PSC Golf from the Café Kronborg
Tuesday, December 13, Khao Kheow B & C – Stableford
Another Thai Monday Public Holiday meant we were playing on a Tuesday for the second consecutive week and there were 31 golfers signed up, but a last minute ‘no show’ brought it down to 30.
We were happy to welcome Rob Brown’s wife Karen from Scotland, Carole & Richard Kubicki from U.K./Cyprus, Bent Agerbo from Denmark and Russell Goldsworthy from Gosnells Golf Club in Perth, Western Australia.
Peter Hammond (left) receives his Cafe Kronborg December Monthly Mug from Bjarne.
Waiting for the ‘no show’ caused us to depart the Kronny a few minutes later than our scheduled 0815 hrs and we arrived at the course just 42 minutes later. It was quite busy and we resigned ourselves to the fact that there would be very little chance of teeing off earlier than our 1006 hrs scheduled time so it was time to relax for an hour. Most of us took the opportunity to have a practice putt and chip and some even spent time on the driving range.
The weather was fantastic with clear skies, very moderate temperature and at times a fairly stiff breeze. Our first group, a threesome managed to hit off at 1002 hrs and the course was looking quite good, slowly improving after being fairly “ordinary” a month or so ago. There were fewer bare patches and compulsory GUR and the greens were firm and true & at times quite slick.
Having a five-ball (4 Farangs & 1 Thai professional) in front of us made things quite slow for us and our first nine (B) took just over two hours and fifteen minutes.
The Admiral commenced the C nine in style by making birdie on the first hole and gleefully shouted out to me “four for five!” I can’t remember witnessing one of those before and he proceeded to score three pointers on each of the next four holes to build the foundation for an excellent second nine. After waiting several times for the group ahead we finally completed our round in four hours and twenty five minutes.
Mike Gosden, Peter Blackburn & Dave Richardson.
There were 2 flights with A Flight for handicaps 0 to 19 and B Flight for 20 and over. There were rewards for nearest the pin on all four par threes and longest first putts on the ninth & eighteenth greens.
Aussie Mike Gosden took out the A Flight with a fine 39 points and in a count back his mate from Gosnells, Russell Goldsworthy (21 point back nine) finished second two points further back ahead of Dr Paul Cardwell (20 point back nine) in third spot. Niels Hansen (grumbling at not playing well) was fourth with 36 points just ahead of his mate Bjarne Kjaer, finishing fifth with 35 points.
It was The Admiral himself, Dave Richardson who won the B Flight with 39 points, just 1 point ahead of Svend Gaarde in second place with Svend’s wife Susan 1 point further back in third spot. There was a three-way count back for fourth and fifth places with Mike Winfield (19 point back nine) beating Michael Catillon (18 point back nine). Kjeld Ravn (17 point back nine) was the one who just missed out on a podium finish.
A Flight (0-19)
1st Mike Gosden (11) 39pts
2nd Russell Goldsworthy (2) 37pts
3rd Paul Cardwell (15) 37pts
4th Niels Hansen (15) 36pts
5th Bjarne Kjaer (19) 35pts
B Flight (21+)
1st Dave Richardson (25) 39pts
2nd Svend Gaarde (27) 38pts
3rd Susan Gaarde (26 37pts
4th Mike Winfield (20) 35pts
5th Michael Catillon (20) 35pts
Near Pins: B3 Susan Gaarde; B8 Mike Gosden; C3 Mike Winfield; C8 Don Richardson
Long Putts: B9 Elias Magnusson; C9 Niels Hansen
The Compass Cap was won by Martyn Topham and having recovered from his bout of distemper Deefa the Dog had a walk around with his master, Hunter, and collected many donations to charity from our generous Café Kronborg group.
Thursday, December 15, Pattaya C.C. – Monthly Mug/Stroke
It was that time of the month again when we get to play a stroke round in competing for the coveted Café Kronborg Monthly Mug.
After 2 disappointing ‘no shows’ we were left with 28 starters and we headed off from Café Kronborg a couple of minutes later than our scheduled 0815 hrs departure time. Just 23 minutes later we arrived at the course expecting a fairly lengthy wait before our allotted tee time but in actual fact our first group, a threesome was able to get away 48 minutes early at 0912 hrs.
Once more the weather was terrific with moderate temperature and a slight breeze and with the course in great shape we breezed around the front nine in just one hour & fifty minutes. Most in our group were having trouble with the speed of many of the greens and there were several three putts and a couple of four putts (including mine) as long downhill attempts on the slick ones caught us napping.
We continued our cracking pace and even after a lengthy drinks break before commencing “Amen Corner” (16,17 & 18) our full round was completed in four hours & eight minutes which for a stroke round is very good. It must be mentioned that Niels Hansen made a mockery of “Amen Corner” as he birdied the sixteenth & seventeenth holes!
In addition to the Monthly Mug Award we had 2 flights with A Flight for handicaps 0 to 19 and B Flight for 20 and over. There were rewards for nearest the pin on all four par threes and longest first putts on the ninth & eighteenth.
Peter Hammond emerged victorious and won the December Monthly Mug with a fine score of net 69, being the only player to beat their handicap on the day.
The A flight winner on a count back was Mike Gosden with net 73 (net 36 back nine) from Don Richardson (net 37 back nine) in second place. Birdie boy Niels Hansen finished third with net 74 and Dr Paul Cardwell was fourth on net 75.
Mike Winfield won B Flight with net 72 and in a three-way count back for second, third and fourth Dave “The Admiral” Richardson (net 34 back nine) finished ahead of Jan Lovgreen (net 37 back nine) with veteran Hugh O’Donnell (net 40 back nine) finishing in fourth place, all three having net 73’s.
Monthly Mug
1st Peter Hammond (22) net 69
A Flight (0-19)
1st Mike Gosden (11) net 73
2nd Don Richardson (10) net 73
3rd Niels Hansen (15) net 74
4th Paul Cardwell (15) net 75
B Flight (20+)
1st Mike Winfield (20) net 72
2nd Dave Richardson (25) net 73
3rd Jan Lovgreen (24) net 73
4th Hugh O’Donnell (24) net 73
Near Pins: 5th Susan Gaarde; 7th Svend Gaarde; 12th Takeshi Hakozaki; 16th Mashi Kaneta
Long Putts: 9th Hugh O’Donnell; 18th Peter Blackburn
The Compass Cap was well won by Kurt Sandgaard and Mike Gosden paraded Deefa the Dog who collected lots of donations to charity from the Kronny Crew.
