IPGC Golf from the Tara Court
Sunday, May 28, Green Valley – Stableford
1st Peter Henshaw (23) 36pts
2nd Norman Cheetham (13) 36pts
3rd Ken Hole (18) 34pts
4th Michael Healy (14) 34pts
We were back here for our regular Sunday game at Green Valley but I am not sure how many more weeks we will be playing here. The course is in deplorable condition, without doubt by far the worst in the area and that is saying something. It is very sad to see a course, which used to be so good, being allowed to deteriorate so much and every week we come here it is getting worse.
Due to the heavy overnight rain we had four dropouts but as it turned out they could have played as we all got round without a drop and with all the clouds around it was not hot and perfect for golf. People should realize that just because it is raining at eight thirty in the morning in Pattaya that does not mean that it will be raining two hours later at the golf course.
Peter Henshaw came out the winner today with an even par thirty-six points. Norman Cheetham had been playing excellent golf on the front nine with twenty one points but he let it slip a bit on the back with just fifteen and had to settle for second, losing the count back to Peter.
Ken Hole kept up his very steady golf and came third due to his excellent back nine, which meant that he beat Michael Healy on count back as both had thirty four points each. Russell Gilroy also had thirty four points but had a bad back nine.
Mikael Anderson got the only ‘2’ of the day.
Tuesday, May 30, Eastern Star – Stableford
1st John Carlin (18) 31pts
2nd Michael Healy (14) 29pts
3rd Joe McArdle (16) 26pts
Eastern Star today with our friends from the PFGS and although the course was very wet after all the heavy rain the previous night, it was in very good condition, probably the best we have seen it in a long time.
We played off the white tees, which may have been a mistake as it was playing so long with absolutely no run on the ball and the scores reflected this.
Joe McArdle will be embarrassed to see him name here for coming third with a miserable twenty six points as he beat Russell Gilroy out of the prizes on the count back. A little bit better but not much was Michael Healy who took the second place with twenty nine and had the bonus of having two ‘2’s, which were the only ones of the day so he got the best payout. Our winner was John Carlin who at least scored a slightly more respectable thirty one points.
Thursday, June 1, Burapha – Stableford
Blue Tees
1st Jon Batty (5) 31pts
2nd Mark Lang (6) 25pts
White Tees
1st John Fenwick 36pts
2nd Joe McArdle (16) 34pts
3rd Andre Van Dyk (15) 31pts
4th Ron Cowper (12) 31pts
June already and we were at Burapha for our regular Thursday game there. Although the course was still soft and playing long, a few brave souls decided to play off the blue tees while the rest of decided to play off the shorter whites.
When we were starting off it looked like it was going to be a very slow day as a Korean five-ball teed off in front of us and one by one they knocked down their drives and also their second and third shots but thankfully they actually moved on quickly after that and we still got around in four hours.
Off the blue tees Jon Batty won with thirty one points, which was a reasonable score off these tees and also off his new five-handicap. Mark Lang was second some way back with just twenty five.
John Fenwick certainly likes this course and he was the winner off the white tees with thirty six points, which also included a ‘2’. Joe McArdle had what was his best game for a while and came second with thirty four points and this also included a ‘2’. We had two new members playing with us today and they got off to a good start as both had thirty one points, but Andre Van Dyk won the count back to come third over Ron Cowper in fourth.
