PSC golf from the Outback Golf Bar
Monday, January 16, Burapha – Stableford
Today at Burapha and the second of our split Mondays, the 20 Outbackers played C and D from the whites. Generally the standard of scoring was very good even though the fairways were very wet in places – you could have almost have played winter rules as we were getting lumps of mud on the ball in many cases.
John Fitzgerald, scoring 40 points for the second time in a row here at Burapha, took the top prize in Div B as well as the bragging rights for the best score of the day and a handicap cut of 1.2. That however, will have to wait until next time as we are saying goodbye to Mags and John as they are off back to Ireland, safe travelling folks.
Steve Mann celebrates with a cigar after being crowned 2011 Outback champion.
With just five groups playing, it was a very quick round and there were few other people on the course, it was very muggy with no wind for the first nine holes then a little breeze sprung up and cooled us down somewhat.
There were five ‘2’s; three on hole C5, from Paul Bourke, John Fitzgerald & John White, Noddy Moyle got one on C8 and finally Paul Bourke had his second on D8.
Div A (0-14)
1st Paul Bourke (10/Hi9.7) 38pts
2nd Neil Lavery (13/Hi12.6) 36pts
3rd John Cunningham (6/Hi6.5) 34pts
Div B (15+)
1st John Fitzgerald (17/Hi16.2) 40pts
2nd Paul Rodgers (21/Hi20.6) 37pts
3rd Joe Mooneyham (15/Hi14.8) 33pts
Monday, January 16, Khao Kheow – Stableford
With 20 Outbackers at Burapha and another 23 ‘real’ golfers here at Khao Kheow the day was set for excellent golf. No disappointment here as Andy Butterworth went out on the C loop in level par to notch up 25 stableford points whilst on the receiving end of a barrage of abuse from his playing partner and good mate, Andy Robertson. Perhaps that’s what fired him on or was the late drinking session with General Jack the night before, which may have contributed to Jack returning a score for the first time for a while! Any which way, he (Andy) played more normal golf on the back nine (loop B) to end up with a total of 43pts, a brilliant score from the yellows on this course.
Paul Greenaway – Div A winner at Green Valley.
There were many other good returns as both Bernie Stafford (37pts) and Steve Mann (36pts) both found out, when neither of them made the podium as Steve Plant (39) and Dennis Pelly (38) filled the minor places in Div A.
The scoring was still good in Div B with Brian Maddox taking the honours with 38 from Carl Luke on 37 and Arab Russell back in third with 34.
There were four ‘2’s from Ed Middlewood (hole C3), Suzi Lawton (B3), and two on C8 from Dennis Pelly & Sugar Ray.
Div A (0-18)
1st Andy Butterworth (14/Hi13.2) 43pts
2nd Steve Plant (15/Hi13.8) 39pts
3rd Dennis Pelly (11/Hi10.8) 38pts
Div B (19+)
1st Brian Maddox (22/Hi20.6) 38pts
2nd Carl Luke (19/Hi17.8) 37pts
3rd Arab Russell (25/Hi23.6) 34pts
Tuesday, Pattaya C.C. – Stableford
Today the first serious rain of the year fell very locally, it caught some of the 16 Outbackers here at Pattaya C C; there was none at all just down the road from the bar but Capt’ Bob got soaked twice (now on his third change of clothes) as he went in and out of Pattaya.
Neil Lavery and Paul Bourke both made it to Friday’s podium.
Nevertheless, all but one group escaped the worst of it as the best score of the day (37pts) went to Orn playing off 14, second was Tom Murray with 34 off of 8 and third, John Cogan with 32.
Welcome back to Terry Marney after a stretch of high intensity work and also to the Pearns and Darren Cook, all here on a fleeting visit.
There were only two ‘2’s from Eddie O’Neill on hole 7 and Alan Whittingham on hole 16.
1st Orn Kanasaengsri (14/Hi14.2) 37pts
2nd Tom Murray (8/Hi9.3) 34pts
3rd John Cogan (15/Hi16.2) 32pts
Wednesday,January 18,Greenwood –Better-Ball Stableford
19 Outbackers made the trip up to Greenwood today with the new schedule, for our first visit here since June last year. The green fee here is fantastic, as is the condition of the course, even if they don’t marshal it properly allowing five-ball groups to walk! Although we waited every hole, often with three groups stacked up on the par threes, we were round in about four and a half hours playing the A & B loops.
The course had not been set up before using the EGA handicap system, so General Jack was unable to advise precisely what people’s playing handicaps would be, but generally everybody got at least one stroke more than their index using a rating of 71.6 and the slope of 128.
The scoring was solid, yet not fantastic, as Gary Hogg took division A with 36pts ahead of the 2011 Outback Champion, Steve Mann on 35 and Kissy back in third with 34, whilst Jack at last started to sort his game out with 37pts to win division B, even if he was playing off an outrageous handicap of 18! Second in Div B was Ivan Plunkett (36) and third Bernie (34) beating Bob Lindborg on count back.
