The Tropical Golf Group
Tuesday, March 28, Bangpra – Stableford
This venue is a little bit special in that it was the original golf course on The Eastern Seaboard that started many people playing here. In those days the thing I remember the most was the speed of the greens, there were many times that if you got above the hole you could not stop the ball on the green. The putting surfaces are still not slow but now a more reasonable speed, although on this day the dryness of the course made them more difficult.
The other thing this course is famous for is the wildlife and in particular, monkeys. Today they were everywhere, and when I say everywhere I mean they were running over every fairway in numbers. When we stopped for a sit down they were on the roofs and looking down at us and we had to leave a caddie with the cart as they raided it immediately. All the rest stops were surrounded by the things.
The day was very hot and a lot of the players struggled on the back-nine, so to get back into the showers was a pleasure.
Back at BJ’s in Pattaya we were soon into the results and we expected the scores to be low. The winner on the day was Tom Herrington with 34 points ahead of a count back on 32 that saw Doug Maiko in second and Derek Brook third. Filling the fourth and final podium place was Mashi Kaneta with 31 points.
Near Pins: Walter Baechli, John Bland, Don Krueger, Mashi Kaneta.
Friday, March 31, Greenwood A & B – Medal
Seventeen hearty souls (seems many early departures to escape Songkran) met at BJ’s in anticipation of Tropical Golf’s Monthly Mug competition at Greenwood. With possible thundershowers in the forecast, would the golf be played without interruptions and the need to dry out the gear over the weekend?
With both the Mug competition and the final chance for points for the Golfer of the Month (GOM) award, it was a busier than usual day for the organizer, but on time all were in the cars and headed out to Greenwood.
Arriving at Greenwood to a nearly deserted parking lot we were assigned the A & B nines for the day and were soon off A-1 under cloudy skies and warm and humid conditions on a wonderfully presented course. With no groups in front of ours the pace of play was very good, and other than a threat from a huge black cloud complete with thunder that skirted the area, we had neither rain nor delays. It is a real pleasure to play when the weather cooperates and the course is in such fine condition. With the quick pace of play, showered and changed, and score cards turned in, all were back on the road to Pattaya by 3:00 p.m., which is a definite advantage on a Friday afternoon.
Back at BJ’s the results of the day and the final GOM points were tabulated and the presentation got underway. Up first, the coveted BJ/Tropical Golf Monthly Mug was awarded to Mashi Kaneta (H/cap 19) who managed a fine net 70. Congratulations Mashi for the only round this day that beat the course. The runners up were in order, Brian Parish (net 73), John Bland (net 73), Paul Weatherley (net 74), and Dave Cooper (net 75). Just missing the podium on count-back, also with a net 75, was Bob Watson.
On to the BJ Holiday Lodge Golfer of the Month, and the fine second place finish on the day by Brian Parish allowed him to edge out Landis Brooks for the award as the two were tied on points starting the day. Congrats to Brian for his consistent play over the month and a fine finish.
The near pin tech prizes went to Takeshi Hakozaki, Bob Watson and John Bland (2).
