IPGC golf from The Haven
Monday, Sept. 2, Eastern Star – Stableford
CSS 73
1st Mike Dabanovich (13) 37pts
2nd Terry Hodgkiss (23) 33pts
3rd Mike Hill (20) 28pts
4th Shuichi Kodaka (17) 27pts
5th Alwyne Burley (16) 26pts
Due to the progressive outlook of the management at Eastern Star they are currently one of if not the best value golf destinations on the Eastern Seaboard and although the scores do not show it, the course is in very good condition considering all the rain that has fallen in the area over the last three to four weeks. But even with carts being allowed on the course, the general conditions were still quite wet which had a negative effect on the day’s results.
Bruce Hilde.
Mike Dabanovich showed what could be achieved, especially over the inward half where he accumulated 22 points, even with managing to include a zero pointer. A slow start saw him take just five points from the first four holes that restricted his end total to one under handicap but it was still good enough by four shots for him to chalk up a win and his best score for over a year.
Terry Hodgkiss slipped into an easy second place with a solid round that was also enhanced by the last nine where he collected twenty points, but it was still better by five than the next nearest player, Mike Hill, who took third spot.
Shuichi Kodaka took fourth and Alwyne Burley fifth as many other hopefuls fell by the wayside on a very difficult day for golf.
Once again there were no 2’s in either division.
Prior to the presentation of the day’s prizes there was farewell for Don Everett returning to Perth carrying pictures of the urn to show around Gosnell’s Golf Club and the local cricket club for those who were unable to travel to Pattaya or England this time.
Wednesday, Sept. 4, Greenwood A & C – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Jon Batty (8) 38pts
2nd Kevin Townsend (12) 35pts
3rd Phil Groves (8) 34pts
4th Phil Cass (20) 33pts
5th Mike Hill (20) 33pts
Jon Batty.
After the trials of Monday, all were hoping for a slightly gentler day at the always popular Greenwood 27 hole course where the challenge for the day was the A and C nines and where for once, on balance, the back nine played a little easier than the front.
The day started fair but the rain swept in halfway round which put some of the players out of contention as they struggled to keep a grip on their clubs and their rounds. In the end the elements were the easy winners, although Jon Batty showed some flashes of brilliance on his way to yet another win out of Soi 13, which amazed one pundit who having watched his swing from a distance was then told he was watching a single figure handicapper swing replied, “Damn, he must have a hell of a short game”.
John put together a two under handicap round that got better and better as it progressed, finally winning with a three shot margin over returnee Kevin Townsend who has been playing regularly back in the UK and showed that practice definitely helps.
Phil Groves, another of the usual suspects when the going gets tough, took third putting in a strong finish after what for him was a very average outward nine. This left Phil Cass to win a count back over Mike Hill for fourth, with a better 18 to 15.
Once again there were no 2’s in either division.
Back at The Haven there was a welcome back for Kevin Townsend.
Friday, Sept. 6, Pattana B & C – Stableford
CSS 73
1st Bruce Hilde (17) 34pts
2nd Phil Groves (8) 32pts
3rd Hal Hart (19) 30pts
4th Jon Batty (8) 30pts
5th Kevin Townsend (12) 30pts
6th Mike Hill (20) 29pts
Mike Dabanovich.
If the players thought that the previous outing was a bit wet then they were a lot sadder and wiser after finishing as many holes as the course management would allow them after the sirens for lightning had blared their mournful drones out across the course following the onset of a huge thunder storm. This rolled in across the course and was accompanied with driving rain and later spectacular flashes across the leaden skies.
Mike Hill was particularly upset as he thought he was well in contention when he was called in from the 18th fairway just as he was about to put his second shot to the green, eighteen inches from the pin. As it transpired this magnificent feat would only have placed him second, after adding the resultant four points to his accumulated total. In any event the day’s winner had already been decided, he having holed out before the real weather took a hold of the day’s proceedings.
That winner was the now famous Walking Street Soft Shoe Shuffler (WS4) and performer to the pole stars, Bruce Hilde, whose two over handicap round owed much to the groupings and timing of the tee off as his three-ball led the field by at least a couple of clear holes when the weather started to seriously set in for the day.
There was no surprise to find that Phil Groves was once again on the podium in second spot another two shots back as the third place went to a multiple count back. This was won by Hal Hart with a best 16 on the C course as he managed to squeeze in a couple of points on the last hole whilst Kevin Townsend with 13 and John Batty with 11 had to settle for nil points on the last.
Mike Hill.
For the fourth time in succession there were no 2’s in either of the divisions underlining just how difficult golf is at all the golf courses currently being played at the present time.
A note to all Pattaya golfers, please spare a thought for Richard Livingston who has been operating in Pattaya as one of the local teaching golf professionals for many years, and who is currently lying in the ICU department of the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital in a coma after suffering what has been diagnosed as a stroke around the 22nd of August.
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 8.15 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days that you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
