PSC golf from Tropical Bert’s
Tuesday, Feb. 4, Khao Kheow – Stableford
There may be less people coming to Thailand, but it has not been seen in the number of golfers wanting to play here. As soon as the lists are put up for the following week they are practically full, and for this visit to Khao Kheow we even had a few golfers who put their names down as reserve. We could have turned out another 4-ball but Khao Kheow said we would have to get there early to slip in the extra group we were playing.
We arrived at the course with 15 minutes to spare and we were soon away with the test for the day being the A & B Nines. The course was in reasonable condition, the fairways were fine and the rough was as it usually is, difficult, but the main problem, apart from the wind, was to be the greens. Khao Kheow usually has really good, fast greens, but on this day they were very slow and there seemed to be a lot of grass on them.
Mashi Kaneta (left) and Henry Wong (right) with one of Bert’s finest.
I suppose my claim to fame on this day was a near pin, and at the same time 4-putting the same green. Not one of my finest moments but trying to get the ball to move on some of the greens required a driver.
Back at Bert’s we were soon into the results and in the A Flight, 0 to 20, the winner was Mashi Kaneta with 38 points ahead of Brian Gabe in second with 35. We then had a count back on 34 that saw Richard Kubicki in third and Andre Van Dyk in fourth.
In the B Flight the winner, with the best score of the day, was Henry Wong with 40 points. In second place came Rita Zoebeli with 34 points on a count back over Don Carmody while in fourth was Tom Cotton with 33.
Near Pins: Derek Brook, Doug Maiko, Bernie Cairns, Carole Kubicki
Long Putts: Brian Parish
Friday, Feb. 7, Pleasant Valley – Stableford
Many players turned up at Bert’s today for another day of chasing a white ball that tries to go where it wants. Sometimes you need to be a masochist to play this stupid, but great, game. And maybe that is it, it is only a game.
All the players stood on the first tee at Pleasant Valley, all believing they could play the best game of their lives, they were faced with a strong wind but a course that was in quite good condition, except that the greens that had not been cut and were over slow. It is difficult to play on greens this slow, but some managed to putt quite well. The rest of the course was as is normal, reasonable fairways and tough rough.
Sadly we all think we can win, shooting a score that to most people is quite embarrassing. However all you have to do is shoot a better score than the rest of the players on the day, and after you can sit around the table and talk about the one great shot that made sure you won.
Back at Bert’s it was time for the results and in the A Flight, 0 to 20, the winner was that ‘Bandit’ Mashi Kaneta with 37 points, thus making this a ‘Mashi Week’, having won also won on Tuesday. Today however he had to rely on the count back to edge Bob Edwards into second. Taking third place was Andre Van Dyk with 35 points on count back over Brian Gabe in fourth.
In the B flight the winner was Don Carmody with 37 points, with Henry O’Brien second on 36 after taking a count back over Tom Cotton in third. In fourth place was Rita Zoebelli with 35 points on count back over Dick Warberg who just missed out. T.T.F.N.
Near Pins: Henry O’Brien, Tom Cotton, Doug Maiko (2)
Long Putt: Graham Buckingham (2)
