IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, Feb. 16, Greenwood B & C – Stableford
CSS 73
Division 1 (0–15)
1st Peter Skinner (11) 34pts
2nd Walter O’Keefe (15) 32pts
3rd Mark Williams (7) 32pts
4th Kevin Blake (9) 30pts
Division 2 (16+)
1st Hal Hart (20) 35pts
2nd Patrick Scullion (23) 34pts
3rd Brendan Dunne (29) 34pts
4th Terry Hodgkiss (24) 32pts
At the lower end of the scale as regards green fees but certainly one of those at the top of the list in respect of quality, Greenwood is one of the most popular destinations and always attracts a full complement of players when it turns up twice a month on the schedule, but when the wind blows it is also one of the toughest tests in the area.
Barry Winton (left) with Stephen Beard.
This was one of those days when the storm clouds gathered and the wind picked up but the rain kept away until the groups were leaving the course. This affected the scoring to the extent that the CSS for the day went up to 73.
Peter Skinner took full advantage of his regular practice games at his home club course to stride into first place in the first division by two clear ahead of a count back for second between Walter O’Keefe and Mark Williams, which the former won with a better 18 to 16, leaving Kevin Blake in fourth another two back.
The second division was led home by Hal Hart just a single point in front of another count back, which Patrick Cullion won with a better 16 to 14 to leave Brendan Dunne in third with Terry Hodgkiss in fourth after he had won another count back over Don Everett 15 to 13.
Steven Downes and Rick Groebel shared the 2’s pool in the first division while Markku Tynell had the sole one in the second division.
Wednesday, Feb. 18, Khao Kheow B & C – 2-Player Scramble
1st Barry Winton & Stephen Beard (11) 48pts
2nd Peter Skinner & Trevor Schirmer (9) 47pts
3rd Mark Williams & Hal Hart (9) 46pts
4th Russell Exley & Patrick Scullion (11) 45pts
5th John Carlin & Shuichi Kodaka (12) 43pts
After a very successful IPGC Club Championship at Khao Kheow, when several different colour tees were adopted to make up a par 71 course, the idea to play this top class course from different tees in a 2-person scramble format was envisaged where the teams of two would play a minimum of seven tee shots each from a mixture of tees comprising four each from the Blue, Yellow, White and Red, with the other two tee shots being from any of them, and not surprisingly most opted for two from the reds. The well established 35% of the combined handicaps was used as the basis of the Stableford competition.
On any given hole each player could play from any of the tees, with one possibly from the reds and one from the blues and the scoring being taken from the tee shot used to complete the hole.
With the handicaps ranging from 6 to 19 there was a wide range of abilities on display but the scoring at the end was very close but unusually there were no count backs required, with all the top nine teams all separated by a single point.
Barry Winton, now tipping the scales at an incredible 266lbs and weighing more than two times his partner Stephen Beard, led a heavyweight charge from the front that saw the team amass 25 points from a one under gross front nine and then added a solid level par back nine to total 48 points. This earned them both their first top podium placements for as long as anyone could remember at the prize presentations.
Second place was taken by the team of Peter Skinner and Trevor Schirmer who also scored 25 points going out but were left having to play from the blue tees on the last hole, which proved to be a fairway too far as they ended with a bogey to lose by one. Just another one behind was the team of Mark Williams and Hal Hart, with Mark taking most of the tee shots as they also slipped in a one pointer on the last hole, which had possibly the toughest pin placement of the day, back left.
Russell Exley and Patrick Scullion, playing with the winning team, had the best back nine of the day at three under gross for 26 points, but sadly a slow start had left them with just too much to do, but Russell did his utmost, hitting two of the par 4’s from the tee as they collected three four-pointers on the way.
John Carlin and Shuichi Kodaka claimed fifth after a solid round that did not quite match the teams ahead of them.
Friday, Feb. 20, The Emerald – Stableford
CSS 72
Division 1(0–17)
1st Walter O’Keefe (15) 37pts
2nd Mark Williams (7) 37pts
3rd Mike Remington (13) 35pts
4th Graham Johnson (10) 31pts
Division 2 (18+)
1st Patrick Scullion (23) 34pts
2nd Mike Hill (22) 32pts
3rd Markku Tynell (22) 32pts
4th Mike Korney (19) 29pts
Two divisions again at The Emerald, cut at 17 for division one, where as usual the local rule of ‘lift and place’ in the fairway was in play.
Walter O’Keefe rounded off a good week with a win after winning a count back over Mark Williams with a better 19 to 17. Mike Remington took third place well ahead of Graham Johnson in fourth.
H.E. Patrick Scullion also finished the week strongly with a first, second and fourth places after winning by two from Mike Hill, who in turn won a count back over Markku Tynell by 16 to 14. That left Mike Korney in fourth three more behind.
James Hawley made it a happy return as he slipped in the only 2 in the first division as Danny “Ali Tex” Greer did the same to claim the second division.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact 038 710 988 or call in to The Haven Hotel, 185 Soi 13, situated 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 a 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
