IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, July 3, Pattavia (white tees) – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Peter Buckley (21) 43pts
2nd Larry Gibb (22) 38pts
3rd Dave LeHane (17) 38pts
4th Shuichi Kodaka (18) 33pts
5th Hal Hart (18) 29pts
6th Andrew Purdie (7) 29pts
The weather stayed clear for the day and it turned out to be good, with a little light breeze and some cloud cover. The course was in good condition with the greens having quickly recovered from recent coring, and although not as fast as usual they were flat and true which helped to produce some excellent scores.
The best of these by far was returned by Peter Buckley who had his best day with the group since joining some eight years earlier and it called for a special celebration following the awards with the horn being blown for the second time.
Dave LeHane did not realise that his handicap had reduced by a shot and thought that he had continued his recent good run with at least a second place, but in the vent he was pipped by the resurgent Larry Gibb in a count back for second by 14 to 12 over the last six after they had tied the nine in 19 each.
Shuichi Kodaka took fourth ahead of another count back for fifth and six between Hal Hart and Andrew Purdie which the former won with a better 17 to 14.
There were no2s in the first division but Dave LeHane made up for missing out on the third win on the trot with the sole one in the second division to sweep the pool.
Wednesday, July 5, Pattana A & B (yellow tees) – Stableford
CSS 74
1st Peter Buckley (21) 37pts
2nd Frank Harrington (7) 35pts
3rd Dave LeHane (17) 32pts
4th Ray Smallwood (25) 32pts
5th Markku Tynell (21) 30pts
6th Larry Gibb (22) 29pts
Once again the weather held off mostly, with just a spattering of rain over a couple of holes and with the course in its usual tip top shape the scores were once again good. The group played the ninth on the B course as a par-six, making for a par and SS of 74 which was borne out with the CSS remaining at 74 for the day.
Peter Buckley was again to be found leading them in with another below handicap score on the day and although not quite at the level of his last return it was still good enough by two to secure his second win of the week and a chance for the “hat trick” on Friday.
Frank Harrington at last showed a bit of the old form in second place with a one over handicap return that could have been much better except for a couple of zeros on the front nine, but a solid inward half ensured his best round of the current visit with the group.
Dave LeHane won a count back over Ray Smallwood for third and fourth places with a better 17 to 15 as Markku Tynell just edged out Larry Gibb for fifth place, with Larry complaining that his mind was on the following day’s visit to the beauty parlour and not quite in tune with golf.
There were no 2s in either of the divisions.
Friday, July 7, Pattaya C.C. – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Graham Davis (9) 42pts
2nd Peter Buckley (21) 36pts
3rd Ray Smallwood (25) 34pts
4th Shuichi Kodaka (18) 32pts
5th Hal Hart (18) 32pts
6th Markku Tynell (21) 31pts
It was another good day for golf with a light breeze and overcast skies over and a course that continues to improve following the recent redesign and renovation of the greens. The recent rainy conditions meant that the greens were left quite long and played a lot slower than they normally do, but it brought out the best of the hopefuls with Graham Davis running out the winner following a sparkling six under handicap return. It could have been even better for Graham as he was just short of the par-5 18th in two but took a further four shots to get down, but that did not detract from an excellent gross 75 and his best round ever with The Haven group as records exist since August 2007.
Peter Buckley, who was vying for the “hat trick”, took second with a solid level handicap round and was two ahead of third placed Ray Smallwood. Surely it cannot be too long before Ray is going to be found at the top of the leaderboard for the first time.
Shuichi Kodaka won a count back for fourth and fifth over Hal Hart with a better 17 to 16 which left Markku Tynell one back in sixth place.
Once again there were no 2s in either of the divisions.
