PSC Golf from The Billabong Golf Bar
Monday, May 2, Phoenix – Stableford
The greens-staff make every effort to take care of the course but if you could have an aerial photograph it would resemble a course you would expect to find in the desert due to the lack of rain and searing temperatures. Lots of what appears to be straw is in fact grass that has been starved of water, but it’s contrasted with eighteen areas that have lush emerald green grass between tee and green. A further indication of the problem is that many of the ponds are running dry, so let us hope for some rain very soon. A week of London drizzle would do nicely.
Kissy Buchanan and Graham Rice.
We had 6 groups today trying to overcome greens on the Mountain which had recently been scarified and dressed and were slower than those on the Lake nine, but these things are necessary and offer a challenge to our golfing skills (or lack of them) with more than half of the players not reaching 30 points.
Only 5 points on the last 4 holes relegated the consistent Bob Newell down to fourth place, one point behind John Anderson in third with 34 points. Graham Rice was comfortably in second with 37 points but ‘Kissy’ – we can only guess how he got that nickname – Buchanan had a clear margin to win the day.
There was only one ‘2’ recorded and that went to Chris Dodd.
Wednesday, May 4, Green Valley – Stableford
When you consider the amount of help and expertise that is available to the unwary meddlers of golf courses i.e. the management of Green Valley, that they insist on keeping the existing layout as it is, is something beyond belief. That superb golfer Peter Thomson knew a thing or two about course design and had the original 18th green situated alongside the old clubhouse, which has since been demolished. But the course is ideally suited to having a similar situation with the 18th green (14th green at present) being situated alongside the ‘new’ clubhouse. When the pros. had a competition at Green Valley recently they refused to use the present layout and insisted on having the course laid out the way it should be.
Jeff North and John Dearden.
For one reason or another there were only 7 groups today, perhaps the temperature being more 40 plus degrees out on the course was the deterrent. But Miss Sa did not let this minor problem affect her performance, taking the top spot in the ladies flight with 39 points, just one point better than Miss Pin in second and Miss Yaow a further point back in third.
Jeff North was surprised when he arrived back at the Billabong to hear that he had acquired third place in the main field with 34 points, but missing out to John Anderson on the same score. For the second week running John Deardon took the plaudits, this time by 8 shots with an exceptional 42 points.
The greens were still under treatment hence there being only one ‘2’ today, and that went to Miss Poope.
Friday, May 5, Burapha – Stableford
With just a small field playing today we got away a little early and had a four hour round. We played C and D loops and the course was in great condition with plenty of players out there but as previously stated it was a quick day out. We got some respite from the heat when we got to the last couple of holes on the D loop with a welcome breeze.
Yaow, Sa and Pin back at The Billabong.
The scores, apart from 2 players, were very ordinary to say the least. Taking third place was Dave Done with a score of 34 points while coming second after losing out on count back was Freddy Starbeck with 41 points. Lorenzo, playing his second game in 8 years, also had 41 points but scored 22 points on the back nine to beat Freddy’s 19.
There were no ‘2’s today.
