Traveller’s Rest Golf Group
Monday, April 9, Silky Oak – Stableford
1st Dave Palmer (9) 38pts
2nd Keith Evans (15) 36pts
3rd Roger Wilkinson (15) 36pts
Many TRGG members have lived in Pattaya for quite a few years and bid a hasty retreat out of town to escape the Songkran mayhem. Those remaining though, enjoy millionaire’s golf as the courses are virtually empty and getting around in three and a half hours is the norm.
The pace obviously suited Monday’s winner Dave Palmer, who strolled around Silky Oak notching up an unbeatable 38 points. Hot on his heels was the man in form Keith Evans with 36 points, just edging out Roger Wilkinson’s 36 on a count-back.
Tuesday, April 10, Green Valley – Stableford
1st Klaus Fast (2) 39pts
2nd Peter McGinty (22) 37pts
3rd Colin Smith (16) 34pts
Tuesday we played at Green Valley and Klaus Fast was honing his skills for the prestigious TRGG King of the Mountain tour in Hua Hin. Klaus finished the day with an impressive 39 points while Peter McGinty, thinking he had done enough to win today, was second on 37 and Colin Smith continued with his great form and posted 35 points for third place.
Wednesday, April 11, Bangpra – Stableford
1st Ted Senior (16) 41pts
2nd Klaus Fast (2) 37pts
3rd Keith Evans (15) 33pts
Wednesday saw a welcome return to Bangpra, which we hadn’t played in over a year. The course was absolutely prolific with monkeys, however with the caddies standing guard with their catapults we were escorted from tee to green in relative safety.
“Father” Ted Senior was oblivious to his distant cousins as he carved out 41 points to take the day’s honors. In second place it was the smooth swinging Klaus Fast who shot seventy one off the stick to accrue 37 points. Third place went to Keith Evans with 32 points.
Thursday, April 12, Phoenix Gold – Stableford
1st Bill Copeland (13) 30pts
2nd Alun Webber (22) 29pts
3rd Roger Wilkinson (15) 28pts
With the Ocean course still closed at Phoenix we once again took on the Mountain & Lakes courses. With the place to ourselves and near perfect weather conditions we were expecting some very high scoring, but this was not the case.
At presentation a very surprised Bill Copeland graciously accepted first prize with an incredible 30 points. Alun Webber, the self taught male version of Michelle Wie, took second place with 29 points and Roger Wilkinson, whose love affair with Phoenix is on shaky ground, was even more surprised when his name was called out for third place with 28.
Friday, April 23, Burapha – Stableford
1st Colin Smith (16) 37pts
2nd Gary Brocket (12) 37pts
3rd Mr Okada (20) 37pts
The end of the working week and we took our regular short trip to Burapha. The TRGG golfers were eager to redeem themselves after Thursday’s poor scoring and it was like chalk and cheese with sixteen out of eighteen players shooting 31 points or better.
The top position was a fiercely fought contest with all three places being decided on count-backs. Colin Smith, a man with a calm demeanour and an ability to keep it together under extreme pressure, emerged from the battle with the victory. Second place went to Gary Brocket and third to Mr Okada.
Saturday, April 14, Greenwood – Stableford
1st Nori Tanaka (10) 34pts
2nd Colin Smith (16) 33pts
3rd Jiro Kubota (12) 32pts
Saturday and the boys headed back up the 331 to play Greenwood. With most of the field nursing hangovers from Friday night’s TRGG party we weren’t expecting any big scores.
Taking first place today was Nori Tanaka who posted a respectable 34 points. Second place went to Colin Smith who at 3am was one of the last to leave the party. On the first tee he could hardly see the fairway and only managed to record fourteen points to the turn, however on the back nine his impaired vision had improved and he finished the day with 33 points. Jiro Kubota did the daily double for Japan taking third place with 32.
