IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, Oct. 5, Phoenix (Mountain & Ocean) – Stableford
CSS 72
1st John Carlin (21) 40pts
2nd Rod Crosswell (15) 38pts
3rd Terry Hodgkiss (23) 36pts
4th Mark Armstrong (25) 35pts
5th Miles Tunnicliff (+2 Blues) 34pts
6th Keith Emerson (12) 33pts
John Carlin & Mike Hill.
The once a fortnight visits to Phoenix continue and even the poor weather conditions have been unable to diminish the attraction of the excellent pricing and great conditions of the newly renovated Mountain and Ocean nines, while the extensive renovation works continue on the Lake course. And so a larger than usual group set off from the Haven in good spirits under unusually clear skies, which stayed that way except for a five minute light shower after a few holes.
Following the many changes to the layout of the two nines and extensive alterations to the bunkers, both in size and depth, and their increased difficulty, the course has been playing a couple of shots harder but on this occasion there were enough players making the standard to keep the CSS for the day at level par.
John Carlin returned in some style to record his best round in Thailand since last October. After starting out on the Mountain nine with a double bogey for a single point he then went on to garner another twenty points on the next eight and added a solid nineteen on the back to take his first win for some time.
Rod Crosswell may well have thought that he would be on the top step of the podium as he finished on two under handicap, but John’s outstanding effort meant just the second place on this occasion for Rod.
Terry Hodgkiss also did well in third spot another two behind, carding a 19/17 split with no zeros and it bodes well for him for the future.
Mark Armstrong is regularly to be found amongst the podium finishers recently and was so again, this time just one stroke behind in fourth as he also returned a card showing no zeros.
Miles Tunnicliff, a two time winner on the full European Tour, played from the blues at an additional 500 yards (almost 6,900 yards in total) and returned a level par round of 37/35 to claim the fifth spot and leave playing partner Keith Emerson on the last podium step in sixth.
Once gain there were no 2’s in the second division prompting a few sideways glances at the presentations to make sure the stakeholder was still around, but Miles Tunnicliff stroked in a smooth one at the 8th on the Ocean course, which for him was playing 164 yards to the pin, to claim the rollover first division pot.
Wednesday, Oct. 7, Khao Kheow A & C – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st John Carlin (21) 31pts
2nd Mike Hill (19) 28pts
3rd Mark Armstrong (25) 27pts
4th Peter Skinner (11) 27pts
5th Phil Cass (16) 26pts
Another regular once a fortnight venue was the test for the midweek event, with the C and A courses in play. Once again the layout had been heavily affected by the recent rains making the going extremely difficult, as the CSS would show.
The best of the day was once again John Carlin, although on this occasion his win did not come quite so easily but he still managed to finish with a three point advantage over his nearest challenger.
That challenger was Mike Hill who started out on the C nine slowly and then struggled through the back nine to take second place ahead of a two-way count back for third, won by Mark Armstrong with a better 15 to 12 on the C course after Peter Skinner had opened his day with a less than sparkling few holes.
Phil Cass took the last step of the day’s podium one more point behind them after a disastrous back nine.
Unsurprisingly there were no 2’s in the first division but amazingly the second division rolover pot was taken at last, but not with a putt, when Phil Cass chipped in from fully 30 yards on the 167-yard 3rd on the C course after having missed wide left from the tee. A spectator reported to the press office that “if it had not gone in it would have been out of bounds behind the green,” but that comment might have been occasioned by a few sour grapes.
Friday, Oct. 9, Treasure Hill – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Mike Hill (19) 32pts
2nd Phil Cass (16) 30pts
3rd Paul Young (14) 30pts
With one of the toughest local courses in prospect and the rain hammering down in Pattaya for a couple of hours before the scheduled departure, it was amazing that anyone even considered turning out, but in the event a busload took off for the course in steady rain but found on arrival at the course, a full day’s play was possible with just the slightest splattering of rain and not even enough to get the scorecards damp.
The course was a very tough challenge with absolutely no run from the tee shots and even with ‘lift and place’ in the fairways consistent scoring was very hard to achieve. For the second time in the week the CSS for the day moved out three and became non-counting for handicap review.
Mike Hill had the best of the day at four over handicap ahead of a count back for second and third place on the reduced podium which Phil Cass won with a staggering 22 points to a more standard 14 by Paul Young after the former had hardly troubled his marker on the front nine.
There were no ‘2’s in the first division but Mike Hill was heard to be muttering under his breath as he slotted one in for the second division pool just a day too late. A day earlier and it would have paid for a few gallons of waterproof paint.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact 038 710 988 or call in to The Haven Hotel, 185 Soi 13, situated 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 a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days that you wish to play. If you would like to leave your golf clubs at The Haven, there are usually lockers available at a nominal charge. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
