Travellers Rest Golf Group
It was like that scene from The Magnificent Seven when the bandits ride down from the high country into the village for their annual raping and pillaging of the poor folk who tend their crops, feed their families and go to church every Sunday. Now I could be mistaken but there seemed to be a lot of Aussies in town this past week and looking at one or two of the outrageous winning scores in the competitions I would hazard a guess that the bandits have just hit town once again, playing golf off handicaps only the village idiot would believe.
Stewart Payne.
Well I have to report that once again they got away with it and headed off into the sunset laughing their heads off with their ill-gotten gains. Unfortunately that is “holiday golf” for you and it is very difficult for the organizers to police properly. However, once bitten twice shy and it is unusual for the miscreants to get away with it a second time so they tend to move off to play with a different society the next day and get away with it once again.
Monday, Feb. 8, Phoenix – Stableford
On Monday, the first day of the Chinese New Year celebrations, we headed off to Phoenix to play Lakes and Ocean and on a personal note it was my first opportunity to play the new Lakes course. It has taken me two months of saving my pennies/bahts to get enough money together to pay the exalted green fees at Phoenix this high season.
The Lakes course has certainly undergone a lot of changes and I was interested to see the sixth hole where, when the TRGG first played it only about two or three of the large field managed to score any points. I can report that I did ok and look forward to taking it on again.
In Division 1 the interestingly named Stewart Payne (I wonder if his father was a fan of golfer Payne Stewart) did just enough to win by a point from Magnus Alvarsson, who has been reducing his handicap year on year so has obviously been practicing hard. In third place came the old warhorse Joe Stranks who can still show some form on occasions.
Neil Wilkinson.
In Division 2 it was good to see a lady do well, although as I have said before, Phoenix does do the ladies quite a few favours. Still, credit where credit is due so well done Lilian Cummins. In second place Phil Halloran just pipped Seamus Farrell after a count back as they tied scores.
Div.1 (0-15)
1st Stewart Payne (14) 38pts
2nd Magnus Alvarsson (10) 37pts
3rd Joe Stranks (15) 36pts
Div.2 (16+)
1st Lilian Cummins (18) 36pts
2nd Phil Halloran (20) 34pts
3rd Seamus Farrell (25) 34pts
Tuesday, Feb. 9, Burapha – Stableford
Tuesday meant it was back to Burapha to play the A and B courses. Perhaps familiarity is breeding contempt because on the day only one division was necessary.
Neil Wilkinson made light of the course and certainly treated it with contempt, marching off with first place after finishing on 41 points. Four points behind came Andy Halsey and good old Reg Glass was third.
1st Neil Wilkinson (12) 41pts
2nd Andy Halsey (8) 37pts
3rd Reg Glass (16) 36pts
Wednesday, Feb. 10, Pattavia – Stableford
The TRGG took another smallish group (for the time of year) across to play Pattavia on Wednesday. Nick Thomas had a good day and managed to outmanoeuvre those tricky greens to rack up 39 points, which took him to first place. Dave Palmer was only a point behind in second and a further point back was Billy Allan in third place.
Nick Thomas.
1st Nick Thomas (11) 39pts
2nd Dave Palmer (8) 38pts
3rd Billy Allan (17) 37pts
Thursday, Feb. 11, Green Valley – Stableford
On Thursday it was back to Green Valley and this attracted the largest field of the week so three divisions were necessary.
In Division 1 Trevor Nash repeated his feat of the previous week by again beating all comers. On the day his 34 points proved good enough for top spot. Garry Blackbourne was a point behind in second and Magnus Alvarsson achieved his second trip of the week to the podium in finishing third.
Dunc Burnett cleared up in Division 2 and finished first ahead of Jerry McCarthy in second and Roger Wilkinson third.
In Division 3 Ger Lodge donned his mask, loaded his six gun and set about blazing his competition to kingdom come. His 45 points leads me to suggest that just maybe he is playing off the wrong handicap. Kim Scadden finished a miserable nine points behind in second place and Reg Glass was third.
Div.1 (0-10)
1st Trevor Nash (7) 34pts
2nd Garry Blackbourne (8) 33pts
3rd Magnus Alvarsson (10) 32pts
Div. 2 (11–16)
1st Dunc Burnett (16) 38pts
2nd Jerry McCarthy (14) 36pts
3rd Roger Wilkinson (14) 35pts
Div. 3 (17+)
Ger Lodge (20) 45pts
Kim Scadden (19) 36pts
Reg Glass (17) 35pts
Friday, Feb. 12, Parichat – Stableford
The final outing of the week on Friday saw the TRGG make its first ever visit to play the water hazard known as Parichat. I still have that pleasure to come as I was saying goodbye to one of my teeth at the dentist. From the look at the scores returned I should guess that quite a few of the golfers found Parichat a similar experience to pulling teeth.
In Division 1 Bill Wilkinson managed to better his handicap so was only in for a check-up and finished first. Mod Chaviraksa got away with just a polish in finishing second and Magnus Alvarsson managed just a filling in third place.
In Division 2 H Kuratsu didn’t lose any teeth in amassing the best score of the day and first place. Perhaps he doesn’t have any to lose. Not such good news for those in second and third places, Jack Macnamara and Billy Allan, who both finished on 31 points, which may mean that they didn’t lose any teeth but I bet they lost their golf balls.
Div. 1 (0-14)
1st Bill Wilkinson (11) 37pts
2nd Mod Chaviraksa (11) 34pts
3rd Magnus Alvarsson (10) 33pts
Div. 2 (15+)
1st H Kuratsu (17) 38pts
2nd Jack Macnamara (18) 31pts
3rd Billy Allan (17) 31pts
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 Valentines Guest House (Restaurant and Bar) in Soi Lengkee and add your name to the weekly lists which are posted on the notice board.
