PSC golf from Tropical Bert’s
Friday, Jan. 31, Pattavia Century – Stableford
Whilst tourist numbers may be down around the country, there is certainly no shortage of players who want to have a game of golf. As soon as the list goes up for the next game it is full up, and usually we have to limit the number who go.
Once you have booked a number of tee times with a course, you are really obliged to take that number of players, and the ‘organisers‘ find it difficult to say how many players will wish to play, sometimes up to 2 months ahead of time. Well that is my excuse. I have to say the courses are pretty good and you can usually slip in a group or two. But the key word is ‘usually’.
Tony Scamber & Daryl Evans.
On this day we had to phone the course to ask if we could take a couple of groups extra, and thankfully they said ‘Yes’, so Bert’s was packed out in the early morning as all the players gathered.
The building of the new clubhouse at Pattavia seems to be going well, but in the meantime some work has been done on the old structure. You can now get air-conditioning in there, and the lockers have been doubled in size, but still leave a lot to be desired. Some extra showers and toilets, it seems, have also been added.
We got to the start early as instructed, but a build up meant we actually got off a little late. Still, all our groups got away. Our initial view of the course was positive, the first fairway was in good condition and we were soon on the green. That is where the problems started. The green was fast and the ball seemed to go where it wanted, some with the bend even went off the green. Would this be the way ahead for the rest of the round?
For the remaining 17 holes we saw all the improvement that has been done at this course. The bunkers are now clean and raked, where once they were a wilderness! The fairways are good and you can get a fair lie, and the greens are to put it delicately, different. Even though you are on the green, be careful, as they are so made that the ball seems to go at right angles at times. Sometime when you chip on you can get your line totally wrong.
The major drawback as usual is the rough which is covered with grassless brown bare sand patches. Seeing the improvements that have gone on so far here I have no doubt that this area will be sorted out, but I fear it will take some time, and even though these areas are in the rough, to save your golf club from damage at the base, I think a rule to declare these areas G.U.R. needs to be implemented. Mind, as we now know this is a problem area ‘Organisers’ can make it a rule of the competition.
Back at Bert’s, with a packed bar, we were soon into the results which were as expected quite low. In the A Flight, 0 to 19, the winner was Tony Scamber with 33 points ahead of a count back on 32 points that saw Walter Baechli in second and Steve Hamstad in third. We then had a count back on 31 points that saw Rob Brown in fourth and John Carlton just losing out.
In the B Flight we had the one golfer who beat his handicap as winner when Daryl Evans won with 37 points. In second was Tom Cotton with 33 points, from Graham Buckingham in third with 32 and Barry Elphick in fourth with 31.
As mentioned above, the changes made to this course make this now an enjoyable visit. There are still areas to be dealt with but all the same, well done Pattavia! T.T.F.N.
Near Pins: John Carlton, Brian Parish (2), Richard Kubicki, Daryl Evans, Barry Elphick, John Marrit.
Long Putt: Rob Brown, Brian Parrish, Mike O’Brien.
