IPGC golf from The Haven
Wednesday, May 9, Mountain Shadow – Rainbow Scr. Stableford
1st John Armstrong & Rob Richardson (15) 45pts
2nd Alwyne Burley & Mike Hill (17) 45pts
3rd Daryl Kellett &Paul Hartley (14) 43pts
4th Phil Groves & Gary Warren (10) 43pts
5th Bob Akapita &Don Everett (15) 39pts
We passed on Monday when once again the courses required an increase in green fees due to the Holiday on the previous day, which the regulars decided was another straw across the back and chose to have a rest instead, therefore leaving the proposed course totally out of pocket.
On Wednesday the monthly rainbow scramble was held at the tight and tricky Mountain Shadow course where the conditions of the course were found to be excellent with as usual fast running greens and also having had the fairways and rough recently cut and trimmed.
John Armstrong & Rob Richardson.
As usual the format was pairs scramble or Ambrose as it was known to most of the day’s contenders, with the handicaps being arrived at by taking 40% of the teams combined total playing handicaps. Teams had to take scores from six each from the Red, White and Blue tees with players having to take at least seven tee shots each.
Although playing the format for the first time, the team of John Armstrong and Rob Richardson combined very well to run out the winners although the situation was getting very tight towards the end with Rob, the high handicapper, requiring two tee shots out of the last three holes, one from the whites and two from the reds, resulting in just five points from the three holes. In the event it was just enough to enable them to equal the score of Alwyne and Mike Hill and then win the resultant count back with a better 22 to 20.
Phil Groves.
Alwyne and Mike had turned up the wick on the front nine and returned what looked to be a winning 25 points but could not quite finish the job as Mike had to take the last five tee shots, two of them from the blues and just effectively parring them all.
Third place went to the big hitting team of Daryl Kellett and Paul Hartley who also had to win a count back, which they did by a margin of 21 to 20 over the pre-start favourites Phil Groves and Gary Warren whose challenge faded over the closing holes with Gary struggling to get in his required drives until the last two holes and collecting just 4 points in the process.
Bob Akapita and Don Everett slipped into fifth place with a steady but unspectacular round that contained too many one pointers to be in contention with the leading groups.
There were no 2’s competitions due to the day’s format.
Before making the presentations Stephen Beard welcomed new members Quentin Killian, John Armstrong and Rob Richardson and also welcomed back Bob Akapita, Daryl Kellett, Bob Pratt, Gary Warren and Paul Hartley. With so many Aussies joining and returning to The Haven it required a special presentation of the Ashes replica as many who could hardly remember what it looked like.
Friday, May 11, The Emerald – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Phil Groves (8) 37pts
2nd Daryl Kellett (16) 34pts
3rd Alwyne Burley (18) 34pts
4th Adrian O’Sullivan (9) 34pts
5th Vincent Gras (18) 31pts
6th Gus Guidetti (12) 31pts
Back to the standard pattern of play and once again it was the old master, Phil Groves, at the top of the leader board again with a clear three shots margin over his closest challengers. A very tidy round without a six on the card until a straight drive on the par-5 14th found an almost unplayable behind the centrally positioned tree in the fairway afoot to either left or right of dead centre would have been sufficient to have a dig at the green but in the end it resulted in an ugly seven for one point. But undeterred Phil plodded on to complete the win by parring the last four holes.
Daryl Kellett, having got onto the podium in the previous outing, went one better taking second place following a winning count back over Alwyne Burley with a better 14 to 12 over the last six after they had tied the nine on 19 a piece, which left Alwyne in third.
Also in the count back for the back nine was Adrian O’Sullivan who had to settle for fourth spot as he could only garner 17 points to match his outward half.
Vincent Gras took fifth ahead of Gus Guidetti after he also won a count back by a margin of 16 to 15.
Once again there were no 2’s in either division leaving both pools brimming over.
Prior to the presentations there were welcomes for new members Liam Malone and Gus Guidetti and welcome backs for Vincent Gras, John Donovan, Maurice Byrne and Adrian O’Sullivan.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact mobile 082 219 0965 or call in to The Haven Hotel, at 185 Soi 13, between Beach Road and 2nd Road. All transportation to the course is arranged and you do not need to sign up prior to the day, but you should be there by 8.30 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
