PSC Golf from the Café Kronborg
Monday, March 12, Greenwood A & B – Stableford
As many people were returning to their various homelands after holidays in Pattaya, our numbers are understandably dwindling and a field of 25 assembled at Café Kronborg in readiness for our long awaited return to Greenwood.
We welcomed Neil Skilton, who has now finally retired and will soon be travelling to various parts of the globe before deciding where he is going to make his home. Peter and Somkhit O’Brien were playing their last game with us for a while as they are returning to Bangkok so we wished them a fond farewell.
‘The Admiral’ (left) presents The Cafe Kronborg March Monthly Mug to Niels Hansen.
Departing the Kronny a couple of minutes early at 0811hrs we arrived at Greenwood 56 minutes later to find the car park almost deserted, which meant an earlier than scheduled hit off. It had been more than 6 months since we had played here and we couldn’t stay away any longer due to reduced green fees (500 baht for 20 or more players) and popular demand from our members. Indeed our first group, a three-ball was able to hit off 25 minutes ahead of schedule at 0935hrs with no-one in front of us and we breezed through the front nine (A) in one hour & forty five minutes.
The course was in great shape and the greens quick although fairly discolored and the weather was perfect but with overcast skies which thankfully delivered a mere couple of drops of rain throughout the day. The second nine (B) was a little bit slower due to some traffic in front of us but with a lengthy drink break half way through the back nine our round was completed in the excellent time of three hours & forty five minutes. Scoring was generally good on the day and the unanimous decision was that Greenwood is back on our monthly schedule.
Anything less than 36 points did not get a place on the podium in either flight and A Flight was won by Walter Baechli with a fine 40 points, just one point ahead of Martin Todd in second place. In a count back on 36 points for third & fourth spots Jesper Rasmussen (19 point back nine) edged out Stu (San Miguel) Rifkin (18 point back nine) and unluckily Ken (let’s hear it for) Bernek (17 point back nine) just missed out.
Walter Baechli & Eddie (The Eagle) Glinseka.
There has been a dramatic form reversal for the winner of B Flight with Eddie (The Eagle) Glinsek having his first win with us after a great 41 points. In second place was Mike Winfield with 39 points and Peter Hammond finished third on 38 points. In a two-way count back on 36 points Dave (The Admiral) Richardson (20 point back nine) finished fourth with Jan Lovgreen (17 point back nine) just missing out.
A Flight (0-19)
1st Walter Baechli (18) 40pts
2nd Martin Todd (9) 39pts
3rd Jesper Rasmussen (19) 36pts
4th Stu Rifkin (14) 36pts
B Flight (20+)
1st Eddie Glinsek (33) 41pts
2nd Mike Winfield (22) 39pts
3rd Peter Hammond (22) 38pts
4th Dave Richardson (24) 36pts
Near Pins: A6 – Walter Baechli; B2 – Stu Rifkin; B5 – Niels Hansen
Long Putts: A9 – Jesper Rasmussen; B9 – Eddie Glinsek
The Compass Cap, which is awarded for the worst score on the day, was narrowly won by Peter O’Brien, and Deefa the Dog was paraded by Hunter and collected several donations to charity from the very generous Kronny Crew. After much deliberation it was decided that the day’s Fashion Award was to be split between Walter Baechli & Bjarne Kjaer.
Thursday, March 15, Pattaya C.C. – Monthly Mug/Stroke
This was to be our last Café Kronborg Monthly Mug at Pattaya Country Club for quite some time as they are about to commence some much awaited work on the course and for the next few months this event will be held at Pleasant Valley.
A late cancellation and an annoying “no show” from a repeat offender reduced the field to 26 and we assembled at Café Kronborg in readiness for the short trip to Pattaya Country Club. We welcomed John Sandgaard (son of Kurt), Mark Armstrong formerly of Sydney but now residing in Pattaya and Frank Pilkington, a regular Tropical Bert’s golfer.
Departing the Kronny spot on 0815hrs we arrived at the course 24 minutes later to find plenty of activity and it appeared that an earlier than scheduled hit off was doubtful. Having driven through light rain on the short trip to the course the skies were looking ominous and we waited at the first tee in drizzling rain but as ever were confident that the weather would hold and once more the “rain gods” were with us.
We managed to surprisingly get our first group, a three-ball away 25 minutes early at 0935hrs and it wasn’t long before the rain disappeared completely although the skies remained overcast all day. The course was in reasonable shape but some of the greens were very ordinary and at times it was necessary to put through very rough patches. Our progress was slowed down somewhat by the traffic ahead but after enforced drink stops due to waiting at a couple of par threes we were able to complete our full round in four hours and fifteen minutes which for a stroke round was quite good.
We had a runaway winner of the March Monthly Mug with Niels Hansen shooting 80 off the stick for his net 64. The A flight was won by Mike Allidi (net 33 back nine) in a count back from Arne Max Pedersen (net 35 back nine) with both golfers posting a net 69. In third place came Leif Kirkgaard with a net 70 and in another count back with net 72 Martin Todd (net 34 back nine) finished fourth ahead of Frank Pilkington (net 37 back nine).
Yet another count back on net 71 was necessary to decide the first 2 places in B Flight with Bo Cardwell (net 33 back nine) winning from Jan Lovgreen (net 36 back nine) in second spot. Graham Buckingham was third with net 72 and Peter Hammond finished fourth on net 74.
At presentations back at Café Kronborg we acknowledged Bjarne Nielsen and his family & staff for once more sponsoring this monthly event.
Monthly Mug
1st Niels Hansen (16) net 64
A Flight (0-20)
1st Mike Allidi (3) net 69
2nd Arne Max Pedersen (16) net 69
3rd Leif Kirkgaard (19) net 70
4th Martin Todd (9) net 72
B Flight (21+)
1st Bo Cardwell (29) net 71
2nd Jan Lovgreen (22) net 71
3rd Graham Buckingham (22) net 72
4th Peter Hammond (22) net 74
Near Pins: 5th – Peter Blackburn; 7th – Martin Todd; 12th – Niels Hansen; 16th – Graham Buckingham.
Long Putts: 9th – Bo Cardwell; 18th – Kurt Sandgaard
The Compass Cap was well won by ‘The Admiral’, Dave Richardson, while Hunter paraded Deefa the Dog who collected lots of donations to charity from the Kronny Crew.
