PSC golf Bunker Boys @ The Ranch
Monday, Jan. 13, Mt. Shadow – Stableford
The biggest field for this high season of 37 golfers turned up to play this challenging course. 2 extra tee times were required at short notice but the management were very accommodating so we loaded up for yet another run along highway 7.
The course was in good condition with fast greens but a strong wind ensured it played even harder than normal. Not sure if this was entirely to blame for the final 5-ball all managing to drown their balls on hole 5, a 127 yard par 3 BIG island green!
Geoff Hart (left), KPK voucher medal winner, with Reg and Peter in jovial mood.
Scores returned were low as suspected with B flight surprisingly putting in a better performance. Jack Robertson finished top of the shop with 34 points, but only on count back from John Hughes. A 3-way count back on 31 points saw Michael Brett take third place ahead of Dave Keats.
In A flight Stuart Tinkler lost out to John (speedy) Graham on a count back with 32 points, with Keith Norman and Gerry Cooney taking the minor placings.
A Flight
1st John Graham (11) 32pts
2nd Stuart Tinkler (15) 32pts
3rd Keith Norman (13) 31pts
4th Gerry Cooney (13) 30pts
B Flight
1st Jack Robertson (27) 34pts
2nd John Hughes (17) 34pts
3rd Michael Brett (19) 31pts
4th Dave Keats (34) 31pts
Near Pins: Keichi Kasami, John Hughes, Barry Murnin and Tim Winder.
Wednesday, Jan. 15, Royal Lakeside – Stableford
A smaller group of twenty-six golfers out today, with a number of our regular players heading off for a two-game trip to Soi Dao. The journey down the Chonburi bypass was smooth and we arrived at the course just under an hour after leaving The Ranch to find the weather conditions bright and breezy.
The first group tee’d off from the blue tees without delay and although the course was fairly busy, the round was completed in good time. None of our members have played better than their handicap in our previous five visits here, but despite the strong breeze, today was the day that we would end that hoodoo.
Gerry Cooney was the star performer, recording a great score of 38 points to win the A Flight two points clear of Keith Norman. The cut was set at 17.1 which put John Hughes (hcp.17.0) into the A Flight for the first time in recent months, taking third place in the process.
Gordon Melia (hcp. 17.1) played to his handicap to win the B Flight ahead of Mike Corner and Jack Robertson.
Everyone recognises that the par threes here are tricky, so it was a surprise that three players from the B Flight claimed near pin prizes with Tony Berry being the only winner from the A Flight.
A Flight
1st Gerry Cooney (13) 38pts
2nd Keith Norman (12) 36pts
3rd John Hughes (17) 34pts
B Flight
1st Gordon Melia (17.1) 36pts
2nd Mike Corner (21) 34pts
3rd Jack Robertson (27) 33pts
Near Pins: Ian Masterson, Tony Berry, Ken Ellmore and Richard Baldotto.
Friday, Jan. 17, The Emerald – Medal
We were still missing our scouting party to Soi Dao so just the 27 golfers headed south for a change to tackle the not long but not easy Emerald course. On arrival we found the first tee teeming with life and despair set in when we found out a slow tournament had set off at 8.00am, followed by the aforementioned society.
Surprisingly our first group teed off only 10mins late but that was as good as it got as the first 5 holes were agonisingly slow, culminating in 5 groups congregating on the first par three. Speed of play increased after the bottleneck but at least one of our group retreated to Ban Chang for sustenance after the ninth, 3 hours later.
The less than ideal condition of the fairways combined with lightning fast greens didn’t help the general wellbeing. Many golfers several putted greens but the best performance belonged to John Hughes, who, on a particularly nasty pin position, managed to 6-putt and get no nearer the hole!
Despite all the obstacles Geoff Hart managed an extremely creditable net 67, followed in B flight by Reg (silver surfer) Smart on 74 and Neil (get that lizard off me) Griffin on 76.
Nobody managed to break par in A flight with Tony Robbins coming the closest on net 75 aided by a couple of chips in off the fairway. Peter Kelly bettered Jan Ulriksen’s back nine to take second on count back, both carding net 76.
A Flight
1st Tony Robbins (13) net 75
2nd Peter Kelly (11) net 76
3rd Jan Ulriksen (16) net 76
B Flight
1st Geoff Hart (26) net 67
2nd Reg Smart (27) net 74
3rd Neil Griffin (23) net 76
Near Pins: Tony Robbins, Tony Scrambler, Per Brandsrod and Daryl Whyte.
Note: The Bunker Boys are a PSC affiliated golf society who now play on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We meet at The Ranch on Pattaya 3rd Road (in front of the fire station, and almost opposite the Buffalo Bar). at 9 a.m. and new players are always welcome. Contact “Buff” on 086 046 5091 or 080 605 5663 or go to website: www.bunkersociety.com.
