IPGC golf from The Haven
Monday, August 4, Mountain Shadow – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Hal Hart (22) 39pts
2nd Alan Heavey (26) 34pts
3rd Rodney Nabbe (11) 34pts
4th Mike Lowe (16) 34pts
5th Allan Raaen (7) 34pts
For once in a very long while the course came off second best, as the CSS for the day moved down to 71, when many of the day’s contenders managed their rounds far better than usual.
(From left) Rodney Nabbe and Philip Cass.
The best of the day was owned by Hal Hart who made a dramatic return to form to sweep to the top of the leader board once again and win by a five shot margin, leaving the big hitters trailing in his wake. His round included eight 3-pointers and even two blank spaces on the card on his way to equaling his best ever round, finishing with an excellent 21 points under the whip with many of the field breathing down his neck in hot pursuit.
Following the presentations, Hal went out to celebrate his unexpected high along Walking Street and found, deep into the night, an equally unexpected low, after his playing partner paid up for the evening’s entertainment and beyond. What ensued has since become the stuff of legend from Soi Zero to the Bay Shore.
Hal Hart experiences the highs and lows of Pattaya.
Alan Heavey was the best of the rest as he won a four-way count back for second place with a very strong 22 finish over the inward half, which left pre-game favourite Rodney Nabbe in third after he could cobble together just the standard 18 points.
Mike Lowe belied his age in taking fourth spot when he won over Allan Raaen with a better 5 to 3 on the last three holes after they had tied the nine on 15 each and the six in 9s.
There were no 2’s in either division.
Wednesday, August 6, Green Valley – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Rodney Nabbe (11) 38pts
2nd Kevin Blake (8) 36pts
3rd Mike Lowe (16) 35pts
4th Hal Hart (22) 34pts
5th Russell Gilroy (15) 30pts
6th Don Everett (19) 30pts
After a huge and unexpected influx of golfers, extra buses and cars were needed to transport all the hopefuls to the Green Valley course, which had been missing from the calendar for several months due to overbooking. However, on this occasion the groups were able to tee off more than an hour ahead of their allotted tee time which added greatly to the day’s pleasure of being able to challenge once again one of the more testing eighteens in the area.
Rodney Nabbe confirmed his standing as the pre-match co-favourite along with Hal Hart, as he took yet another win on his current tour of Thailand with a two under handicap round that included two 4-pointers and five 3’s and even including a blob on the seventeenth which was immediately rectified with a gross birdie on the extremely difficult last hole.
That left Kevin Blake, who is still struggling to find his lost form but would appear on this showing to be near to success, in second place just one ahead of birthday boy Mike Lowe in third.
Hal Hart very nearly completed a stunning double considering his activities in-between, and but for what should now be considered an unusual aberration of four blank spaces on his card, when perhaps reminiscing over the week’s previous highs and lows, he could have been on the top step once again but had to settle for fourth spot.
There then came six players on 30 points with Russell Gilroy and Don Everett topping the list with 17 each on the back nine, with Russell taking fifth with a better 14 to 12 on the last six holes.
Kevin Blake cleaned out the rollover pool in the first division 2’s as once again there were none in the second division.
Friday, August 8, Eastern Star – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Philip Cass (20) 31pts
2nd Don Everett (19) 30pts
3rd Alan Heavey (26) 29pts
4th Mike Hill (22) 28pts
5th Rodney Nabbe (11) 28pts
The last day of the week dawned with one too many clouds in the sky, and with one of the longest courses on the schedule to contend with it determined that the scores were the lowest by far, with none making the standard of two over handicap. But with the addition of the Jomtiem group playing here as usual on a Friday, the CSS was actually reduced to 71 for the day.
Philip Cass had the best result of the group, even including three blobs, at five over handicap and ran out the winner by one from Don Everett, who but for an uncharacteristic zero on the last hole would have taken the day.
Alan Heavey made it three Aussies in the top three as he locked up third place with a mind blowing ten going out and nineteen coming home for twenty nine points.
It was left to Mike Hill to stop another complete Aussie rout of the English as he took fourth place ahead of Rodney Nabbe with a better 12 to 10 on the last six after they had tied the nine on 16 apiece.
Rodney Nabbe took a heavily loaded 2’s pot in the first division whilst once again there were no takers in the second division.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact mobile 094 567 5726 or call in to The Haven Hotel, at 185 Soi 13, between Beach Road and 2nd Road. All transportation to the course is arranged and you do not need to sign up prior to the day, but you should be there by 8.15 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days that you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
