PSC golf from The Outback Golf Bar
Monday, Jan. 21, Burapha – Stableford
Twenty-seven Outbackers set off to Burapha to play the C and D courses from the white markers, with a 9 a.m. tee time instead of our normal 10 a.m. as Burapha is very heavily booked with many overseas players. The round was very stop/start but we still all finished in four and a half hours, not bad considering the number of players on the course.
The course was in great condition but the front of some greens had been heavily watered and the ball sometimes plugged.
The greens were the fastest I have played on for quite some time and nearly everybody found them very difficult. The green-keeper must have changed the hole positions in the dark as most pin placements were on slopes and if you didn’t get the ball to the hole, or in it, you found the ball back at your previous position or off the green.
Steve Plant (left) with Mark McDonald, Friday’s low gross winner with 75.
Also a number of tee placements on the C course were back on the normal blue tees which made for a tougher than usual day, particularly for the higher handicappers as can be seen by the low stableford points scored.
Two divisions plus the ‘2’s and the best score of the day was recorded by Paul Bourke, winner of Division 1 with 33 points off his 10 handicap from three all tied on 32pts – Stephen Mann edging out both Rick Kaban and Rosco Langoulant by the usual count back method.
Division 2 was won by Tim Knight with 30 points from John Player with 29, and third place going to Eddie O’Neill (28pts) who beat Mick Indge on a count back.
John Player’s 29 points and second place was his seventh podium finish this year and with it kept him firmly at the top of the “Race to Bangkok” leaderboard with 2,700 points from oddly enough the man who beat him today, Tim Knight, who has 2500 points from six podium finishes.
Four ‘2’s today to Jimmy Little on C8, Paul Bourke and Rosco Langoulant on D2 and Noddy Moyle on D8.
Div A (0-18)
1st Paul Bourke (10) 33pts
2nd Stephen Mann (10) 32pts
3rd Rick Kaban (16) 32pts
4th Rosco Langoulant (14) 32pts
Div B (19+)
1st Tim Knight (21) 30pts
2nd John Player (20) 29pts
3rd Eddie O’Neill (36) 28pts
4th Mick Indge (19) 28pts
Tuesday, Jan. 22, Khao Keow – Stableford
We had a good turnout at Khao Kheow today with the numbers being 17, a couple of the players not showing in the results as they did not play in the competition.
Murray Hart leads the ‘Race to Bangkok’ standings.
The starter informed us that we were playing C & B and as usual we elected for the yellow tees, so a great warm up hole for the boys to start with – what water on the left? And what OB on the right?
The course was in average condition with the rough drying out but C & B greens were like chalk and cheese regarding the speed, C fairly fast and B average. Whichever, ‘Kissy’ Buchanan blazed his way round to amass 40pts as he returned to a bit of form after quite a long time going nowhere with his game and he beat the in-form man of the moment, Murray Hart, who took second with 36.
Div B was won by another man whose game has been in the doldrums for sometime, which has seen his handicap drift out to an embarrassing 17, Joe Mooneyham, who scored a fine 38 to win by four from Mike and my good self.
There were no ‘2’s.
Div A (0-16)
1st Keith Buchanan (15) 40pts
2nd Murray Hart (15) 36pts
3rd Allen Raaen (10) 35pts
Div B (17+)
1st Joe Mooneyham (17) 38pts
2nd Mike Dwyer (17) 34pts
3rd Suzi Lawton (19) 34pts
Wednesday, Jan. 23, Siam Plantation – Stableford
Only 15 players to Siam Plantation today as we regrettably had two ‘no shows’ which cost others a place. Played the Tapioca and Pineapple courses and they were both in great condition as usual and even though the course was heavily booked we still got around in four hours.
Welcome to Jean Philippe and Christine Gaillard for their first game with the Outback for quite some time.
Only one division plus the ‘2’s and the winner was Chris Thompson with 36 points off his 24 handicap from Jean Phillipe with 35. In third was Andy Butterworth with 33 points and rounding out the placings was Christine Gaillard with 32.
Only two ‘2’s and they were both from Paul Lavender on Tapioca 7 and Pineapple 8, well done Paul.
1st Chris Thompson (24) 36pts
2nd Jean Philippe (15) 35pts
3rd Andy Butterworth (12) 33pts
4th Christine Gaillard (7) 32pts
Wednesday, Jan. 23, Mt. Shadow – Stableford
Twenty-one Outbackers travelled to Mountain Shadow after an absence of nearly a year. All those who had played here before were informing the newcomers that the greens were like glass, but not today – however, they were still pretty slick if you had a downhill putt and it took a few holes to get used to the pace.
The course itself was generally in good condition and the low handicappers seemed to manage their way round better than the average guys as the results show with the best score of the day coming from Peter Erikson, playing off 5, with a very good score of 38pts (75 gross). Second was Muzza, who is playing very consistently, with 37 and Peter LeNoury took third on 36.
The best of Div B was a newcomer to the Outback, Leo McCauley on 32pts and a surprised Eddy Beilby took second with 28 from the Sugarman in third on 27.
I think we will be coming back here again in the very near future as the value and the course makes up for the longish drive out to the club.
There were two ‘2s from Noddy Moyle (Hole 5) and Peter Erikson (Hole 8).
Div A (0–16)
1st Peter Erikson (5) 38pts
2nd Murray Hart (15) 37pts
3rd Peter LeNoury (9) 36pts
Div B (17+)
1st Leo McCauley (18) 32pts
2nd Eddy Beilby (17) 28pts
3rd Sugar Ray Handford (17) 27pts
Friday, Jan. 25, Green Valley – Devere Monthly Medal
Unbelievably the last Friday of the month of January already; doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun, but of course signalling the time for the regular monthly medal worth double points for all podium finishers in the “Race 2 Bangkok”.
Today, with a field of 47, was the first time that the Outback were to drop the divisions and play everybody as one and the placing would go down to tenth place.
General Jack was actually spotted on a golf course yesterday at Amata Springs playing something akin to golf but not as we know it but today he was giving Capt’ Steve a break and taking care of the start.
Surprisingly we were away ahead of schedule with all the groups off by 10.30 and the pace of play was excellent with the first groups round in under four hours, which is quite incredible for this time of the year. I wonder how much that might be down to John who has been helping out with the marshalling by geeing up some of the Koreans and some other slow groups who are out there every Friday just in front of the Outback, particularly that one guy who always takes a “Mulligan” on the first hole as he knows it annoys then proceeds to walk the course as slow as he possibly can!
The scoring was average with the win going to John Chambers with a net 70 (gross 79) but unfortunately John could not make it back for the presentation to receive his DeVere sponsored winning trophy. There were three more tied on 71, headed by Steve Plant followed by that man again, Murray Hart who has had a great week and now finds himself 1000 points clear at the top of the “Race 2 Bangkok” leaderboard.
There were four ‘2’s, one on each of the Par 3’s from; Jack Fetherstone (4th), John Stafford (9th), John Chambers (12th) and Dennis Pelly (16th).
Just a few stats from the round; the toughest hole was back to the 3rd – playing over two shots tougher than par (6.02), yielding only 2 pars and 1 birdie and there was one other hole that only gave away 2 pars, hole 15. The easiest hole was the 12th playing at 3.85 and giving up 18 pars. The highest score recorded by any player was 13.
1st John Chambers (9) net 70
2nd Steve Plant (13) net 71
3rd Murray Hart (15) net 71
4th Rick Kaban (16) 71
Note: The Outback Golf Bar is situated about 6km from Sukhumvit Road along Soi Siam Country. Call Jack on 081 578 1956.
