Travellers Rest Golf Group
The playing numbers are dropping which can only mean one thing – the high season is winding down for another year. It has been quite noticeable how many familiar faces have departed these shores in the last week or two, about time they went home and did some work. For us retirees and the few remaining visitors we have to struggle on keeping the golf courses in business until the large herds return again in November. We shall do our best to carry on.
Monday, March 16, Plutaluang – Stableford
The week opened up on Monday with a trip over to the Navy course at Plutaluang (East and South courses). Now I don’t know what food supplements farmer David Booth has been feeding his cows and chickens of late but it looks to me as though he has been trying a little of it himself. After the previous week’s 41 points round St. Andrews he followed it up with a 39-pointer at Plutaluang. Any more of this and we shall be taking a few urine samples for drug testing.
Fergus Brennan & Larry Simpson.
David not only won the competition but he won it by a mile. If he had been a horse at Cheltenham there would definitely have been a stewards’ enquiry. Michael Maguire followed him home about twenty lengths behind although it took a photo finish to show that he had just pipped Mike Rushant into second place.
1st David Booth (15) 39pts
2nd Michael Maguire (22) 34pts
3rd Mike Rushant 10) 34pts
Tuesday, March 17, Phoenix – Stableford
It was St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday and twenty-five runners entered the big race in the Phoenix Stakes (Mountain and Lakes courses). It therefore seemed appropriate that the first three were all from the Emerald Isle.
Old stager Fergus Brennan, who knows the course backwards, brought his experience to bear and romped home in first place. In second was Seamus Farrell, who would be the first to admit that his romping days are over but he still retains a mischievous twinkle in his eye and he produced a late turn of speed to pip four other old nags, all finishing on 36 points. Out of that bunch came Joe Nagle, another Irish stallion with a good deal of grey in his mane to take third place.
1st Fergus Brennan (12) 37pts
2nd Seamus Farrell (30) 36pts
3rd Joe Nagle (17) 36pts
Thursday, March 19, Green Valley – Stableford
On Thursday it was back to the verdant pastures of Green Valley and for the only time this week two divisions were required. In Division 1, Nigel Ashurst showed an excellent turn of speed to defeat the other contenders as he amassed a remarkable 42 points to take first place. Alan Thomas probably thought he had done enough to win the race with 39 but he had to settle for second. Some way back, Paul Stanton finished ahead of the also-rans to take third spot.
In Division 2, Seamus Farrell, bolstered by his second place finish on Tuesday went one better at Green Valley to at least show everybody he could still romp a little bit. Seamus finished ahead of Jim Cooper in second and Brendan Abbott in third.
Div.1 (0-14)
1st Nigel Ashurst (13) 42pts
2nd Alan Thomas (5) 39pts
3rd Paul Stanton (13) 33pts
Div.2 (15+)
1st Seamus Farrell (30) 39pts
2nd Jim Cooper (16) 33pts
3rd Brendan Abbott (24) 32pts
Saturday, March 21, Greenwood – Stableford
It was back to Greenwood (C and A courses) on Saturday for the last race of the week. Larry Simpson, who has been round the race track more times than I have had hot dinners dusted off the old fetlocks, donned the blinkers and bolted for the finish line for what we all hope won’t be the last time before he retires to stud, or should that be the knackers yard? Anyway, Larry played his best golf in a long while to rack up 40 points and finish in first place.
Young Andrew Purdie shot a very respectable 38 points to finish second and Fergus Brennan, another old stager bound for the knackers yard, finished in third.
1st Larry Simpson (15) 40pts
2nd Andrew Purdie (9) 38pts
3rd Fergus Brennan (12) 35pts
Good luck to all you golfers for the coming week and if you would like to play a round of golf with the TRGG, please phone Fergus Brennan on 086 056 7019 or pop into the Ned Kelly Bar in Soi Lengkee and add your name to the weekly lists which are posted on the notice board.
