hat’ to Vic Hansen who should have had the ‘wig’.
Derek Phillips rightfully claimed the ‘silly hat” for lowest nine hole score and Vic settled in under the ‘wig’.
