IPGC golf from The Haven.
Monday, June 23, Crystal Bay – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Allen Raaen (7) 37pts
2nd Bruce Hilde (17) 36pts
3rd Philip Cass (19) 35pts
4th Markku Tynell (23) 33pts
5th Hal Hart (22) 33pts
After a couple of recent visits when the greens were somewhat questionable they now generally seem to be getting back into shape, and allied to the general condition of the course the scores on this occasion were quite good.
Bruce Hilde and Allen Raaen.
Allen Raaen started out a very agreeable week’s golf with a win after a one under handicap round which included a very untypical zero-pointer on a par 3, but he had enough three-pointers to keep the rest of the hard chasing pack behind him.
Most notable was Bruce Hilde in second place whose round also boded well for the rest of the week, being just one adrift after returning a level handicap round and but for no less than three blobs he would surely have taken another win on this trip.
Philip Cass took third spot with a solid one over scoring five three-pointers on the way round.
Markku Tynell closed out fourth place after winning a count back over Hal Hart with a better 12 to 11 on the last six after they had tied the nine on 16 each.
There were no 2’s in the second division but Allen Raaen added to his day’s collection with the only one in the first division to take the roll over pool.
Before the presentations were made there was a welcome back for Philip Cass.
Wednesday, June 25, Khao Kheow A & B – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Bruce Hilde (17) 37pts
2nd Allen Raaen (7) 33pts
3rd Shuichi Kodaka (19) 32pts
4th Hal Hart (22) 28pts
5th Markku Tynell (23) 28pts
Perhaps the hole positions were a little easier today, or possibly the conditions for golf were just about right, with overcast skies and little wind, or just maybe playing the same A and B courses for the third week running engendered confidence through a presumed inside knowledge. But whatever it was, it certainly helped the scoring to be a lot better than on the previous outings, with the CSS remaining at 72 and the winner actually breaking par after taking handicap into consideration.
That winner was one of the likely suspects for the week, Bruce Hilde, firing his best round in Thailand and leaving the chasers some four shots adrift, even allowing for a couple of slight slips on the sixteenth and the last when he scored just a single point on the two holes.
The other likely suspect for the week, Allen Raaen, took second place after a very spotty round that was still good enough to keep many others behind him and just missing the chance of a double in the week.
Shuichi Kodaka almost got up on the back nine but an unfortunate last three holes that netted him just five points put an end to his chances for the day.
Hal Hart took fourth place and gained some revenge for Monday as he won a count back over Markku Tynell following a better 20 to 14 result.
There were no 2’s in the first division but Bruce Hilde made it a day to remember as he had the only one in the second division on the signature island green hole, the eighth on the B course, to clear out the multi-rollover pool.
Friday, June 27, Greenwood B & C – Monthly Medals
CSS 71
Division 1 (0–15)
1st Allen Raaen (7) net 72
2nd Kevin Blake (8) net 74
3rd Russell Gilroy (14) net 74
Division 2 (16+)
1st Bruce Hilde (17) net 72
2nd Tom McCarthy (19) net 72
3rd Hal Hart (22) net 74
Following the week’s two previous competitions, when the weather had been just about right for golf, the skies were ominous for the Monthly Medals at the picturesque Greenwood course on Friday where possibly the two nines comprising the more difficult of the combinations from the twenty seven holes, the B and C nines, were the challenge. But with the courses found to be in excellent condition as usual and the weather remaining clear for the whole round, the scores were unusually good in both divisions ensuring that the CSS for the day went down a stroke to 71.
The first division was taken by Allen Raaen, the red hot favourite following his two immediate previous rounds, with a level par score that included just one six, which was unfortunately on the last par four on the B, which was unusually being played last after starting on C. It was Allen’s second medal success for the year having already secured his place in the end of year Gold and Silver Medals in the February competition.
Kevin Blake had the better of a count back over Russell Gilroy with a better 35 to 36 on the C course to take second place and leave Russell in a very creditable third. This followed Kevin’s best round since October the previous day with the Donovan’s group and indicates a welcome return to his old form after a difficult period in the golfing doldrums when his language studies appear to have taken up most of his attention.
The second division winner was also the favourite to win, after his two earlier efforts in the week, but Bruce Hilde needed to win a count back, which he did with a better 25.3 to 25.7 on the last six, after tying with Tom McCarthy over the back nine on 35.5 apiece. The win ensured that Bruce became the seventh different second division player to qualify for the Gold and Silver Medals.
Hal Hart was involved in his third count back of the week and won it with a better 36 to 37.5, which left him in third place and Philip Cass in fourth but just off the podium.
Allen Raaen took the first division 2’s pot whilst Hal Hart and Tom McCarthy shared the second division.
Prior to the presentations there was a welcome for new member Robert Hohenhaus and also a welcome back for Mike Hill who had been away in sunny England for a cricketing holiday where he unusually did not play but stood as an umpire and forgot himself when he appealed “How’s that” for leg before and then decided “Yes, that was out”, which added much to the day’s pleasure for the crowd.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact mobile 094 567 5726 or call in to The Haven Hotel, at 185 Soi 13, 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 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days that you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
