PSC Golf from Tropical Bert’s
Tuesday, September 2, Khao Kheow – Stableford
I wanted to make the players think, so as we stood on the first tee I decided we would play off the yellow tees. Sometimes it is good to be the one who makes the decisions as it is great to play with people’s minds, other times it is a pain in the you know what!
The weather of late has not been good, so as we arrived the course was obviously very wet, so playing off the yellow tees, here yellow is behind white, this was due to be a really hard day. However the lift, clean and place was only for the fairways and as we went around we realised that some of the grass cutting meant that the lines were not delineated as clear as they should be. Oh ‘Happy Days’.
Flight winners with one of Bert’s finest.
Still we moved on at a good pace as the second nightmare of the old and struggling became more obvious: no carts on the fairway. This is a real problem as the walk from the cart to your ball is, at times, as long as those walking and the caddies must hate being on a cart when it has rained. Me, I was suffering from the sore throat and general ‘Lurgie’ and for the first time ever I nearly packed in. However, there is life in the old dog yet! But on this day not much.
Well we finally got around. Then a warm shower, a quick bite in the fine restaurant and back to Bert’s.
Back at Bert’s we soon got into the presentation. In the A Flight, 0 to 18, we had a clean sweep for the Aussies. In first was Max Scott with 35 points with Maurice Roberts in second with 34 points and Bob Watson in third on countback over John Harrison, both with 33 points.
In the B Flight the scores were not as good, so playing to your handicap was not for any of Bert’s players. In first was Tom Cotton with 32 points ahead of Mick Coghlan in second with 31 points and Daryl Evans in third with 29 points. Of course we then had to listen to the winners crowing, but you know what happens to chicken.
Near Pins: Alan Sullivan, Maurice Roberts, Bob Watson, Mark West.
Long Putt: George Bayley.
Friday, September 5, Treasure Hill – Stableford
Greetings all. This Friday the Tropical Bert’s group met for breakfast before heading out to Treasure Hill Golf Course. The group hasn’t played here in a while and everyone was eager to again play this challenging course and its signature Alligator hole.
Landis Brooks (left) poses with winner Bob Watson (right).
Treasure Hill is one of several courses going through maintenance and upgrades recently, and the results are excellent. The fairways are nice and the greens very lush – if maybe a bit slow for some people. This course is always challenging and if the alligator doesn’t get you there is plenty of water and jungle to swallow your ball. Scores this day were on the low side. No one broke handicap and even points in the high 20’s was enough to secure a mention.
Bob Watson always announces his departure and arrivals in style. Some weeks ago we wrote he made his arrival back in Pattaya known by winning. Then Bob made sure we won’t soon forget him by winning the day before he returned home for a few weeks. Now Bob is back and guess what – everyone knows Bob is back because he won this day with a very respectable 35 points off his handicap of 4. Excellent golf Bob!
Landis Brooks (7) gave Bob a run for his money by taking second place with 34 points, and third place went to Graham Buckingham (21) with 30 points. To show how tough the course played, the fourth and fifth places each had 29 points, with Max Scott (5) winning on count back over Don Carmody (26).
Near pins: Andre Van Dyk, Don Carmody, Bob Watson, Landis Brooks.
