PSC Golf from the Tropical Golf Group
Tuesday, March 28, Pattana – Stroke/Monthly Mug
This promised to be a really good day as once again after the ‘high season’ drought we were to play Pattana. Not only that, this was to be a ‘stroke-play’ day because this was the end of the month and we were to play the BJ monthly mug.
The course was quite full, but after a little confusion it was finally confirmed we would play the A & B nines. This was not bad because for me, and many others, the worst drive is B1, with water for a hook or a slice. So off we went on the A1 with fine weather and the day ahead although this nine has some real problems on it, with island par 3’s and a par 6 that has water in front. It is a pleasure to play this course and with grassy fairways and greens on the reasonable speed side the walk in the park was fine.
Back at BJ’s it was soon into the results and in the A Flight, 0 to 18, the winner was John Davis with a net 68, ahead of Landis Brooks in second with a net 69 on count-back over Brian Parish in third. In fourth was Rob Brown with a net 70 over Andre Van Dyk.
In the B Flight, 19 up, the winner was Barry Elphick with net 67 over Derek Brook in second with a net 71. In third was Gordon Clegg with a net 72 ahead of Nigel Perry in fourth with a net 74.
The BJ’s monthly mug was won with an excellent round by Richard Kubicki of net 65. Well done Richard!
One of the hardest tasks on any golf course is to score an Albatross and I can only think of one before this day. Indeed, if you watch golf on the television you do not see many either. However, on this day Landis Brooks scored an amazing ‘2’ at the par 5 B2 hole.
Friday, March 30, Pleasant Valley – Stableford
This was the last practice round for the Tropical Golfers before receiving the expected invitation to play at The Masters. To properly prepare the group headed to one of the trickier layouts in the area, Pleasant Valley. Twenty players started, but fewer than that finished.
Pleasant Valley is one of the tougher layouts in the area and playing off the blue tees gives the course proper length, but creates some forced carries off the tee. Narrow fairways, lots of OB stakes, including some internal, make straight shooting a must. Know how to make Pleasant Valley even tougher? Cover it with water!
With just a slight chance of rain no one was much concerned, but a slight chance is not zero, and sometimes the odds lose. On the back nine the heavens opened up and it didn’t rain, but it RAINED: hard, horizontal rain. About a third of the players headed in, mostly restricted to those almost finished and didn’t want to wait just to finish a couple holes, and/or players having bad rounds who saw no point in waiting and sloshing. A lucky thirteen did wait for clear skies however, and some fine scores were the result.
In A-Flight (0-17), Brian Parish (c/h 13) returned to his fine form and posted the best score of the day with 40 points on a tough course. John Davis (16) was just a shot back with 39 points, followed by Landis Brooks (9) with 38.
Gordon Clegg (27) returned to the winner’s circle in B-Flight (18+) with 33 points, followed by Karen Brown (33) earning a call with 31 points, and finally Barry Elphick (27) took an honor with 30 points.
Rob Brown and Richard Kubicki had best non-winning 9-hole scores.
