PATTAYA, Thailand – The final game of March saw the Bunker Boys brave some of the most unpleasant conditions in recent memory at Eastern Star Golf Course on Monday March 31. Blustery winds and squally showers plagued the front nine, making it difficult for anyone to find rhythm. By the ninth, when the rain eased, grips, gloves, and gear were all thoroughly sodden. Scores at Eastern Star are rarely high, and with today’s conditions, expectations were modest at best.
Rob Folland and Steve Downes tied at the top with 34 points, but Rob edged out Steve on countback thanks to a strong finish, which included a four-point birdie. Ever-reliable Dave Galvin secured third spot with 33 points as he gears up for departure—destination unclear, be it Pakistan or Ireland. Newcomer John Grisley made an impressive debut, claiming fourth place with 32 points. Near pins were evenly spread with Steve Downes (as always) snagging one.
With his second-place finish, Steve Downes extended his lead to secure the March Golfer of the Month title by a three-point margin.
Results:
1st Rob Folland (14) – 34 points
2nd Steve Downes (6) – 34 points
3rd Dave Galvin (23) – 33 points
4th John Grisley (22) – 32 points
Near pins: Rob Folland, John Russell, Steve Downes, Nick Corben
Wednesday April 2’s game at Bangpra began in chaos. A miscommunication about tee times led to a frantic rush as our 10:30 slot turned out to be 10:00. To keep things moving, the marshal split the group—half off the first, half the tenth. Quite how this helped remains a mystery. One group got stuck behind a rare one-ball who eventually joined the two-ball ahead. Why this wasn’t done earlier is anyone’s guess.
Despite the confusion, the course was in top shape. The lightning-fast greens challenged everyone—three-putts abounded. Fresh off his Golfer of the Month win, Steve Downes picked up right where he left off, narrowly edging out Les Cobban on countback. Dave Galvin continued his consistent form, finishing third with 36 points.
Results:
1st Steve Downes (6) – 37 points
2nd Les Cobban (11) – 37 points
3rd Dave Galvin (23) – 36 points
4th Michael Brett (15) – 33 points
5th Hubert Stiefenhofer (16) – 33 points
Near pins: Chris Delamare, Uli Muller, Steve Downes, Michael Brett
At The Emerald Golf Course on Friday, April 4, expectations were low due to reports of poor conditions. Happily, they proved unfounded. The course was in surprisingly good shape, though the greens were notably slow—a jarring contrast to Bangpra’s lightning pace.
With a quick start and no groups ahead, pace was promising until the fourth hole, where a slower society was caught. Scoring was tight with three players tied at the top on 35 points. Only three of the four near pins were claimed—hole seven went untouched, oddly enough, considering it’s arguably the easiest of the par threes.
A peculiar moment of the day came when one group was overheard debating something about “two hard-boiled eggs in a handkerchief”—the context remains a mystery!
1st Uwe Jurgensen (29) – 35 points
2nd Michael Brett (15) – 35 points
3rd Alan Sullivan (16) – 35 points
4th Billy Shepley (9) – 34 points
Near pins: Alan Sullivan, Dave Galvin, Michael Brett
With one week to go until the Songkran escape trip to Kanchanaburi, members are reminded to confirm their spots ASAP—accommodation is likely to be scarce.
