The Bunker Boys Golf Society
Monday, Feb.6, Mt. Shadow (blue tees) – Stableford
1st Mike Brett (16) 37pts
2nd Les Hall (24) 36pts
3rd Geoff Parker (13) 34pts
Near Pins: Peter Habgood, Mike Brett, Mark Stanley, P J Redmond.
With the course on our schedule disappointing us on a previous visit last week, the Bunker Boys decided a change of venue was in order and what a masterstroke it turned out to be. Mountain Shadow was the alternate venue where the first group walked straight onto the first tee, completed the round within three and a half hours and were back in Pattaya by 4.00pm. This is how golf should be – a good course, good caddies, and no holdups.
Despite the lack of recent rain the course is holding up remarkably well and presents a good test of golf. A strong breeze blowing up the first fairway to the clubhouse added to the challenge.
Technical prizes were shared between four players, with the usual suspects’ names appearing on the near pin flags. In first place despite the putting yips was Michael Brett on thirty-seven points, the only player to beat his handicap.
It looks like low season golf is upon us so we can look forward to faster rounds with fewer hassles, and lower green fees, with even the possibility to play some of the courses not on our playing roster during high season.
Wednesday, Feb.8, Greenwood (white tees) – Medal
1st Neil Carter (14) net 71
2nd Raleigh Gosney (17) net 72
3rd Geoff Parker (13) net 73
Near Pins: Neil Carter, Raleigh Gosney, Geoff Parker, Gerry Cooney.
A baker’s dozen turned out for the first medal round of the month at Greenwood A & B courses. Play was pedestrian at best with the C course closed and everybody shoehorned into the A & B layouts. Temperatures were very high and energy sapping with many players displaying signs of fatigue post round.
The sartorially splendid Raleigh Gosney was in the lead for most of the round only to be pipped at the post at the end by Neil Carter. Raleigh’s name appeared on most of the near pin flags but he only secured one. His reason for playing so well is that he needs the cash to refresh his wardrobe with a new supply of body hugging Hawaiian floral shirts.
Friday, Feb.10, Crystal Bay (white tees) – Stableford.
1st Geoff Parker (13) 35pts
2nd Frank Quinlan (32) 35pts
3rd Raleigh Gosney (17) 34pts
Near Pins: Neil Carter, Frank Quinlan, Geoff Williams.
One flight turned up for the last game of the week at a course that normally plays easy and high numbers are required to figure in the prizes. This was the case on the front nine but the back nine was a different story. Greens were significantly quicker than the front nine which caught a number of players unawares, and the wind started to blow strongly adding to the difficulty.
Normally winning score here are in the area of forty points, however not today. Geoff returned a steady thirty-five points to take first place on count-back with 18pts on the back nine to Frank’s 15 whilst the increasingly consistent Raleigh took third on thirty-four points and surely we will soon see him in a new range of Hawaiian shirts.
The course was full with two societies playing so the scourge of golf everywhere “slow play” was the order of the day. At this stage, it’s hard to see how the proposed changes to the rules of golf will have any significant effect on the amateur game, and the problem will only be fixed by better scheduling and more intervention from course marshals. Even in Pattaya, where most people are not pushed for time, any game of golf over four hours is unacceptable.
