Jomtien Golf with the IPGC
Monday, May 27, Plutaluang – Stableford
Every two or three rounds here we switch to the East and South courses here, which we were scheduled to play today, but with a 12.00 a.m. shotgun start already arranged for 86 persons we teed off at 9.30 on the West course. A reasonable turnouts for this time of the year with 27 players out today with the equal cut at 6-20, 13 cards and 21 plus, 14 cards in division 2.
The weather over the past two weeks has been ridiculously hot and humid and it remained the same today with a slight cloud covering over a few of the holes and yet again there were some very weary players returning to the clubhouse.
Kari Kuparinen & Burnie Sinclair.
Mr. Grumpy, alias Bryan Rought returned the best score of the day to win division 1 with 39 points after scoring 23 on the front nine and 16 on the North. Pete Sumner on 35 was in second and Billy Fitzgerald took third after beating Lindsay Phillips, Kari Aarnio, and William Chang on a 19/18/18/15 back-nine count back, all on 34 points.
After two months in the doldrums ‘Countback’ Burnie’s scores have been improving over the past week or so and he came in with 36 points today to win division 2, beating Gordon Everingham and Lee Casey on a 19/16/14 count back.
Near pins went to Billy Fitzgerald, Lindsay Phillips, Pete Sumner (2), Kari Aarnio, Mark Conway, Glenn King and Burnie Sinclair.
Lindsay Phillips birdied the 6th on the North course for the only ‘2’ in division 1 while a rollover ensued in division 2 to Crystal Bay on Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 29, Crystal Bay – Stableford
The same number of players as of Monday with a different cut in the two divisions and as we arrived we were allocated the C and A courses. There was a strong cloud coverage but the heat still remained here for all eighteen holes.
Playing off 6, Kari Kuparinen was laughing all the way to the bank as he won with 41 points and there were tears in the eyes of Marty Rock who came in second with 39, while Jerry Sweetnam beat Pete Sumner into third place on a 18/16 count back, both on 38.
After his doldrums update which I mentioned on Monday, Burnie Sinclair won division 2 again today, this time with 40 points. Russell Benson the microlight flier came in second on 39 points after beating Gordon Everingham on a 23 /18 back-nine count back.
Near pins were claimed by Kari Kuparinen (2), Neville Sccurell, Chris Voller, Kari Aarnio, Russell Benson, Colin James and Richard Kings.
Chris Voller birdied C4 and Marty Rock C7 to split the ‘2’s pot in division 1 while Kari Aarnio and Russell Benson both got ‘2’s on the 8th on the A course to share the purse.
Friday, May 31, Eastern Star – Stableford
There were heavy clouds overlooking the coast as we drove down to Eastern Star and with the rain here lately in Jomtien who knew what the day would bring?
Division 1 today was for handicaps 5-14 and Bill Bertram returned the best score of the day, winning with 36 points. Chris Voller took second place three points behind after winning a count back over Pete Sumner 11/10 on the back, and Jerry Sweetnam lost out after only scoring 15 on the last nine holes.
In the frame yet again, Rod Howett topped division 2 with 35 points and it was great to see the return of Ya Riley (she is still playing off the white tees) and today she came in second with 31 points, beating the Irish boy Frank Kelly on a 17/13 back-nine count back.
There was a heavy shower after nine holes but this only lasted 15 or 20 minutes with a light drizzle for the next ten minutes but no problems.
Four four-balls in front of our first group were so slow we recorded a round of four and three quarter hours which is unheard of on a Friday here.
Near pins went to Sandy Lundie (2), Jerry Sweetnam, Chris Voller, Frank Kelly, Richard Kings and Ian Plummer.
Sandy Lundie, Jerry Sweetnam and Chris Voller birdied the 3rd and the 13th to divide the ‘2’s purse in division 1, while in division 2 with his last game with us before he returning to Ireland for 3 months, Frank Kelly notched the only ‘2’ on the 3rd hole to win a rollover pot.
It was bon voyage to Kari Aarnio and Kai for their trip back to Finland.
