PSC golf from Tropical Bert’s
Tuesday, Dec. 4, Khao Kheow – Stableford
Well at the end of the day the good news is that Tom Herrington did not lose on count back, mind there is plenty of time for him in the coming weeks.
The crew met early at Tropical Bert’s and we had more than a full house, so as I told the golfers to remember to book early and if you cannot play make certain that you inform the organizer. So with our large group we informed the course that we had more than were booked and they very kindly slipped the extras in. As usual, the help given by this course is always exemplary.
We arrived there in plenty of time and the test for the day was to be the B & C nines. I have to say that the C nine is my least favourite and I usually mess up the last three holes. However, a test is a test.
Mike O’Brien.
The previous week I played with Bob Watson and saw how well a fine amateur could play. I watched him to see if I could learn anything, apart from being 20 years too old. Never be afraid of playing with good players, they had to start somewhere also and I have learned over the years they are usually very good with the duffers they play with.
Having lost 50 yards off the tee I thought I would take note of his power game and thought I had spotted something that since I was a single handicapper, some years ago, I have let slip. So I decided to try a new idea, in fact back to how I used to play 20 years ago. But would it work with my new ‘Goldie Oldie’ body? That was the question.
Well, right from the off I hit the ball like I had not done for donkey’s years and turned the clock back. Not only that, all the puts went into the hole as well. It is really good when you go out and all your game is back, indeed after 9 holes I was so chuffed with 25 points I thought this could be a great round. Then the other players reminded me how well I was playing and I was onto the C nine. You know how it is after a great nine when the wheels fall off. Question was, could I keep it together enough on my least favourite nine to sneak in?
Meanwhile, the man who usually does the same to me as most players do to Tom Herrington, i.e. win on count back, was having a great back nine. Mashi was on a run!
The greens on the back nine are not as slick as the greens on the B nine but the test is I think a tough one and as usual I blew C7, 8 & 9. Now it got a bit nervy.
I always expect the players off the Red/Silver tees to do well here and I am usually not let down. The Red tees are so far in front of the Yellow that it gives them a decided advantage and with the wind very strong, being closer to the green on B8 gives them a good chance of hitting the island green.
Back at Bert’s it was soon time to declare the scores. In the A Flight, 0 to 18, the winner with a great comeback on the C nine was Mashi with 37 points on count back over Steve Hamstad. In third was Landis Brooks with 35 points and in fourth was Tom Herrington with 34 points and fortunately no count back.
In the B Flight, with the best score of the day, the winner was your scribe, Derek Brook, with 40 points despite a real case of ‘L.M.F’ on the back nine. In second with 36 points was Mick Coghlan, with Barry Oats third on 34 points, edging a count back over Rita Zoebelli in fourth.
Tuesday’s winners, Derek Brook (right) and Mashi Kaneta (left) pose for a photo with Pu.
With the bar full a great night was then had by all and I even thanked Bob Watson for being a good golfer to copy. Mind, I rather think that with the memory bit coming in it might be a problem remembering how to play next time.
Near Pin: Brian Parish, Tom Herrington, Max Scott, Tom Cotton
Long Putt: Mashi Kaneta, Brian Parish
Friday, Dec. 6, Mt. Shadow – Stableford
We had another big group of players turn up to play this popular course on Friday and we got away off the 1st tee with a gale blowing, as it did for the whole day. With the strong wind some of us spent much of the day in the rough, and for me it was a question of after The Lord Mayor’s Show.
The fairways were as expected but what was apparent was that the greens were very slick and not helped by the wind blowing us all over the place. It was a tough day.
When my group reached the par-3 15th hole, the group in front of us seemed to be standing for a long time on the green and waving their arms. After we were finally able to play our tee shots I went up to ask why they took so long on the green, only to be informed that Mike O’Brien had got a hole in one. Well that of course made certain that we would have a lot of players at Bert’s after we got back. But very well done Mike!
Winner of the A Flight today, 0 to 19, was Bob Watson with a great 37 points, ahead of Steve Hamstad in second with 34. In third we had a count back on 32 points that saw Dick Warberg edge out John Davis.
In the B Flight we had Brian Gabe as winner with 37 points ahead of Mick Coglan in second with 30, and in third was Mike O’Brien with 28 points on count back over Henry O’Brien.
T.T.F.N.
Near Pins: Mick Coghlan, Graham Buckingham, Max Bracegirdle, Mike O’Brien.
Long Putt: Daryl Evans, Bruce Berlin
