PSC golf from Tropical Bert’s
Tuesday, April 10, Mountain Shadow – Stableford
Life is a bit chaotic at present with people not available for the next few weeks and playing on a Thursday not a Friday due to holidays. We will also not be playing on Tuesday the 17th as it is in the middle of the great water debate, but normal service will resume on Friday the 20th – unless you come from down the road in Jomtien.
On this day we had the trip down to Mountain Shadow and this has been made much easier since Route 7 came to town. On to Route 7, down to Khao Kheow, at the bridge turn left, at the road turn right and keep going, past Burapha, until you see the course on the left. Mind, watch out as the entrance is not very well signed.
Tuesday’s top three with one of Bert’s finest.
A quick book in and onto the first tee saw us soon underway. A decision was made to play the white tees, the Mickey Mouse ones’ as time after time we play the blue tees and it results in players not enjoying the course, and being destroyed as it is too hard. So off we went in conditions that promised to be hot and humid, and so it turned out.
This is a tough course; probably the toughest of all in the area, but stand on the first tee and one can see the allure of a quality layout. The trees provide a setting where you do not want to be off line as they (the trees) are really difficult to get out of. The fairways were not too bad but on this day the greens were a little slow. The greens are a real test here, never think because you are on in regulation that you will score well, they can be brutal.
Thursday winner Dick Warberg.
The weather as said was humid and hot and by the end the players were struggling. It was nice to get back into the changing room and get into a coldish shower. On this day the showers were working fine.
Back at Bert’s it was into the presentation and the winner on this day was the organiser, and scribe, Derek Brook with 41 points while in second was the other organiser Dick Warberg with 39 points and you can be assured we will be playing here next month! In third we had a count back on 38 points that went to the last hole before Mashi Kaneta came in third and Joel Flor came in fourth.
Near Pins: Brian Parrish, Mike O’Brien, Mike Gaussa, Bill McGarvie
Thursday, April 12, Plutaluang – Stableford
Every time we go to this course I have to be careful what I say (and usually I am not) because so many players say they enjoy playing it. Indeed I actually have players who ask that we play it more regularly. Well really to me it depends which 18 holes we play.
We played the North and West on this day, my least favourite 18 holes. I am told it has ‘character’ and it is the 18 holes that the regional professionals play. The fairways were a bit bald and I am advised by the ‘members’ not to play woods off the fairway. I can see why.
The whole 18 hole is covered by broadleaf grass and I find it very unfriendly as I prefer to play off normal grass. The greens were soft and spongy, a bit like a trampoline, and putting on them was like putting on velcro. Mind, I have to say that I go in an immediate negative mode when I arrive, and am usually beaten before I hit a ball.
In the past we have played South and East when the course has been in its best condition and even on occasions I have been known to play excellent rounds on both 18 holes but usually South and East, which at those times is quite passable. Suffice to say I am outnumbered by the other players, but I suspect they are in Pattaya mode, where there are no dodgy courses. However, no doubt we will book it, and many will play again next month.
Incidentally, as I said last time, the Admiral would put me in the stockade for my views on the course, he very kindly told me he would not, however the brig would await as the navy have a brig. Such good friends have we.
With the course ‘difficult’, the weather hot and humid, we expected the scores to be low in points and so they proved to be – the scribe going from hero to zero in the space of 2 days (that is first to last). So with Mashi driving I had a moment of ‘eye relaxation’ on the way back to Bert’s.
At Bert’s it was into the presentation where the winner on the day and in a run of good form was Dick Warberg with 36 points. In second, who else but our perpetual winner, Mashi Kaneta, who never knows when he is beaten, and in third was J.C. Lhoste with 31 points on count back over Stan Everingham. T.T.F.N.
Near Pins: Mashi Kaneta (2), Terry Hopkins
