PSC Golf from the Tropical Golf Group
Tuesday, Dec 11, Royal Lakeside – Medal
The Tropical Golf Monthly Mug took place this week and twenty-two golfers signed up for the trip to Royal Lakeside hoping to earn a spot in the final playoff.
This course is a longer drive than most on the rotation, but is the extra time worth it? In short, yes. Fairways are immaculate carpets, perhaps surpassing Bangpakong. The greens had been recently sanded but it was not so heavy as to influence putts too much. To top it off the caddies looked nice in their new purple uniforms.
Stroke play always bring course management into priority, and RL is a good choice as there is enough lateral water to weed out sloppy players, but no island greens to make any one hole unfair. As for the results, it was a day of constant countback calculations for the poor organizers.
In the A-Flight (0-17), Andre Van Dyk (c/h 17) won the low flight honors with a fine net 71, two ahead of regular Mashi Kaneta (c/h 15) with net 73. Rob Brown (8) edged Alan Sullivan (16) on countback with net 74 for third.
There were more countbacks in B-Flight (19-26) where Daryl Evans (26) edged out Tom Herrington (19) at the net 70 level, and then Dave Cooper (26) finished with a net 71 just ahead of colorful Water Baechli (24) with net 72.
In the C-Flight (27+) there were still more countbacks, and finally Barry Elphick (30) got the nod over Don Carmody (30) with identical scores and handicaps with net 71. Frank Xin (27) ended his mug winning streak but still did fine with his net 75 on (you guessed it) countback over Karen Brown (35).
So, all the scores were tightly grouped, all except one that is. Winning a record fifth mug (no one else even has four) was Mick Coghlan (25) with a shattering net 66!
Friday, Dec 14, Pattavia – Stableford
Pattavia Century Golf Club is much improved from its days when it known as simply, “Century Golf Club”. The course was renovated in about 2014, and a new clubhouse opened. The locker room is still small, but to be fair, a big step up from the old, truly grim, shower area.
The course was in fine condition on this day, however quick greens, combined with some severely sloped flag placements turned chipping and putting into an adventure. As the last of the four balls returned to the clubhouse, the days winners were determined, and the golfers packed back into the vehicles for the drive back to Pattaya.
Today we had a total field of 21 players, with eleven winners, spread over three flights. Mashi Kaneta was the only golfer to hit his handicap today, and took first in the A flight (0–18), with 36 stableford points, playing from his course handicap of 15. Second went to John Davis (12) with 35 points, on countback over Rob Brown (8).
In the B flight (19-25), Mick Coghlan (24) was first past the post with 34 points. Second was Gabriel Enright (24) with 35 points, on countback over Joe Sparwirth (25).
Colm Mullen (30) topped the C flight (26+) with 34 points, Barry Elphick (29) was second with 33 and Gordon Clegg (26) took third with 30.
The best front nine, not placing, went to Graham Buckingham’s 17, while, Frank Xin had the best back nine score with 18 points.
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