PSC Bunker Boys Golf
Monday, January 4th
Pattaya Country Club
1st Geoff Parker (18) 40 points
2nd Geoff Atwell (22) 36 points
3rd Michael Brett (16) 35 points
Near pins, Bob Paine & Geoff Parker.
We were due to play Bangpakong Riverside today, but several decided the travel was too much for them so we canceled and played Pattaya Country Club instead. There is so much remedial work being done on this course that when it is finished it will be a very desirable golf course. The fairways that have been re-turfed and settled in are quite superb, lush green, and beautiful on which to play. The greens are also very nice, no doubt when things get back to normal green fees will be much higher than at present.
Taking a trip back down memory lane Geoff Parker returned to his best form with a superb forty points, a clear winner. Geoff Atwell took second place with thirty-six points, the third Geoff (Cox) was down the field. Michael Brett took third with thirty-five and suffered a similar fate as Dave Ashman last week, hitting the pin with a short put and the ball staying out (slow learner). Only two near pins were taken with one each to Bob Paine and Geoff Parker.
Monday we had the pleasure of welcoming another new member to our group with the arrival of Mark No straight out of quarantine, a twelve handicapper playing his first game with us. We hope more will join in the coming months.
Golf is looking increasingly uncertain around Pattaya with all the Rayong courses and some Chonburi courses closed. We are not sure if or how long we can continue to play, but as long as there are accessible courses to play we will continue.
We have added to our injury list with Jimmy Carr and Tony Robbins joining, not sure how long either will be out, hopefully not too long. We are also missing Myles Knowlson and Steve Durey, both of whom have Thai partners that are seriously worried about the prospect of them catching the dreaded lurgy.
Wednesday, January 6th
Khao Kheow A & B
1st Mark No (12) 35 points
2nd Michael Brett (16) 34 points
3rd Paul Smith (3) 31 points
Near pins Paul Smith, Mark No, & Michael Brett.
Another change of venue for Wednesday’s game originally scheduled for Eastern Star which is in the province of Rayong where all courses are closed. A new game was arranged for Khao Kheow which met with universal approval as Eastern Star hasn’t been kind to us in the past.
We were pleased to welcome back today the ebullient Barry Murnin to our ranks following his confinement in quarantine for two weeks in Bangkok. How unlucky can you be to come out of isolation into semi-lockdown? We also welcomed back a regular in the form of the portly Paul Smith, who obviously has been enjoying a bit of comfort food during his stay in the UK and his lockdown in Bangkok.
Stricter than normal Covid protocols were in place with the locker room closed, so no after golf showers. Fortunately, the day was not too hot and a blustery wind blew, so conditions were reasonably comfortable.
In only his second game with us, Mark No showed some very fine touches to his game and took first place with thirty-five points. In particular, his putting was of a very high standard.
Michael Brett took second on thirty-four, a missed short putt proving costly again. Paul Smith was a bit rusty at the beginning of his round but eventually found his touch to edge out Barry Murnin on countback for third place.
Three of the four near pins were taken with one each going to Mark No, Paul Smith, and Michael Brett. Jimmy returned after a layoff with an injury, we are still waiting for Tony Robbins to return.
The Bunker Boys owe a huge debt of gratitude to Tony Robbins and his lady friend Gik who negotiated a six-month extension of the storage arrangements for the lockers with the new lessee of Woody’s Bar. Not only does Tony look after finances and scheduling of courses, he also arranged for all the lockers to be opened and emptied so they could be moved downstairs to be refilled, labeled, and locked up again; quite a job.
Some questions were raised about some of the curious things people keep in their lockers, most notably that of Mark Stanley who had everything including a kitchen sink, well almost, in his locker. One has to ask, how does a golfer use a frying pan on the course? The marvel of it all was how he managed to cram so much stuff into one locker. He must be a member of the storemen and packers union.
All our overseas guests can rest assured that all their belongings have been well looked after. There will be a small increase of five hundred baht levied to cover the increase in rental costs from the new lessee, worthwhile given what airlines are likely to charge in excess baggage charges for transport of clubs post Covid.
Friday, January 8th
Pattana Resort & Country Club A & B
1st Jay Babin (24) 41 points
2nd Bob Paine (19) 38 points
3rd Mark No (12) 36 points
Near pins Jay Babin, Geoff Cox, & Paul Smith X 2.
A decent field of eleven given the circumstances for the last round of the week at Pattana where we were allocated the A & B nines. As there was a big group ahead of us we decided to start on B1, one of the more difficult starting holes in Pattaya. The day was nice and sunny and if it were not for a stiff breeze, hot as well.
Having laboured in the low to mid-twenties for months Jay Babin brought his A-game today and took the honours with a fine score of forty-one points. Bob Paine may have thought thirty-eight would have been enough to take the chocolates, alas not so and he had to settle for second. Mark No has shown in the last two rounds that he is one to watch and took third place with thirty-six.
All the near pins were taken with Jay and Geoff Cox taking one each and Paul Smith taking two. Shot of the day went to Bob Innes who managed to hit a water monitor on one of the par-three greens.
One of the drawbacks of playing Pattana is that the clubhouse is closed and the outside bar at the back of the clubhouse closes at three pm, so no drinks were available except for Coke. No showers again and no complaints, people are just happy to be able to get a game.
