Travellers Rest Golf Group
It turned out to be antipodean week at the TRGG this week with wall to wall Aussies winning everything. It was all smiles from our Down Under cousins, which as you all know happens once in a blue moon. Still they are in Thailand now – the Land of Smiles.
Monday, Sept. 19, Khao Kheow – Stableford
The week commenced at Khao Kheow (A and B courses) on Monday, a tough test for the average golfer. I was talking to the winner, Trevor Oliver, later in the week and he told me he was born in South Wales, not New South Wales, and had been living in Western Australia for many a year and was now happy to be called an Australian as that was his home. I asked him what crime he had been convicted of back in Wales that had caused his deportation. He just smiled.
At Khao Kheow, Trevor showed the rest how to play the course by amassing a very commendable 37pts. Five shots behind another two Aussies fought it out toe to toe and finished on the same score. After a count back it was discovered that Bob Cannon had knocked Billy Allan down to third place
1st Trevor Oliver (13) 37pts
2nd Robert Cannon (18) 32pts
3rd Billy Allan (19) 32pts
Tuesday, Sept. 20, Leam Chabang – Stableford
On Tuesday it was a very rare visit over to Laem Chabang (A and B courses) and on this occasion Monday’s winner Trevor Oliver repeated his feat of the day before. He took all the plaudits and walked off with all the prize money yet again, this time recording a winning score of 38pts.
By coincidence, Trevor beat the South Wales maestro Alun Webber into second place and found out that they both used to be members of the same golf course in South Wales, but about twenty years apart. An evening of reminiscing then took place with tales of derring-do from the two old codgers remembering their boyhoods.
In third place, yes you guessed it, came another Aussie in the shape of Derek Thorogood, who by coincidence had just returned from Western Australia.
1st Trevor Oliver (13) 38pts
2nd Alun Evans (21) 37pts
3rd Derek Thorogood (15) 34pts
Wednesday, Sept 21, Bangpra – Stableford
It turned out to be another clean sweep for the antipodean brethren at Bangpra on Wednesday. This time it was Gary Bennett who kept the Aussie flag flying at the top of the leader board. He finished on 36pts which turned out to be three shots better than second placed Billy Allan, and four better than third placed Sir Norman Cheetham.
1st Gary Bennett (16) 36pts
2nd Billy Allan (19) 33pts
3rd Norman Cheetham (15) 32pts
Thursday, Sept. 22, Green Valley – Stableford
On Thursday it was off to Green Valley once again. Sir Norman Cheetham is an upstanding fellow who buys everybody a drink when he achieves a hole in one (unlike some I could mention). On Thursday he did not achieve another hole in one but did take first place with an excellent 40pts. So there was no moaning from Norm on the day as he pocketed the money.
Retired train driver big John O’Donoghue, an Aussie who can moan with the best of them, came in second and Welshman Alun Webber, who never moans, placed third.
1st Norman Cheetham (16) 40pts
2nd John O’Donoghue (18) 39pts
3rd Alun Webber (21) 37pts
Friday, Sept. 23, Burapha – Stableford
It was the last chance on Friday for the Rest of the World to prevent an Aussie whitewash and boy did they put up a fight at Burapha (A and B courses), but in the end sadly they failed.
Would you believe it the top three places all finished with 42pts! After the regulatory count back it was discovered that Aussie Stewart Booth had relegated Yuji Mita into second place and valiant Brit Richard Talbot into third. I don’t know what was worse for the second and third, losing out on top spot finishing with 42pts or seeing their handicap fall two clear shots in the process.
1st Stewart Booth (10) 42pts
2nd Yuji Mita (18) 42pts
3rd Richard Talbot (18) 42pts
Good luck to all you golfers for the coming week and if you would like to play a round of golf with the TRGG, please phone Derek Thorogood on 080 673 3118 or pop into the Valentines Guest House Restaurant and Bar in Soi Lengkee and add your name to the weekly lists which are posted on the notice board.
