Jomtien Golf with the IPGC
Monday, Dec. 29, Pattavia – Stableford
Total chaos here today as we arrived with a 9.30 am reservation, booked three months in advance for eight groups. One of our groups managed to tee off the first at 9.15 a.m. but the next three were then instructed to start on the tenth. The final four groups had to wait behind and finally got off the first after another seven 4-balls had teed off in front of them. There were many moans afterwards but also a few good scores returned today.
Playing off 29, Charlie Charalambous took the win in division 2 with 41 points and behind him there were three players on 35 fighting for the next two positions, with Veli Laaksonnen taking second and Cliff Elliot is third. Rodney Howett was the unlucky player to lose out on count back.
(L to R): Jim Connelly, Alan Bissell, Howard Stanley and Mike Fitzgerald.
Bryan Rought came in with 39 points to win division 1, William Chang was second one point behind and Reijo Heiskenen placed third with 35 points.
Gerry Cooke and Glen Martin birdied the 4th and Bryan Rought the 13th to split the ‘2’s pot in division 2 and there were none recorded in the top flight.
Near pins went to (Div. 1) Max Alabor, Terry Madsen (2) and Jerry McCarthy, and (Div. 2) Edwin Jensson, Glen Martin and Jaap Zuidam.
Wednesday, Dec. 31, Eastern Star – Stableford
A 36-hole stableford competition over two rounds started today, to be completed on Friday, with an individual contest each day for 3 divisions, all courtesy of the rollover kitty. The almost equal cut in the three divisions were 6-14, 15-18 and 19+ with 32 players out.
There were two 37’s returned in the first and second divisions, Mikael Andersson won division 1 with that score ahead of Karl Flood in second and oin his last game before returning to the UK Kim Hewton was third with 32.
Khalifa Nasser topped division 2 with 37 points, Walter Weber was second one point behind and Gerry Cooke took third with 35.
Alan Bissell came in with 35 points to win division 3, four up on Howard Stanley in second, and in third place Kari Aarnio beat Mauri Friman 17/14 on the back nine after they both came in with 30 points each.
Near pins were claimed by (Div. 1) Mikael Andersson, Bill Bertram and Tommaso Femminella (2), and (Div. 2) Alan Bissell, Eiichi Matsumoto and Volker Suhr.
Khalifa Nasser birdied the 3rd, Karl Flood the 6th, Mikael Andersson the 13th and Tommaso the 17th to share the ‘2’s pot in division 1.
Friday, Jan. 2, Eastern Star – Stableford
Day two of the competition took place on Friday with a different cut in the divisions of 6-12 in division 1, 13-17 in division 2 and 18+ in the third with 36 players out.
Barney Sheedy claimed top spot in division 1 with 36 points and Bill Bertram came second after beating Tommaso 5/4 on the back three holes, both with 33 points overall.
Joe Kubon meanwhile won division 3 with an even par 36 points, Jim Connelly was second one point behind and Max Wilson placed third with 34.
In division 2, Bryan Rought beat Tony Thorne 18/17 on the back nine for first place after they both came in with 33 points each and in third place was Bristol boy Bob Poole on 32.
Near pins went to (Div. 1) Nik Evans, Jerry McCarthy, Marty Rock and Barney Sheedy, and Div. 2) Alan Bissell, Jim Connelly, Gerry Cooke and Bob Poole.
Wilf Latham birdied the 3rd and the signature hole 13th to scoop the ‘2’s in division 1 while Alan Bissell and Bob Poole shared the pot in division 2.
We also had some further technical prizes today sponsored by RK. The winners of these were: #4 (nearest pin in 3 shots) Chris Voller, Jerry McCarthy, Jim Connelly; #8 (nearest the pin in 3 shots) Mikael Andersson, Colin Aspinall; #9 (straightest drive) Ted Lodge, Phil Clereham, Howard Stanley; #12 (nearest pin in 2 shots) Barney Sheedy, Phil Clereham, Max Wilson; #16 (nearest pin in 2 shots) Barney Sheedy, Phil Clereham, William Chang; #18 (longest drive) Marty Rock, Khalifa Nasser and William Chang.
The overall winner over the 36 holes was Gerry Cooke, beating Khalifa Nasser 29/27 on the back 18 after they both scored 64 points. Joe Kubon was third one point behind, beating Tony Thorne, Tommaso and Walter Weber on a 36/33/33/27 back nine count back.
There was a warm welcome return this week to Herma and Mike Fitzgerald, Jill and Barry Stirling and Harry Vincenzi.
