PATTAYA, Thailand – On Monday November 25, the Bunker Boys returned for their second visit to Plutaluang S & E Navy golf course in a week, this time playing the South and East nines. Unfortunately, the conditions were not as favourable as when we played the North and West nines on Wednesday. The fairways showed several bare patches, and the greens were bumpy and sandy in places. Despite the full car parks, the lead groups teed off early and finished on time. However, a delay occurred when the third group lost contact with the second, allowing another group to slip in, causing a backup for the groups behind. A timely reminder to keep up with the group ahead.
In good form lately, Steve Downes took first place with an impressive 38 points, which could have been even higher. A three-way tie followed with Sean Murphy in second, Rob Folland in third, and Witt Mann in fourth, all with 36 points. Witt was particularly frustrated, missing a short putt on the final hole, which would have secured him second place instead of fourth. Steve Downes also took three near pins, with Dave Ashman claiming the other.
1st: Steve Downes (7) – 38 points. 2nd: Sean Murphy (18) – 36 points. 3rd: Rob Folland (16) – 36 points. 4th: Witt Mann (13) – 36 points. 5th: Billy Shepley (6) – 35 points. Near Pins: Dave Ashman, Steve Downes x 3.
On Wednesday, November 27, a field of 22 players arrived to find the Treasure Hill Golf Course nearly empty, a rare sight for high season. After a mix-up regarding carts for walkers, everyone quickly teed off and finished in good time. The course conditions were challenging, with slick greens and tricky slopes, causing many players to struggle on the putting surfaces. The battle for first place was tight, with John Hughes edging out Jimmy Carr on countback, both scoring 33 points. A three-way countback determined the remaining positions, with Steve Downes finishing in third with 32 points, followed by Jack Best and Brendan Harnett. Steve Downes continued his solid form by claiming another near pin, with Witt Mann, Robby Watts, and Hubert Stiefenhofer taking the others.
1st: John Hughes (25) – 33 points. 2nd: Jimmy Carr (22) – 33 points. 3rd: Steve Downes (7) – 32 points. 4th: Jack Best (18) – 32 points. 5th: Brendan Harnett (19) – 32 points. Near Pins: Witt Mann, Hubert Stiefenhofer, Robby Watts, Steve Downes.
The final round of the month at Pleasant Valley Golf Course on Friday, November 29 saw a smaller-than-usual field, possibly due to the strong winds, which made for tricky conditions. The pace of play was slower due to a society ahead of us, resulting in frustration for some players. Despite the conditions, Rob Folland posted an excellent 37 points to win the day. Pat Ryan finished in second with 33 points, while Takeshi Hakozaki took third after a countback over Uwe Jurgensen. Near pins went to Michael Brett, Frank Dartford, and Pat Ryan.
The Golf of the Month competition came to a close, with Michael Brett securing the title for the third consecutive month and four out of the last five months. Steve Downes had a strong late charge but couldn’t catch up to Michael’s steady play.
1st: Rob Folland (16) – 37 points. 2nd: Pat Ryan (14) – 33 points. 3rd: Takeshi Hakozaki (16) – 31 points. 4th: Uwe Jurgensen (30) – 31 points. Near Pins: Michael Brett, Frank Dartford, Pat Ryan.
