PSC Golf from The Outback Golf Bar
Monday, Dec. 15, Bangpra – 2B better-ball Stableford
1st Barney Clarkson & Carl Luke 46pts
2nd Kim Danboise & JP Maffray 45pts
3rd John Cunningham & Peter Stonebridge 44pts
4th Peter Mansini & Bobby Driggs 44pts
5th Scott Wilson & JP Maffray 43pts
Even though the course was far from full, the seven groups of Outbackers were subjected to a four and a half hour round thanks to three groups of Koreans jumping in on the fifth tee and holding every one up. It got worse on the back nine, with eight groups from the fifteenth tee to the seventeenth green!
Monday’s successful pairing – Carl Luke & Barney Clarkson.
For our Christmas game we played a 2 person better-ball stableford with the last minute pairing of Carl Luke and Barney Clarkson ending up the winners with 46 points from JP Maffray & Kim Danboise on 45. John Cunningham and Pete Stonebridge beat Peter Mansini and Bobby Driggs on c/b for third, both with 44, while Scott Wilson and JP Maffray were fifth on 43.
Just in case you are wondering how JP can appear twice on the podium, it’s not a mistake; we had two three-balls out there, each of them with a ‘swinger’, i.e. playing in two teams.
Later in the day after presentation, the Outback laid on a fine spread of complimentary food as part of the celebrations and party as The Band of Smiles making their third appearance at the bar, returned to the stage at 5.30pm to play some of their very best music. Once again they enthralled the customers, rocking the Outback non-stop for nearly four hours, with the bar running out of many of the leading beers.
Outback opinion: Weather – overcast with a cool wind; Check in – efficient with a warm greeting; Tee time – 20 mins early; Fairways – hard and fast; Rough – ok; Greens – very fast with a couple of diabolical placements; Bunkers – average; Value for money – acceptable; Pace of play – slow, welcome to the high season; Drink stations open – all 4 open; Restaurant – not visited, overpriced.
Wednesday, Dec. 17, Bangpra – Stableford
Div A (0-15)
1st Tony Stevens (12) 32pts
2nd John Locke (15) 31pts
3rd Grant Airey (10) 30pts
Div B (16+)
1st Jack Moseley (22) 38pts
2nd Eddy Beilby (19) 37pts
3rd Scott Wilson (18) 36pts
Halfway to Bangpra, early on Wednesday morning, Jack received a phone call from John Locke, “I’m still waiting at the bar”; one of those rare occasions that not everything went according to plan. A hastily organised taxi and quick change round of groups solved the problem, John arriving perfectly on time just as it was his turn to tee off.
John wasn’t fazed by any of it, playing in very windy and cool conditions, yet playing beautiful golf on the front nine to race to 22 points as Jack just about managed to hold on to his shirt tails. However, as is often the case, it was a tale of two nines; John lost his swing altogether and Jack found his short game and the putter started to work as he ran out the winner of Div B with the day’s top score of 38 and John slipping to second in Div A with 31.
Tony Stevens won Div A with 32 points, with Grant (30) back in third whilst Eddy Beilby was just pipped by Jack on 37, with Scott Wilson (36) taking third.
Peter Eriksen got the only ‘2’ on the 8th.
For the record, there were 20 players and our next early morning visit to Bangpra will be on 14th January.
Outback opinion: Weather – almost cold with a strong wind; Check in – easy with a warm greeting; Tee time – on time; Fairways – hard and fast; Rough – ok; Greens – very fast and difficult pin placements; Bunkers – ok but with many dog prints; Value for money – very good; Pace of play – good; Drink stations open – all 5 open; Restaurant – good
Friday, Dec. 19, Green Valley – Stableford
Div A (0-13)
1st Dennis Pelly (09) 37pts
2nd Peter Nixon (11) 35pts
3rd Svenn Lund Ole (13) 35pts
4th Peter Erikson (04) 33pts
Div B (14-20)
1st Kim Danboise (15) 37pts
2nd Bobby Driggs (14) 37pts
3rd Louis Doyon (15) 37pts
4th Mark Allen (17) 35pts
Div C (21+)
1st Bob Mattes (23) 40pts
2nd Andy Makara (24) 37pts
3rd Bruce McAdam (26) 31pts
4th Greg LeBlanc (26) 31pts
This was the first competition for nearly three years since the Outback decided to try using the EGA Handicap system. Let me briefly explain why. I have looked at many golf handicap systems, particularly the existing and popular USGA method of handicapping but none of the software has a practical and friendly start sheet application, which is necessary if we are to use the USGA system correctly here in Pattaya by taking our Handicap Index and applying the slope to give us a course handicap on the day.
Now that the Australians are using the application of slope in the correct manner, I think it is about time that Pattaya woke up and did the same; but unless someone is prepared to come up with the solution I guess we will just all have to bumble along using the Index as one’s handicap, because that is the easy way out.
This is not an attempt to introduce a third handicap system here in Pattaya, nobody would wish for that but the EGA Handicap system does combine the best of the two systems used here in Pattaya and should be better understood. If anyone is interested in learning more about how it all works, please visit the Outback’s website on www.outbackgolfbar.com.
Bob Mattes made the most of gaining a shot to score 40 points to win not only Div C but also Jack’s 500 baht bonus voucher for obtaining the day’s target score. Second was Andy Makara with 37 points off 24 and came third Bruce McAdam and Greg LeBlanc, both playing off 26 and both with 31 points.
In Div B, the top three all scored 37 but the winner was Kim Danboise; going down to the last three holes on c/b and beating Bobby Driggs 21,17,9 to 21,17,8. In third was the Outback’s new Manager, Louis Doyon, also with 37, and Mark Allen took fourth with 35.
Div A went to Dennis Pelly, who lost a shot against his Index, playing off 9, but still won comfortably by two from Peter Nixon on 35, Svenn Lund on 35 and Peter Eriksen who lost 2 shots and had to play off 4 for his 33 points.
There was no course report filed but I can tell you it was cool and very windy at the start.
There were four ‘2’s from Jean P Maffray (5th), Matti Huomo (8th) and Peter Mansini & John Fitzgerald (16th).
Note: The Outback Golf Bar is situated about 6km from Sukhumvit Road along Soi Siam Country. Call Jack on 081 578 1956.