Today was also supposed to be the start of our new two-day competitions (Weds and Thurs) but it has been slow to get going and thus difficult to administrate. However we came up with a solution today which makes it easy for everybody yet doesn’t affect the normal singles competition, a blind draw better-ball. Everybody drew out a number before they teed off and they were matched at the end of the round with another player who drew the same number but nobody knew who their partner was.
The winners today of this sponsored tournament were Bernie Stafford and Bob St. Aubin, probably a more unlikely pair to play together you could never find, with a fine score of 45pts. The sponsors of this tournament were Kirwan Industrial Services.
There were no ‘2’s recorded today.
Individual
Div A (0-15)
1st, Gary Hogg (8/Hi7.1) 36pts
2nd Steve Mann (11/Hi9.9) 35pts
3rd Keith Buchanan (13/Hi11.4) 34pts
Div B (16+)
1st Jack Moseley (18/Hi16.2) 37pts
2nd Ivan Plunkett (23/Hi20.4) 36pts
3rd Bernie Stafford (17/Hi15) 34pts
Team
1st Bernie Stafford & Bob St. Aubin 45 pts
2nd Jack Moseley & Keith Buchanan 44 pts
3rd John Locke & Paul Greenaway 44 pts
Thursday,January 19, Rayong C.C. – Better-Ball Stableford
Another course the Outback haven’t been to in a long time, this time Rayong C.C. and another Sir Nick Faldo design. 13 players took advantage of the very reasonable green fee rate to find the course in acceptable condition, although there were some poor patches here and there but the greens were fine.
This course has not been officially rated and is therefore given a PSC standard rating of 72/120 until such time that it can be rated; the PSC handicap committee is due to meet soon so maybe it can be done in the next few weeks.
Now Capt’ Bob played here and as such it would normally fall upon his shoulders to submit a write up but after the presentation it became abundantly clear, that this was the one man band show and it was probably better that he did not say anything.
So the winner was Capt’ Bob with 36pts, Capt’ Bob had the only ‘2’ and Capt’ Bob won the second of the Kirwan Asia sponsored, blind draw 4BBB with his partner, Jeff North!
There’s very little else to be said other than welcome to Ed Turner, first time with the Outback and well done for getting second with 34 and welcome back to Stan Stoker and a couple of his Canadian friends, but you all just happened to catch Bob on a good day despite him being in pain after ricking his back the night before.
Individual
1st Bob Philp (12/Hi11) 36pts
2nd Ed Turner (15/Hi14) 34pts
3rd Owen Walkley (10/Hi9.8) 33pts
Team
1st Jeff North & Bob Philp 43 pts
2nd Geoff Couch & Bill Marsden 41 pts
3rd Dick Mohns & Arab Russell 39 pts
Friday, January 20, Green Valley – Stableford
A really solid performance from many of the 37 Outbackers playing today contributed to a very high standard of scoring in all divisions; only two of Div A failed to score 30pts, three in Div B and six in Div C.
The top score of the day came from last minute entry, Brian Wilkinson, who scored 39pts to win Div B from Keith (Kissy) Buchanan on 38 and Neil Lavery, two back on 36; Neil beating Joe Mooneyham on count back. Joe must have felt slightly disappointed having started the day with a wipe but still managing 22pts on the front nine only to lose the plot on the back.
Paul Greenaway once again demonstrated his like of this course with a fine 38pts to take the premier division from his good friend Paul Bourke on 36; whilst the 2011 Outback Golf Champion, Steve Mann had to be content with third place on 35.
The Sugarman, who also favours this course, also scored 38pts to win Div C from Tom Parker (36), having his first podium finish and Noddy (36) who is eventually finding a bit of form after last year’s success.
There were loads of ‘2’s; Paul Greenaway & Joe Mooneyham on hole 4, Owen Lloyd (hole 7), Steve Mann & Dick Mohns on hole 9, John Player (hole 12) and John Stafford (hole 16).
Did you spot the odd one out? Hole 7 is a par 4, Owen had an eagle 2!
Finally, a special welcome back to Emmet White who we haven’t seen for a while and also to Gerry O’Dwyer and Eddie Smith.
Div A (0-10)
1st Paul Greenaway (8/Hi8.6) 38pts
2nd Paul Bourke (8/Hi9.4) 36pts
3rd Steve Mann (9/Hi9.9) 35pts
Div B (11-16)
1st Brian Wilkinson (13/Hi13.7) 39pts
2nd Keith Buchanan (11/Hi11.4) 38pts
3rd Neil Lavery (12/Hi12.7) 36pts
Div C (17+)
1st Sugar Ray Handford (18/Hi18.3) 38pts
2nd Tom Parker (18/Hi18.2) 36pts
3rd Noddy Moyle (17/Hi16.7) 36pts
