Monday, March 13
Khao Kheow A & C Golf Course
1st Al Collinge (22) 40 points
2nd Richard Benson (23) 37 points
3rd Paul Smith (5) 35 points
4th Kob Glover (16) 35 points
5th Brett Chan (16) 33 points
Near pins Jimmy Carr, Greg Berry, & Paul Smith X 2.
Due to high season pricing, we have stayed away from Khao Kheow since the Club Championship debacle, but as low season prices start to kick in we hope to return to a more diverse playing roster which started today with our visit to Khao Kheow where we played the A & C nines. The water levels were way down in the catchments so a few good days of rain would be welcome. A little overnight rain did its part to freshen up the course which was surprisingly green.
Due to roadworks on Frontage Rd after the Laem Chabang interchange people had to find different routes to the course and the one that proved quickest was from the 331 extension from the port and taking the first left turn through the business park with only a slight delay through the container storage area, a little convoluted but much quicker than the alternatives,
Some very good scores were returned today, none better than Al Collinge in only his second round with the Bunker Boys he recorded a score of forty points. Second place went to Richard Benson with thirty-seven points. The only low handicapper to appear on the winner’s list was Paul Smith who beat Kob Glover on countback, both with thirty-five points. Brett Chan completed the winner’s list in fifth place with thirty-three points. All the near pins were taken with Jimmy Carr and Greg Berry taking one each while Paul Smith took two
Wednesday, March 15
Royal Lakeside Golf Course
1st Gary Smith (10) 40 points
2nd Mike Smith (19) 33 points
3rd Faa Takumora (24) 33 points
4th Jimmy Carr (20) 33 points
Near pins Keith Smithson, Mike Lloyd, Bob Mulholland, & Faa Takumora.
Today the Royal Lakeside course was very dry and with a much stronger than normal wind blowing it proved to be quite a challenge. Despite being so dry the fairways were reasonably grassed but the greens were rock-hard and proved a difficult proposition, it was difficult to hit and stick, and a few four puts were recorded. The bunkers on the course are probably the best of any course we play, impeccably raked and with just about the right amount of sand, however, a couple of pot bunkers proved to be very difficult, particularly if up close to the front of them.
Only one good score to report today going to Gary Smith who won the day with forty points, an excellent score in the conditions. All the others on the winner’s list had to be happy with thirty-three points and were placed as listed above. First-timer with the Bunker Boys Faa Takumora not only got a third place, she also managed to get a near pin on the long and difficult twelfth hole into the wind. Mike Lloyd, Keith Smithson, and Bob Mulholland also got near pins.
We received promotional vouchers at check-in which gives us an all-in fee of fourteen hundred and fifty baht for our next visit with an expiry date of the end of April, one might reasonably expect this type of promotion to continue through the low season as the course wasn’t particularly busy today, but who knows?
Friday, March 17, (St Patrick’s Day)
Treasure Hill Golf Course
1st Paul Smith (50 34 points
2nd Neil Griffin (26) 32 points
3rd Kob Glover (16) 32 points
4th Niall Glover (13) 32 points
5th Gary Smith (9) 32 points
Near pins Ian Ashendeen, David Rose, Jimmy Carr, & Michael Brett
On this auspicious occasion, (St Patrick’s Day) it was to be hoped that we didn’t encounter any snakes although we know the venerable saint didn’t banish snakes from Thailand as he did in the Emerald Isle. We should have had a special prize for the first person to spot one of the slithering reptiles, alas nobody did.
It’s an adventure getting to courses in the area, every time we go up Highway 331 there is a new diversion without any prior warning so most times people have to go way past the required course to find a U-turn and then come all the way back to the entrance again as was the case again today.
The Treasure Hill course was bone dry and in desperate need of a good drenching, the grass is brown and withered, the run on the fairways was very long, and any misdirected shots ran out into trouble. As always the course proved to be very tough with low scores the order of the day. A reasonable field of twenty-three took up the challenge and only Paul Smith post any sort of decent score taking first place with thirty-four points. All the other place-getters were locked on thirty-two and placed as listed above on countback. Newcomers Ian Ashenden, and David Rose got near pins, it was up to locals Jimmy Carr and Michael Brett to keep the home fires burning with one each.
