PSC Bunker Boys Golf Society
Monday, August 15, Bangpra (white tees) – Stableford
1st Les Hall (22) 43pts
2nd Raleigh Gosney (18) 39pts
3rd Neil Carter (16) 36pts
Near Pins: Les Hall, Neil Carter, Geoff Parker, Jimmy Carr.
This track has finally recovered from the summer drought: tee-boxes with grass, fairways lush, and greens running true but slower than usual. The only downside on this particular day was the state of the bunkers which seemed to be clad with a layer of cement. What’s with the bunker maintenance on many of the courses in the area? How hard can it be to dump in the appropriate bunker sand, extract weeds and miscellaneous litter, rake it real pretty, and then instruct the caddies on maintenance? I’ll venture an attempt at answering this question by saying it must be Very Hard as few courses seem to be up to the challenge.
Les Hall continued his run of fine play by posting an outstanding score of 43 stableford points to take first place. This came hot on the heels of a 40 at Treasure Hill the previous Friday. The man is on fire, and it just goes to show that once you get a Yorkshire man aroused, which is not easy, watch out!
Wednesday, August 17, Pleasant Valley (blue tees) – Stableford
1st Colin Greig (12) 40pts
2nd Gerry Cooney (16) 39pts
3rd Geoff Parker (14) 36pts
Near Pins: Kenny Chung, Gerry Cooney (2)
They have obviously been getting ample rain up north as the course was a luxuriant, verdant green, and buggies weren’t allowed off the paths. After the first couple holes, we were thinking we should have called for ‘lift-clean-and place’.
At 6,400 yards off the blue tees, Pleasant Valley is one of the more fun courses to play in the area. Fun, that is, if you enjoy the challenge of water carries, waste carries, and out of bounds markers just where you wouldn’t expect them. Those who don’t see the fun in this have dubbed the course UnPleasant Valley: a very unfair characterization.
Gerry Cooney, not having played the course in over a year, had a lot of fun by taking second place and posting two near pins. Even with a very fine 39 stableford points he had to play second fiddle to Colin Greig who bettered him by a nose on 40 points.
Geoff Parker wasn’t far a field with 36 points. In addition to his 36 point third place finish, Geoff nearly claimed a cheap near pin by hitting a grounder on the 122-yard par-3 17th that rolled, bounced, twisted and came to rest within seven feet of the cup. Geoff thought the golf Gods were with him but, frowning on such play, they allowed Gerry, who hit the ball in the air, to land within six feet of the cup. By the way, the hole was actually playing less than 100 yards as a temporary green was in play in front of the regular green which is undergoing a complete renewal.
Friday, August 19, Crystal Bay C & B (white tees) – Medal
1st Geoff Parker (14) net 68
2nd Raleigh Gosney (18) net 72
3rd Colin Greig (11) net 74
Near Pins: Gerry Cooney, Geoff Cox, Geoff Parker, Raleigh Gosney.
How does that saying go, “What a difference a day makes” or, something to this effect? Well, let’s tweak it a bit and make it “what a difference a side makes” as in front nine greens slow to very slow, and back nine greens normal to fast. It certainly made a difference today as many of us found ourselves running by the hole anywhere from two to four feet. The adjustment took at least three or four holes, which equals three or four less stableford points. Some of us, read Geoff Cox, were never able to get back on track.
Mr. throw first and ask questions later, Peter Habgood, was in excellent form today. The 156-yard par-3 7th hole on the B track was the scene of the excitement. With a water carry of some 130 yards, and rough on both sides, a bit of accuracy is of the utmost importance. Peter selected a PW, stood in the tee-box and four balls in the water were swiftly followed by the PW – LOL. Fortunately, he was able to reclaim the wedge by paying for some deep-pond diving.
Neil Carter and Jimmy Carr both struggled today: Neil by suffering an extreme meltdown on the back by posting a 55 after a 42 on the front, and Jimmy by not claiming a near pin. Jimmy has hit a pin in nearly every round for weeks now. Oh well, at least he didn’t have to pay for any deep-pond diving.
