PSC golf from the Cafe Kronborg
Monday, November 28, Eastern Star – Stableford
Thirty two people assembled at the Cafe Kronborg in anticipation of another joust of epic proportions with the game of golf.
The starter despatched the first group at 0930 hours and they completed the journey in four hours and thirty minutes. The weather varied from tropical to pleasant depending when the breeze visited. The course was in ok condition and the greens at times tested the player’s ability.
From the white markers the scores were not expected to be sensational and with one exception this proved to be correct. As the much maligned philosopher Liebriel Vonschniederlip once stated “there is no genius without a touch of madness.” Anyone who was of the opinion they were going to rip this track to bits may well be a distant relation of the great man.
Kjeld Ravn, Dave Richardson & Ken Bernek.
Change room chatter revealed that Elias Magnusson was in such tip top condition, his fitness coach said to take a couple of weeks off training. Time would tell if efforts in the gym would benefit his game.
We welcomed Neil Skilton from Vietnam and John Iles from Bath, Somerset in England. We also gave a big happy birthday greeting to Ulla Ravn.
It would appear that mediocrity for some podium placegetters was the order of the day, but to be honest the course was very challenging.
The A flight saw Ken Bernek (let’s hear it fa Ken) show the way with a solid thirty six points. In second place was Maurice Herberg on thirty four points ahead of Mike Gosden on thirty three. Fourth spot went to Don Richardson also on thirty three and Mike Winfield with twenty nine points scrambled onto the podium.
In the B flight, Kjeld Ravn had a day out to score forty one points and blitz the field by the biggest margin seen between first and second since the 1992 Rottnest Island fun run. In second place Frank Donnelly with thirty points edged out Graham Buckingham on the same score whilst Dave Richardson on twenty nine claimed fourth spot ahead of J.C. Lhoste’s hard fought twenty eight points.
Alas Elias’ fitness did not assist his game.
A Flight (0-20)
1st Ken Bernek (17) 36pts
2nd Maurice Herberg (11) 34pts
3rd Mike Gosden (10) 33pts
4th Don Richardson (10) 33pts
5th Mike Winfield (20) 29pts
B Flight (21+)
1st Kjeld Ravn (22) 41pts
2nd Frank Donnelly (24) 30pts
3rd Graham Buckingham (25) 30pts
4th Dave Richardson (26) 29pts
5th J.C. Lhoste (24) 28pts
Near pins went to Kjeld Ravn on the 3rd, Don Richardson on the 6th, Frank Donnelly on the 13th and the Phantom on the 17th.
Chop Daprakhon, The Admiral & Bo Cardwell.
Long putts went to Dick Braimbridge on the 9th and Ken Bernek on the 18th.
The Coveted Compass Cap was won by Jean Pierre Malaper who commented that “golf develops your self control”. Caddying for him develops it even more.
Deefa once again was the happy recipient of many donations from the generous souls in attendance for the needy of Pattaya.
Drut note: Those without a sense of humour should consider another game in lieu of golf.
Wednesday, November 30, Green Valley – Stableford
We had 5 tee spots booked for an earlier than usual time of 0917 hrs and 48 hours prior all places were filled and there was a waiting list of four. All of a sudden there were cancellations from everywhere for various reasons and we found ourselves 2 players short of the 20 we needed to take advantage of the lucrative Green Fee discount.
After a “ring around” I was able to get to our target, in fact we ended up with 21 players who assembled at Café Kronborg ready to take off 15 minutes earlier than normal at 0800 hrs.
There were no welcomes but sadly farewells to Maurice Herbergs & Laurina Brinn who were returning to Holland after their holiday. Also Ernst Hansen and Leif Kirkgaard who were returning to Denmark & Iceland respectively. We wish them all Bon Voyage and look forward to seeing them again soon.
Departing the Kronny right on time it was only a short ride to the course and 35 minutes later we were checking in. We were invited to tee off 7 minutes ahead of schedule at 0910 hrs in glorious weather for golf and it was soon obvious that the people that had decided not to play were missing a top day on a great golf course.
