IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, Oct. 3, Bangpra – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Shuichi Kodaka (19) 31pts
2nd Markku Tynell (21) 29pts
3rd John Carlin (18) 28pts
4th Phil Cass (16) 27pts
5th John Teague (21) 26pts
A very wet course awaited the smaller than usual group that set off from Soi Lengkee under heavily overcast skies, but the rain stayed away for the whole round apart from a slight drizzle. This did not help the scores any as the course, which is always one of the toughest on the schedule, played much longer that the card suggested with zero run and still with the extremely difficult greens to negotiate, so it was no surprise to find that the day’s CSS went out three to 75 and the event became non-counting for upward review of handicaps.
Shuichi Kodaka played possibly the steadiest, using his handicap allowance well, but still he could garner just 31 points, which proved just sufficient to win the day.
Markku Tynell slipped into second place a couple of shots behind and one ahead of third placed John Carlin. Phil Cass took fourth and John Teague fifth to round out the day’s shortened podium places.
No prizes for guessing that there were no ‘2’s in either the first or second division with the going so difficult.
Wednesday, Oct. 5, Pattana A & C (yellow tees) – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Frank Harrington (6) 38pts
2nd Larry Gibb (19) 37pts
3rd Mike Korney (18) 35pts
4th Benny Hansen (27) 35pts
5th Phil Cass (16) 34pts
6th Markku Tynell (21) 33pts
The second test of the week was the always immaculate Pattana where the A and C courses were the two in play for the day. Although the conditions were not perfect there was still enough run of the well-drained fairways to dramatically improve the results from the previous outing, with the greens being superbly flat and with a good speed which assisted the scores as well.
Frank Harrington imperiously strode to the top step of the podium with an excellent two under handicap gross 76, which included a one over on the front nine for twenty points followed by a solid level par back nine to take the win by a slim one point.
The disappointed second placed player was Larry Gibb who thought he was on his way to another win after closing out the front nine at three under handicap for 21 points, but a blob on the tenth saw him struggling from then on as Frank, one of his playing partners, took three points and continued to coast home. But it was Larry’s best round for over a month so second place was acceptable on that occasion.
Mike Korney won a count back over Benny Hansen with a better 20 to 17 to claim third spot and leave Benny in fourth.
Phil Cass improved considerably from the previous event but still only finished fifth and Markku Tynell suffered the same fate, playing five better but dropping to sixth place another shot back.
Once again there were no 2s in either of the divisions.
Friday, Oct. 7, Pattaya C.C. – Stableford
CSS 71
1st John Entsuah (10) 40pts
2nd Chris Smith (0) 37pts
3rd Larry Gibb (19) 35pts
4th Frank Harrington (6) 34pts
5th John Tallett (24) 34pts
6th Mike Korney (18) 33pts
The best of the week was saved for the last with the group playing its usual once a fortnight competition at the redesigned and renovated Pattaya Country Club course, where the conditions were very good considering the amount of rain the area had taken in recent days. It was a testament to the excellent drainage that the course offers and with the greens being quite receptive the scoring was once again more positive, with the CSS for the day reducing one to 71.
John Entsuah returned in good form and after declaring a one shot drop in handicap still outscored the best of the rest by three shots as he returned the best points total for the week.
But the best gross of the week belonged to second placed Chris Smith whose gross 71 off his zero handicap ensured that he would in future be a plus one player and stand head and shoulders atop of the IPGC rankings in the handicap lists as the top amateur. Chris’s great round contained four birdies and an eagle on the 490 yard par 5 eighteenth following a drive and a solid six iron to four feet.
Larry Gibb continued with his good run of form, taking third place after amassing six three-pointers on the way but unfortunately too many singletons to get into contention.
Frank Harrington closed out a very enjoyable golfing holiday, winning a count back for fourth place with a better 18 to 17 to leave John Tallett in fifth and ruing a couple of zero-pointers on the closing nine that cost him dearly.
Mike Korney could have been a contender if he had started better than with two zeros on the first two holes but as usual after looking great from tee to green his putting pulled him down to finish on the lower steps of the podium in sixth place.
At last there were some 2s in the group as Mike Korney cleaned out the second division pool with a very rare single putt and John Entsuah added to his day’s haul with the sole one in the first division.
