Jomtien Golf with the IPGC
Monday, March 21, Bangpakong – Stableford
We were all quite surprised at the turnout today at this course considering some people think the 3 courses up the 331 are too far to travel and won’t even go there. There were five cancellations but we still fielded 5 ladies and 41 men today.
A very quiet route 7 on the way up and it took exactly one hour from Siam Cats and we all arrived to our allocated tee times and there were no problems whatsoever.
Two 40’s and two 39’s dominated the four divisions, with Orawan Meeraka winning the ladies with 40 points, Noi Emmerson taking second on 38, and Mam Morel coming in third with 36 points.
On the podium at Eastern Star, Erkki Koivisto, Bryan Rought and John Williams.
Heikki Alanko also scored 40 points to win division 2, with Rudi Schafer playing his last game this visit coming second on 37 and Jerry McCarthy took third on 35.
Still in winning form and now playing off 13, Jon Poole beat Terry Dutton on a count-back after they both came in with 39 points to claim top spot in the first division and Raivo Velsberg was third with 37.
Fred Duffy came third in division 3 on 35 points, one behind Jim Connelly in second and the winner on 39 was John Sharky.
Near pins went to Dennis Scougal, Fred Duffy, Alan Pilkington, Jim Connelly, Srithong Tann, Kari Kuparinen, Kari Aarnio, Noi Emmerson and Georges Faber.
The ‘2’s in division 1 were shared by Alan Pilkington, Dennis Scougal and Raivo Velsberg while in division 2 Jim Connelly’s birdie on the 7th was the only one in this division.
Wednesday, March 23, Greenwood – Stableford
The rain started here in Jomtien at around 4 a.m. in the morning and continued until the groups arrive to a totally waterlogged Soi 5 at around 8 o’clock. With the street running like a river, a few people in cars braved the storm and arrived but did not get out and enter Siam Cats. There were half a dozen cancellations over the phone and with a phone call to Greenwood which responded that it had been raining there for one hour we called the game off.
Friday, March 25, Eastern Star – Stableford
A very pleasant and cool day was enjoyed by everyone today with many of the lads playing their last game of this visit. After heavy rain here over the past two days there was no run at all on the fairways today and this was reflected in the scores with 35 points being the highest of the day.
There were 37 players out in total and Erkki Koivisto claimed division 1 with said 35 points ahead of Mike Combs, in his last game with us, and Mikael Andersson. Mike edged second place with an 18/16 back nine count-back over Michael after they both came in with 33 points.
John Williams won division 3 with another score of 35 points, Tony Holehouse was second on 32 and the new sea captain Les Smith took third with 29.
Jean Bruneau topped division 2 with 34 points, with Bryan Rought talking second three points behind, and with the luck of the Irish Cully Monks beat Harry Vincenzi, Frank Kelly and Brian Blackford on a 19/15/14/14 count-back after they all came in with 30 points each.
Toi Blair was the victor in the ladies division with 30 points.
Near pins today were claimed by Max Wilson, Ya Riley, Terry Redding, Bryan Rought, Toi Blair, Jean Bruneau and Geoff Pickin.
There were no ‘2’s in either division today so a rollover in division 1 and a double in division 2 to next Friday.
It was bon voyage to Andy Baber, Celia and Geoff Pickin, Mike Combs and Jerry McCarthy, see you all soon! Still playing off 4 there was a warm welcome return for Michael Dige.
