IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, June 22, Greenwood – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Keith Emerson (11) 36pts
2nd Gus Guidetti (12) 34pts
3rd Markku Tynell (22) 34pts
4th Mike Hill (19) 33pts
5th David Grist (11) 31pts
6th Hal Hart (21) 31pts
Keith Emerson took his second win of his tour of Pattaya with a solid level handicap round, which had promised much more for the first four holes, as he took three points from each of them before slipping in an uncharacteristic zero-pointer. He still finished the front nine at three under handicap but then almost lost the day through the next seven before bearing down on the last two to claim the top step of the podium.
Bruce Hilde & Markku Tynell.
Gus Guidetti and Markku Tynell chased hard but were not quite able to get on terms and ended up in a count back for second place, which Gus won with a better 19 to 17.
Mike Hill was just a shot away in fourth after he had also looked strong through the first half but failed to keep up the momentum over the closing holes and had to settle for the lower placement.
David Grist won a count back with Hal Hart with a better 15 to 14 to take fifth in his last outing of this trip.
There were no 2’s in either of the divisions.
Before the presentations were made there were welcome backs for Gus Guidetti, John Wood, Marty Garnet and Vincent Gras, the latter pair having returned from the Centara World Masters Golf Championship in Hua Hin. Unfortunately the fears that they held regarding the handicap situation were confirmed; playing in the 35-55 age group C grade the leader on day 1 off his 28 handicap, scored 56 points and on day 2 after being cut to 16 another 45 points. On day 3 he was played off of a 12 handicap but didn’t figure in the final results as he presumably had another fairly good score and a tactical withdrawal.
Interestingly, the club from which he played had other players that scored 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 9th places, making a possible 6 players from one club in the top ten in a grade group coming from over forty other golf clubs.
Wednesday, June 24, Pattana B & C (yellow tees) – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Neil Skilton (7) 41pts
2nd Tom McCarthy (20) 36pts
3rd Philip Cass (15) 33pts
4th John Carlin (20) 33pts
5th Shuichi Kodaka (16) 29pts
Neil Skilton returned to win again on a Wednesday, even from a one stroke lower handicap, but this time he was seven strokes better, winning by a clear five shots from Tom McCarthy who may well have thought that he had done enough for his first win of the trip. But Neil’s 73 included a gross 35 over the back nine and was just too good on the day.
Tom had started very well, being five under handicap for the front nine, but he dropped five shots over the last seven to leave him in a very creditable second place.
Philip Cass won a count back for third over John Carlin with a better 20 to 17 after he had started badly with four points on the first three, all of which came on the second hole.
Shuichi Kodaka rounded out the podium in fifth place a few more points behind after he also suffered from a very slow start to the day.
Once again there were no 2’s in the first division but Tom McCarthy made up a little for his disappointment in the main competition when he slipped in the only one in the second division to sweep the multi-rollover pot.
Friday, June 26, The Emerald – Monthly Medals
CSS 75 NC
Division 1 (0-15)
1st Bruce Hilde (15) net 83
Division 2 (16+)
1st Markku Tynell (22) net 77
2nd John Carlin (20) net 83
3rd John Wood (23) net 87
A bit of a disaster to round off the week, and a much reduced field for both divisions, after the rains started to bucket down at around 6 a.m. and continued right up to the designated departure time at 9 a.m. But by the time we arrived at Banchang it had stopped raining.
Neil Skilton & Keith Emerson.
Unfortunately the course was the worse for it, as the CSS for the day proved, with just one card returned in the first division. That left just Bruce Hilde to take top spot following a less than sparkling round but another medal to add to the one that he won in the same month last year.
Markku Tynell did not have it quite so easy, although his win was by a margin of six strokes following a very nice one-under handicap front nine and managing to equal his playing partner, John Carlin, over the inward half to hold on for the Medal, his second in succession.
John Wood took a very bedraggled third place four shots back after an almighty struggle with the course over the back-nine.
Once again there were no 2’s in the first division but John Wood had the sole one in the second division, just a day too late for the big pot.
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. If you would like to leave your golf clubs at The Haven, there are usually lockers available at a nominal charge. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
