The Billabong Bar Golf Society
Monday, March 13, Phoenix Gold – Stableford
Phoenix today, playing Lake and Ocean loops and the course is in great condition. With five teams competing we were away to an 8.45am start and just coasted around the course. It’s starting to get a little hotter now so playing the Ocean side as our last nine the breeze we got was just perfect to cool things down.
There were three ‘2’s coming from our Australian friend Chris Van Hausen, who managed to get two of them while Thiery Temine got the other.
The course must have been playing easy today with a count back for second and third between ‘Arab’ Russell and Chris Van with Arab taking the silver due to his 23 points on the back-nine to Chris’s 21, both scoring 39 points overall. Capt. Bob with his new clubs took the top spot with his best round in months, a sterling 44 points. Of course a bell ring was in order later at the bar.
Wednesday, March 15, Green Valley – Stableford
Is it going to close or not? How the management have decided to carry out the renovations to the course depends on who you speak to. Are they going to close the course, close a hole at a time, 9 holes at a time or what? We can only hope that they know what they are doing but we will discover the result in due course.
With the Singha Open taking place shortly, a lot of attention is being given to the course and, with the exception of some bunkers, the course is playing well and this was reflected in the scores which, overall, were good.
Ten groups out but Miss Noodle had the best score of the day and a welcome return to winning ways with 40 points. Miss Sa could also have reached the 40 mark had she scored on 9 holes instead of 6 on the front nine she but ended up with a respectable 38 points in second. Miss Kran secured third place in the Ladies flight with 20 points on the back nine for 36 points.
In the men’s competition, Wayne Cotterell beat off the challenge of Dick Hayes with a better back nine for fourth place on 35 points. Jeff North was steady with 36 points but a return to form from George Barrie secured second place, one better than Jeff. William Macey, a candidate to be the worst chipper in Thailand, surprisingly got up and down 3 times to secure the win with 38 points.
Four ‘2’s today, going to Cottee, Arch Armstrong, Peter Le Noury and Miss Yen.
Friday, March 17, Crystal Bay – Stableford
A wet and windy Crystal Bay was the challenge today and we got 9 holes in before the storm hit, and down it came with everyone holed up in the drink stops around the course. It was thus decided to make it a nine-hole tournament. The course before the rain was in great condition but the greens were a little slow and grainy.
It was a harrowing drive back to the bar with in some place’s water as deep as 2 feet across the road.
There were no ‘2’s so all proceeds went to the placings. Coming in fourth place was Archie Armstrong with 17 points, him being beaten on a count back by his playing partner Jeff North. Dick Hayes took second with 18 points and taking the top spot just before he headed back home to Perth was Chris Dodd with 20 points.
