PSC Golf from The Bunker Boys @ The Ranch
Monday, Jan26, Bangpakong (blue tees) – Medal
A Flight (0-15.6)
1st Colin Grieg (10) net 72
2nd Keith Norman (14) net 73
3rd Peter Kelly (11) net 75
4th Geoff Cox (15) net 76
B Flight (15.7+)
1st Michael Brett (21) net 65
2nd Mike Corner (20) net 73
3rd Richard Baldotto (22) net 73
4th Peter Allen (33) net 74
Near Pins: Michael Brett, Peter Allen, Dave Ashman, Richard Baldotto
It was Club Championship week and also the last 3 rounds for the Golfer of the Month trophy, with the field wide open and any one of 7 players being in with a chance.
(Left-right) Michael Brett, Colin Greig, Mike Corner and Richard Baldotto line up at Bangpra.
The weather on Monday was fine and the course in good shape for the first round of the 36-hole Club Championship. There was some confusion at the start with another society being double booked with us. It all got sorted but the heavy attendance meant for a slow round.
Pre-match favourites Colin Grieg (net 72), Keith Norman (net 73), and John Hughes (net 74) set the pace, together with Mike Corner and Richard Baldotto who both returned net 72s, but they were all upstaged by Michael Brett with his excellent gross 86 (net 65) for his best ever round in many visits to Thailand.
The course and the facilities here are excellent although a number of comments were passed on the new bunkers which are being constructed. Most people had no problem with the deep greenside bunkers although many felt they were out of keeping with the character of the course. However, almost everybody thought the fairway bunker on the right-hand side of Hole 11 was quite ridiculous, quite out of place and unfair.
Wednesday, Jan. 28, Bangpra (white tees) – Medal
A Flight (0-16.2)
1st Geoff Cox (15)) net 72
2nd Colin Greig (10) net 77
3rd Keith Norman (14) net 78cb
4th Gerry Cooney (14) net 78
B Flight (15.7+)
1st P J Redmond (27S) net 74
2nd Richard Baldotto (22) net 76
3rd Jimmy Carr (16) net77
4th Eddie Kelly (18) net78cb
Near Pins: Geoff Cox, Eddie Kelly, Patrick Kelly, Ian Milne
As usual the course at Bangpra was in excellent condition and the big issue was could Michael Brett put together another good round and take the Championship. The leaders hit off last and soon Mike Corner and Michael Brett were just hanging in. Richard Baldotto and Colin Greig were going OK and slowly biting into Michael’s lead.
In front, Keith Norman, Peter Kelly and John Hughes were struggling but Geoff Cox was storming and returned a fine net 72 to win the A grade comp and become the Championship leader in the club house on 147. However, Michael Brett just held on and his net 81 gave him a net 146 and the Championship by one shot over Geoff.
Richard Baldotto beat Colin Greig into third spot on count back courtesy of Colin’s triple bogey on the 17th. Meanwhile P J Redmond, relishing his new found enjoyment of golf off the silver tees, took B grade with a fine net 74.
Friday, Jan. 30, The Emerald (white tees) – Stableford
A Flight (0-15.9)
1st Colin Greig (10) 39 pts
2nd Tony Robbins (16) 34 pts
3rd Geoff Parker (14) 33 pts
B Flight (16+)
1st Richard Baldotto (22) 35pts
2nd Les Hall (25) 35pts
3rd Ross Schiffke (19) 34 pts
Near Pins: Ian Milne, Colin Greig, Geoff Parker, Paul Carey
Friday saw a happy return to a stableford competition after two medal rounds. The weather was good and the course reasonable. We have certainly seen Emerald in better shape but they are putting in work and a large number of areas have been prepared for new turf. One disappointment was the large number of leaking sprinklers giving numerous boggy patches.
It was the last round of Golfer of the Month comp with 4 still in contention. A bunch of players returned scores in the mid thirties, however Colin Greig, with 39 points, routed the field to comfortably win A grade. It was not quite enough though to win the Golfer of the Month title as Richard Baldotto’s 35 points both won him B Grade and allowed him to beat Colin to the GoM award on count back.
