PSC Golf from The Bunker Boys
Monday, March 18, Bangpra – Stableford
1st Mike Lloyd (18) 36pts
2nd Keith Smithson (4) 34pts
3rd Robby Watts (8) 34pts
A nice surprise lay in store for the Bunker Boys at Bangpra as sports day pricing was in operation and a nice discount on the green fee was welcomed by all.
When we got to the first tee we found several groups waiting to start but once we did tee off the round progressed at a decent pace with no hold-ups. The course was not in as good condition as we have come to expect and would have benefited greatly from the rain that threatened. The water catchment areas were at the lowest levels seen in a long time.
In the last week of his short stay with us, Mike Lloyd continued to play at a high standard and secured first place with a score of thirty-six points. Second, went to Keith Smithson on thirty-four, beating Robby Watts into third on countback. The thirteenth par-4, which on the face of it looks like a fairly innocuous hole, may well be appropriately numbered as an inordinate number of golfers visit the water in front of the green. All three of our second group did just that with relatively simple second shots. John Hughes has developed a phobia about water carries and once again visited the drink – both on and off the course.
Near pins went to Keith Norman, Robby Watts, and Keith Smithson.
Wednesday, March 20, Eastern Star – Stableford
1st Michael Brett (15) 37pts
2nd Rocky Ishi (16) 36pts
3rd Robby Watts (8) 35pts
4th Keith Smithson (4) 34pts
The imminent departure of several of our members including Keith Norman, Mike Lloyd, and Keith Smithson drew out a very good low season field of eighteen for our midweek game at Eastern Star. The PSC had run out of vouchers and the course didn’t have any to purchase either, so a stalemate on the green fee was resolved after some serious negotiations, as always a bit of compromise on both sides did the trick.
Eastern Star is a difficult course at the best of times but was even more so today with a strong wind blowing. Overall the course was in decent condition although some found the greens very tricky. Very few people on the course meant a nice quick round was had by all.
Despite missing four puts from within six feet (three for birdie), Michael Brett did enough to take first place with thirty-seven points. Rocky Ishi in only his third outing with us took second place with thirty-six points and as always Robby Watts was in the mix and took third with thirty-five points. Keith Smithson rounded out the winner’s circle with thirty-four.
Daryl Vernon is becoming a bit of a near pin specialist and snared one again today, Rocky Ishi took another with the remaining two going to Michael Brett.
Friday, March 22, Royal Lakeside – Stableford
1st Les Cobban (8) 33pts
2nd Michael Brett (15) 33pts
3rd Lance Conway-Jones 32pts
Royal Lakeside is a challenging course made all the more so today as we played off the blue tees at six-thousand, six hundred and fifty yards with a strong wind blowing, so consequently nobody was able to master the conditions and scores were low. Two managed to compile a modest score of thirty-three points with Les Cobban beating Michael Brett on countback. Lance Conway-Jones took third place one stroke back as well as two near pins, Michael Brett took the third with the final near pin not claimed.
To understand how tough golf can be in Thailand, Craig Dow, a scratch golfer from Melbourne playing with us over the last month off a four handicap, only managed to break thirty twice and never appeared in the winner’s circle. However, he did win a pool game back at the bar so maybe that was his consolation.
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