IPGC golf from The Haven
Monday, Sept. 29, Treasure Hill – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Jon Yarrow (16) 38pts
2nd Trevor Schirmer (14) 37pts
3rd Shane Heavey (19) 37pts
4th Markku Tynell (23) 34pts
5th Bruce Hilde (16) 32pts
6th Mathew Badman (11) 32pts
The course was found to be in tip top condition with very few signs of wear, and with thunder rolling all around but no sign of lightning, the group were fortunate not to experience any wet weather.
Jon Yarrow, Erik Donnestad & Phillip Cass.
It is not often that the CSS at Treasure Hill goes down but on this occasion playing from the yellow tees, which had been set well back towards the usual white positions, the scoring was unusually good ensuring that it reduced to 71.
Jon Yarrow started off what was to be a record equaling series of results with a two under return to lead in a very happy set of golfers and could have been much better as he managed to blob the 11th and 12th holes, but he had done enough over the front nine to just keep ahead of the close battle for second.
Trevor Schirmer won that tussle after winning a count back with a better 18 to 17 and leave Shane Heavey in third spot, both having scores that would normally be winners.
Markku Tynell continues to play steadily to finish amongst the podium placements as he did once again in fourth, with Bruce Hilde still competitive from his reduced handicap and winning a count back with Mathew Badman for fifth with a better 16 to 15.
Once again there were no 2’s in the second division but Trevor Schirmer, made up slightly for missing out on the win, slotting in the only one in the first division to claim the roll over pot.
Wednesday, Oct. 1, Khao Kheow A & C – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Jon Yarrow (16) 38pts
2nd Ole Stamnes (28) 35pts
3rd Erik Donnestad (4) 31pts
4th Trevor Schirmer (14) 31pts
5th Markku Tynell (23) 30pts
The bi-weekly competition at Khao Kheow was as usual well attended but again no-one was able to catch the runaway Jon Yarrow who returned yet another two under handicap to win, on this occasion by three clear and once again slipping in not two but four zero-pointers. It further underlined that it will not be too long in the future that his handicap will be down near the single figure mark after returning a card containing nine 3-pointers and one 4-pointer, a sparkling results indeed and well worthy of his second win of the week.
Ole Stamnes made it a happy return to Pattaya golf following his annual summer holiday in Oslo with a well deserved second place, three shots behind Jon but a further four in front of third placed mentor and playing partner Erik Donnestad. Eric needed to win a count back to hold his position, which he did taking 7 from the last three holes to deny Trevor Schirmer. Markku Tynell slipped onto the podium once more a shot back in fifth place.
Prior to the prize presentations there was a farewell for Bruce Hilde together with welcome backs for Al Rolnik, Ole Stamnes and Erik Donnestad. Interestingly Erik and his wife Anna were recently the winners in the Mixed Foursomes Swedish Open no mean feat as it was completely open with many European professionals in the field vying for the honours.
Friday, Oct. 3, Greenwood B & C – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Jon Yarrow (16) 34pts
2nd Phillip Cass (19) 33pts
3rd Markku Tynell (23) 33pts
4th Mathew Badman (11) 33pts
5th Erik Donnestad (4) 33pts
Another of the regular courses that the group play was also found to be in excellent condition and once again the competition was far enough away from Pattaya to be able to spend the day under cloud cover but without a drop of rain as the home base roads were again flooded.
And once again the top of the podium was claimed by Jon Yarrow but four strokes worse than his previous two wins and the result was also a much closer affair with eight other players within two shots.
But Jon’s win was the third in a row and a very rare occurrence in the group from Soi 13 where the triple win in the same week has only been achieved twice before, once in 2008 by Kevin Taylor from Leeds and once by Stephen Beard in 2003, so its announcement resulted in an extra round of appreciation at the prize giving.
The chasing pack was led in by Phillip Cass after he had prevailed in the four-way count back with the best return of 18 for the nine followed by Markku Tynell who scored 17 in third.
Mathew Badman was playing his last game and so was pleased to figure amongst the podium placements after he claimed fourth with 11 on the back six as Erik Donnestad made 10 after they had tied the nine on 16 each. There were another four players just missing out just a shot away.
With the course playing about as tough as it gets and all the par threes having the tees set well back it was no surprise to find that once again there were no 2’s.
Note. If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact mobile 094 567 5726 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.
