Travellers Rest Golf Group
By the time most people reach sixty five years of age they have “been there and done it”. For one of our golfers this past week, who happens to be sixty five, something new happened as he shot his very first ‘hole in one’ at the signature Island hole at Khao Kheow. So congratulations to Aussie Bill Reid (I always knew you Aussies were slow starters), and now you know how to do it let’s see you do it again.
Monday, Oct. 26, Khao Kheow – Stableford
On Monday the TRGG faithful set off to play Khao Kheow (A and B courses) completely unaware as to how the day would finish. At the start of a blisteringly hot week in Pattaya it was perhaps no surprise that somebody would catch fire and do something extraordinary.
Bill Reid.
A modest man is Bill Reid but even he got a little excited when he saw his tee shot disappear into the cup on the Par-3, 17th hole. Mind you, he needed it because he only just beat Gary Bennett to first place after a count back. Tewin ‘Poopay’ Lamthong stood up for the ladies by taking third place.
1st Bill Reid (14) 36pts
2nd Gary Bennett (19) 36pts
3rd Tewin Lamthong (9) 34pts
Tuesday, Oct. 27, Phoenix – Stableford
We all headed off to Phoenix on Tuesday for what many of us believed would be our last visit for a while, to play the Mountain and Ocean courses. Rumours abound that we may now be back again sooner than we thought as new deals are in the pipeline, so watch this space.
It transpired to be the only TRGG competition of the week that required two divisions and in the top flight it was the former Aussie champion greyhound trainer, old grizzly bear himself Dave Palmer who showed that despite an ever increasing girth, on his day he can still play golf better than his contemporaries. Once a winner always a winner is our Dave.
Dave Palmer.
In second place came another of his countrymen, Neil Wilkinson, who had to fight off three other people who also finished on 34 points. After a count back Neil came out on top with Mike Sanders taking third place.
In Division 2 what can I say about the winner? OK it was me, lucky farang, I hear you say. Yes, I had a good day on the golf course and after a terrible drive off the first tee I gritted my teeth and gradually got better.
Monday’s hero Bill Reid followed me home in second place only because he and his group for some inexplicable reason teed off from the wrong tee on the third hole and all were penalized two shots as a result. This turned out to be the same two shots he finished behind me. After checking through the cards it was discovered he would have beaten me on count back, so I was a “lucky farang” indeed. In third place came the “big cheese” himself, Derek Thorogood.
Div.1 (0-13)
1st Dave Palmer (8) 35pts
2nd Neil Wilkinson (12) 34pts
3rd Mike Sanders (6) 34pts
Div. 2 (14+)
1st Andy Rich (17) 38pts
2nd Bill Reid (14) 36pts
3rd Derek Thorogood (15) 33pts
Thursday, Oct. 29, Burapha – Stableford
On Thursday it was a quick return to Burapha (A and B courses) and yes once again it was 40 points that won the day. High scoring has become a necessity to win a competition on this course and it was Gary Bennett who was the hero this day. Just for once he was out on his own at the top of the leader board, with Bob Chiofalo and Billy Allan fighting it out three shots behind; Bob just getting the better of Billy after a count back.
Gary Bennett.
1st Gary Bennett (19) 40pts
2nd Bob Chiofalo (19) 37pts
3rd Billy Allan (15) 37pts
Friday, Oct. 30, Pattavia – Stableford
The TRGG headed off across the pineapple fields to play Pattavia on Friday. It would appear that something strange has happened to this course since our last visit as the final scores were almost unbelievable. My theory is that with Halloween only a day away, all the devils and gremlins that inhabit the greens on this course were having a lie in before their big night and the greens had become as benign as a mill pond.
I cannot believe I am writing this but here goes: Bob Chiofalo came first with 41 points, Mike Rushant was second on 40 and Dave Palmer third with 38. Sorry, I have to go and lay down.
1st Bob Chiofalo (19) 41pts
2nd Mike Rushant (10) 40pts
3rd Dave Palmer (8) 38pts
Good luck to all you golfers for the coming week and if you would like to play a round of golf with the TRGG, please phone Derek Thorogood on 080 673 3118 or pop into the Ned Kelly Bar in Soi Lengkee and add your name to the weekly lists which are posted on the notice board.
