Hip-hip-hooray for Gerald

IPGC Golf from The Haven

Monday, March 13, Pattavia – Stableford

CSS 73

1^st Mark Williams (9) 38pts

2^nd Steve Bickle (17) 35pts

3^rd Greg Gawron (16) 33pts

4^th Peter Wilson (7) 31pts

5^th Phil Stevenson (24) 31pts

6^th Wayne Peppernell (14) 31pts

The low season appears to have arrived already but still most of the courses are stuck on the high season prices.  Not the opening course of the week however, where common sense has seen the prices drop to a very competitive level, almost half of the green fee rate charged by some other courses of a similar level.

The greens on this occasion were a lot easier to contend with, having not been cut for at least a couple of days, but still shots to the green left above the hole were punished severely.

Mark Williams had his best round for some little while, including an excellent 37 gross for the outward half, and easily ran out the winner by three clear ahead of Steve Bickle in second place.

Greg Gawron placed third another two behind and two ahead of a three-way count back for fourth which Peter Wilson won with 16, leaving Phil Stevenson in fifth with 15 and Wayne Peppernell sixth with 13 as he struggle with the heat through the last nine holes.

Gerald Decio had the sole 2 in the second divisions whilst Peter Wilson and Keith Emerson shared the first division pool.

Wednesday, March 15, Khao Kheow A & B – Stableford

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1^st Markku Tynell (22) 39pts

2^nd Danny Miller (7) 38pts

3^rd Mark Williams (9) 35pts

4^th Peter Skinner (9) 34pts

5^th Steve Bickle (17) 31pts

The course was as usual found to be in first class shape but a fairly strong wind made conditions difficult for scoring for most of the hopefuls on the day.

An outstanding card was returned by Markku Tynell after a slow start that gleaned just two points from the first two holes.  He then settled down to return an 18/21 split to win by one ahead of Danny Miller, who unfortunately weakened as the round progressed finishing with a 20/18 split and having to settle for a good second place.

Mark Williams, not quite able to recreate his earlier form, took third another three behind with Peter Skinner taking fourth and Steve Bickle again in the mix in fifth place.

Ray Smallwood had the only 2 in the second division and the first division was shared between Danny Miller, Mark Williams and Peter Skinner.  Peter’s 2 was quite special as it was achieved on the par-4 7th after he holed out from 100 yards with his wedge.

Following the announcement of this feat it was decided unanimously by those present that in future a 2 on a par four or par five would be treated the same as a hole in one and sweep the two 2 pools on the day together with any rollovers.

Friday, March 17, The Emerald – Stableford

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1^st Gerald Decio (18) 35pts

2^nd Mark Williams (9) 33pts

3^rd Markku Tynell (22) 33pts

4^th Andrew Purdie (7) 30pts

5^th Bob Heath (14) 30pts

The toughest day’s golf was left for the last outing at the short but tricky test at Ban Chang, designed by Sir Nick Faldo, where the wind added to the difficulties of the rounds but were assisted by the local ‘lift and place’ rule in the fairways to negate the sometimes poor semi buried lies in the crab grass.

Gerald Decio saved his best golf for his last round of this trip while still recovering from a double hip replacement during 2016, but without any adjustment to his handicap.  Playing very steadily following a good starting nine, he ran out the winner for the first time with the group after many attempts by two clear ahead of the week’s podium ever-present Mark Williams.  Mark needed to win a count back on the last six with a better 12 to 8 to take second after he had tied the back nine with Markku Tynell on 16 apiece.

Andrew Purdie also won a count back for fourth place, this one with “Captain 2000” Bob Heath, with a better 12 to 10 also over the last six holes after they had tied the last nine on 16 a piece also.

Unsurprisingly there were no 2s in either of the divisions.