Pattaya Sports Club Bunker Boys Golf
Monday, November 1st
Mountain Shadow Golf Club
1st Mashi Kaneta (19) 33 points
2nd Niall Glover (15) 33 points
3rd Jimmy Carr (18) 33 points
Near pins Niall Glover, Geoff Parker, Les Cobban, & Mashi Kaneta.
It had been some time since the Bunker Boys’ last visit to Mountain Shadow so we were not quite sure what to expect. As it turned out the fairways and greens were in excellent condition, the tee boxes were ok but the bunkers were very poor, unraked, with washouts, and with hard-packed sand. Anybody going in them faced a serious challenge to get out.
The day was bright and sunny but not too hot. By the end of the round, the skies looked threatening, and on the trip back to Pattaya it came down heavy, so a lucky escape. For just about the whole round we saw no other golfers on the course, but before we left the clubhouse one supersize group was seen on the ninth green.
Scoring was modest as usual at this course, most find it one of the more difficult courses on our roster. In another rare visit, Mashi Kaneta took first place on countback from Niall Glover and Jimmy Carr, all on thirty-three points. Niall and Mashi also bagged near pins with the two others going to Geoff Parker and Les Cobban.
Wednesday, November 3rd
Pattaya Country Club
1st Jay Babin (22) 41 points
2nd Bob Innes (31) 39 points
3rd Tony Robbins (24) 38 points
Near pins Geoff Parker, Kevin LeBar, Bob Innes, & Michael Brett.
Yesterday marked the official end of the monsoon season and right on cue we got a bright sunny day with no threat of rain for our game at Pattaya Country Club. One more time when we had a course virtually to ourselves, there were other groups out ahead and behind us but well-spaced out so there were no delays in play and a speedy round was had.
As has been the case since being returfed the Pattaya Country Club course was in prime condition, with no complaints about any aspect of the course.
A nice breeze blew all day keeping things cool without affecting play too much. A most curious situation came to light after the game when it was revealed that it was cheaper to play at the all-in fee using a PSC voucher rather than walk, just another one of the curiosities that crop up from time to time in Thailand.
In contrast with Monday when scores were low today we had the reverse with a lot of very good scores returned. It is noteworthy that all today’s winners were twenty-plus handicappers. Could it be that the new handicap system is not working as well as one might expect? Certainly the low handicappers felt they were carrying a heavy load today.
Top of the heap was Jay Babin with forty-one points off a twenty-two handicap. Jay’s scores have a habit of fluctuating wildly over the course of the month. For some time now Jay has had his eyes firmly fixed on the golfer of the month trophy, could this be the month he breaks through?
In addition to almost grabbing a hole in one, Bob Innes took second place with a very decent thirty-nine points off his thirty-one handicap. We should see that receive a serious haircut from here on. Tony Robbins, unbelievably on a twenty-four handicap, took third place with thirty-eight points. All the near pins were taken with one each going to Geoff Parker, Kevin LeBar, Bob Innes, and Michael Brett. This is a course where one expects all the near pins to be taken.
All our overseas regular visitors should note that the Club Championship is scheduled for the third week of next month and those traveling should bear this in mind when making their travel arrangements. We would love to see a big group visiting when next month we are promised that the bars will finally be open.
Friday, November 5th
Pattavia Century Golf Club
1st Jimmy Carr (18) 40 points
2nd Bob Innes (30) 37 points
3rd Geoff Cox (17) 37 points
Team event, best pair Jimmy Carr & Kevin LeBar 47 points
Near pins Alan Sullivan, Geoff Parker, Les Cobban, & Jimmy Carr.
The Pattavia course was very quiet for the last game of the week where we had a very good roll-up. Conditions were perfect for golf; bright and sunny without being too hot. The course was in excellent condition; in particular, the greens were back to their treacherous speed and it was very difficult to hold any putts that missed close to the hole.
A mixed game today where we played a two-ball better ball competition as well as the regular individual event. Scoring was again on the very good side for the second game in a row. Jimmy Carr ripped up the course today with a score of forty points. There was a strong rumour that a bit of handicap protection took place and he scored very poorly on the last three holes. Who knows what he would have scored had he kept it going to the end.
Following on from his excellent score of Wednesday and with a one-stroke cut in handicap, Bob Innes again claimed second place with thirty-seven points to edge out Geoff Cox on countback into third place. No heroics today from Jay Babin who had a Barry Crocker, yo-yo golf as he so often does.
Despite throwing out the anchor on the closing holes by Jimmy, his partner Kevin LeBar came to the rescue to take out the team event with forty-seven points. All the near pins were taken going to Alan Sullivan, Geoff Parker, Les Cobban, and Jimmy Carr.
The first proper away trip for some time next week when we pay a visit to Kanchanaburi where we have good numbers so we are hoping for some excellent golf and a good time.
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