PSC Bunker Boys Golf
Monday, December 13th
Khao Kheow Country Club A & B
1st Kob Glover (25) 34 points
2nd Niall Glover (17) 34 points
3rd Paul Smith (4) 34 points
4th Tony Robbins (24) 33 points
Near pins Daryl Vernon & Greg Berry X 2.
Monday’s game at Khao Kheow was at best an exercise in futility. At times the wind was almost gale-force in intensity, certainly the strongest wind that anybody remembers in which to play in Pattaya, and rendered the course virtually unplayable. The course itself was in the worst shape we have seen for a long time, the fairways were largely brown and with very little grass, the greens were substandard, rough and bumpy, and variable in speed. Leaf litter was strewn across the course and in places so dense that at least one player lost a ball somewhere within this litter. If there was a positive it was the bunkers, which were well raked and in good order.
Coupled with a number of players having trainee caddies the all-in fee of fifteen-hundred baht was very poor value and would not encourage greater patronage. As it was, we seemed to be the only people on the course, so unless there is a major rethink in applying high season pricing to a course in very poor condition it will remain poorly supported.
Under the circumstances, scoring was acceptable showing the Glover family at the top of the table with Kob beating husband Niall on countback. Paul Smith also had the same score in third place, almost a failure on his part as he had twenty on the front nine. Tony Robbins rounded out the scoring on thirty-three points.
A dusty Daryl Vernon who may have been over enjoying himself since his return to Pattaya managed to snag a near pin, whilst the very consistent Greg Berry managed two. He seems to be dominating the near pins lately.
It was a particularly difficult day for our regular visitor from the Isle of Man, Tony Scambler. He was one of the unlucky ones with a trainee caddie who spoke no English, wouldn’t drive the cart onto the fairways despite them being bone dry and rock hard, and was no help whatsoever. In fairness, somebody playing as long as Tony has shouldn’t need help from a trainee caddie to read putts.
Ending on a positive note, the Glovers were kind enough to ring the bell, a sound we haven’t heard in a long time and very welcome as well indeed.
Wednesday, December 15th
Pattavia Golf Club
Club Championship 1st round
1st Niall Glover (17) Net 68
2nd Kob Glover (25) Net 73
3rd John Hughes (22) Net 74
4th Colin Greig (15) Net 75
5th Bob Innes (30) Net 75
6th Kevin LeBar (14) Net 76
Near pins Paul Smith, Kob Glover, Niall Glover, & Jimmy Carr.
A record number for about two years with twenty-six participants in the annual Club Championship first round held at Pattavia. Conditions were perfect for golf with clear blue skies, warm but not too hot temperatures, and a course in good condition. As is mostly the case at Pattavia, the greens were quick and difficult with anything above the pin a real challenge of line and speed.
Another society was out in front of us but didn’t impact the speed of play with the round completed in an acceptable time. In the interest of fairness, a random draw was used to establish the groupings which threw up some curious combinations. Prior to leaving the bar, Ken Davidson organised a sweepstake which threw up some curious choices.
For the second day in a row, the Glover family finished in the top two positions as Niall this time took the honours with an exceptional score of net sixty-eight, a full five strokes ahead of wife Kob on seventy-three. Third place went to the wily John Hughes on net seventy-four.
Colin Greig came in fourth beating out fellow Scotsman Bob Innes who had a couple of shocker holes after a blistering start but managed to gather it up and finish strongly with a respectable seventy-five in fifth place. Rounding out the top six, Kevin LeBar, who is probably the most regular player of the group at this course, finished in sixth place with seventy-six.
A number of our more established players such as Paul Smith, Les Cobban, Greg Berry, and Nic Evans threatened at times but eventually fell back in the field, so with a five-stroke lead Niall Glover is the hot favorite to get his name on the honour board. But stroke play can change the scoreboard in a trice, so who is it going to be?
All the near pins were taken with one each to Niall & Kob Glover, Jimmy Carr, & Paul Smith.
Friday, December 17th
Pattaya Country Club
Club Championship 2nd Round
1st Colin Greig (15) 47 points
2nd Jay Babin (21) 44 points
3rd Bob Innes (30) 43 points
4th Tony Robbins (24) 41 points
5th Kevin LeBar (14) 40 points
6th Geoff Parker (20) 39 points
Near pins Kevin LeBar, Bengt Engstrom, Colin Greig, & Daryl Vernon.
Club Champion 2021: Colin Greig
As is the custom, the players out of the running teed off first with those deemed in the running out last. A field of twenty-six was a good number under the circumstances and as can be seen from the results competition was fierce with some of the best scores that anyone can remember. From the results, it looks like the high handicap players had a serious advantage, coupled with playing off the shorter white tees. Throughout the presentation back at the bar, there was much discussion, particularly in relation to handicaps and the S word was used more than once.
The day was bright and sunny with a light breeze, the course was in good condition so no excuses from anybody. It’s remarkable how quickly courses start to deteriorate due to lack of rain and while today’s course was fine, one could see how quickly it will go brown and bare without rain soon.
In what can only be described as a remarkable performance, Colin Greig came from seven strokes back to win by a margin of three. Apparently, he didn’t miss a put all-day. No doubt the handicappers will take the scalpel to his ridiculous fifteen handicap for next week.
In another remarkable performance, Jay Babin returned a score of forty-four to take second place. Who would have believed that a score of forty-four wouldn’t be good enough to win?
Another high handicapper who seems to improve with every game he plays, Bob Innes came third with forty-three points. Tony Robbins, also in the plus forty range, took fourth with forty-one points, one ahead of Kevin LeBar in fifth with Geoff Parker rounding out the scoring with thirty-nine points. Of all those on the winner’s list, Kevin LeBar seemed to be the only one playing off an appropriate handicap.
Near pins were taken by Daryl Vernon, Colin Greig, Bengt Engstrom, and Kevin LeBar.
Back at the bar, there was much revelry with the sound of the bell ringing out all night albeit a silent bell.
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