Despite some heavy rain the previous day the course was in terrific condition and although the greens had some residual sand on them they were firm & true and at times fairly slick. There were no hold ups and we finished our round in four hours & twenty two minutes which included a much needed drinks break on the back nine.
There were 2 flights with A Flight for handicaps 0 to 17 and B Flight for 18 and over. We had rewards for nearest the pin on all four par threes and longest first putts on the ninth & eighteenth greens.
Yours truly decided to take a day off from his back physiotherapy at the hospital and the decision was vindicated as I managed to win the A Flight on a count back from the departing Maurice Herbergs. We both had 36 points but my back nine 20 points beat Maurice’s back nine 16 points. Dr Paul Cardwell finished in third place with 34 points.
Dr Paul’s pregnant wife Bo had a fine 38 points and won the B Flight from Mike Winfield on 35 points, with Leif Kirkgaard finishing third on 34 points.
A Flight (0-17)
1st Peter Blackburn (11) 36pts
2nd Maurice Herbergs (13) 36pts
3rd Paul Cardwell (15) 34pts
B Flight (18+)
1st Bo Cardwell (38) 38pts
2nd Mike Winfield (20) 35pts
3rd Leif Kirkgaard (19) 34pts
Near Pins: 4th Paul Cardwell; 9th Neil Skilton; 12th Alain Taddei; 16th Leif Kirkgaard
Long Putts: 9th Peter Blackburn; 18th Maurice Herbergs
Thursday, December 1, Plutaluang – Stableford
Thirty six golfers signed in today looking forward to another wonderful cultural experience. Today we were allotted the East and South nines from the white tees and the leading group, who do not indulge in the lunatic soup whilst in battle, covered the journey in four hours and forty minutes.
The weather was pleasant and the course in ok condition but the surfaces at the end of those long strips of grass hadn’t been cut since Tiger Woods last won a tournament, which made for an interesting day. They were as lumpy as a pensioner’s gravy, slower than a politician’s promise coming to fruition and harder to figure out than Chinese arithmetic.
Dick Braimbridge was as happy as a pigmy in a puddle due to a very cool putter in recent times. Time would tell if he could turn the flat stick efforts around and gain a spot on the podium.
We welcomed Hugh O’Donnell from the USA, Bjarne Kristansson from Iceland and Michel Catillon from France.
It turned out to be ladies day as Bo Cardwell and Chop Daprakhon took out the flights. In the A flight Chop with a stylish thirty seven points stood atop the podium. Second place went to Paul Cardwell with 34 points whilst Don Richardson on the same score was relegated to third. Walter Baechli finished fourth on thirty two points and Peter Hammond rounded out the flight on thirty one points.
The B flight saw Bo Cardwell post thirty nine points to finish well clear of Kjeld Ravn on thirty six points whilst Graham Buckingham was third on thirty five points. Dave Richardson on thirty four points was fourth edging out Svende Gaard on the same score.
Alas Dick’s putter was colder than an Eskimo’s nose.
A Flight (0-21)
1st Chop Daprakhon (10) 37pts
2nd Paul Cardwell (15) 34pts
3rd Don Richardson (10) 34pts
4th Walter Baechli (17) 32pts
5th Peter Hammond (19) 31pts
B Flight (22+)
1st Bo Cardwell (38) 39pts
2nd Kjeld Ravn (22) 36pts
3rd Graham Buckingham (25) 35pts
4th Dave Richardson (26) 34pts
5th Svende Gaard (26) 34pts
Near pins went to Chop on East 2 and South 7 whilst Bjarne Kjar on East 5 and Ken Bernek on South 4 were also successful.
Long putts went to J.C. Lhoste on East 9 and Don Richardson on South 9
The Coveted Compass Cap was won by Dick Braimbridge who was of the opinion he’d have more chance of dropping a ping pong ball into an egg cup from the top of the Empire State Building during a hurricane than he would rolling in a two foot putt.
Once again Deefa the dog snagged many donations from the happy souls that frequent the Cafe’ Kronborg.
Drut note: The shortest will ever made. “Being of sound mind I spent all my money”.
