IPGC golf from The Haven
Monday, Nov. 12, Greenwood A & B – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Peter Newham (19) 37pts
2nd Peter Skinner (10) 35pts
3rd Phil Groves (7) 33pts
4th Shuichi Kodaka (14) 33pts
5th Yasuo Suzuki (12) 33pts
Now we are well on the way into the high season when the courses are normally starting to get a bit crowded it is strange to find that many are still struggling to find a good number of golfers, even at well maintained 27 hole ones such as Greenwood where the competition of the day was set over the slightly easier A and B nines. It all made for a very good day on the fairways and a speedy round with everyone back in the clubhouse within 4 and half hours.
Peter Newham.
Peter Newham claimed his maiden victory out of The Haven with a solid one under handicap round that started out well but spluttered over the last four on the front and then came back with a bang on the inward half, which he completed in three under handicap for 21 points which was enough to seal the win with a couple to spare.
Peter Skinner took the first of his two second places, sadly nowadays for a mere pittance and insufficient to lay out on a dinner for two, with a solid round which might have been the winning one without an unusual blob on a par five on the 519 yard 7th when a wayward drive was never seen again and the second effort followed suit.
Phil Groves slipped into third place after returning a card that contained too may single pointers and unusually no three-pointers, but managed to win the count back with Shuichi Kodaka in fourth and Yasuo Suzuki in fifth after closing with 17 on the back nine as the chasing pair could muster just 16 with Shuichi winning out with a better 1 3to 12 on the last six.
There were no ‘2’s in the first division but Peter Newham made it a double celebration with the only one in the second division.
Before the presentations were made there was a welcome for new member Hugh McCurrach and also welcome backs for Frank Hughes, Danny Greer and Phillip Cass.
Wednesday, Nov. 14, Pattaya C.C. – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Mike Hill (23) 36pts
2nd Peter Skinner (10) 35pts
3rd Phil Groves (7) 34pts
4th Victor Moshonkin (11) 32pts
5th Ole Stamnes (27) 32pts
Mike Hill.
Many groups have decided to give Pattaya Country Club a miss at the moment, after the management had closed the back nine for redesign and serious renovation during the low season for almost seven months, claiming it is not yet ready for play. However, following the recent IPGC Medal when the scores were quite reasonable (with the scoring over the front and back nines being almost equally good and just a few complaints to be heard regarding the speed of the greens on the back nine) it was decided to continue with the bookings previously made. This was in support of the efforts made by the management to improve the course and in the knowledge that with some judicious local rules regarding ‘lift and place’ from GUR areas a good day’s golf could be had at a reasonable price.
In the event the day’s returns again showed that the scoring over the back nine was no worse than the front with an equal number of players having their best nine on the front and the back.
Mike Hill is having a very nice run of form, winning regularly without many spectacular scores, and his win this day was again a level par round that proved to be good enough after an even eighteen points on both nines.
Peter Skinner took his second runners up placing in the week again with a one over handicap round but this time including two blobs, one surprisingly on the relatively easy par three 5th hole, but once again it proved to be just sufficient to consign Phil Groves down into third spot also for the second occasion in the week.
Returnee Victor Moshonkin slid into fourth place after winning a count back with Ole Stamnes over the last six holes, scoring a better 13 to 12 after they had tied the back nine on 18 apiece.
There were no 2’s in either division.
Prior to the presentations there were welcome backs for John Mabry and Victor Moshonkin.
Friday, Nov. 16, Phoenix Lakes & Ocean (White tees) – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Paul Taylor (19) 38pts
2nd Mike Hill (23) 37pts
3rd Seppo Sadeharju (24) 37pts
4th Peter Skinner (10) 37pts
5th Stuart Thompson (10) 36pts
6th Bob Lamond (5) 35pts
Paul Taylor is slowly returning to his pre-injury form and continued to progress downwards with his handicap after winning by the slimmest of margins ahead of a three-way count back for second place. His day had started slowly with just eleven points from the first seven holes but the round then took off as he then amassed 26 points from the next ten holes only to drop back at the last taking a double on the Ocean par 5 last. But it was just enough to see him home with his second best round over the last three years.
Paul Taylor.
Mike Hill continued to make headway by winning that count back for second place with a stunning four under back nine that pushed Seppo Sadeharju down into third as he also came back in three under handicap after a steady opening nine.
Peter Skinner took his third podium win following his best return of the week but a weak second nine following a one over gross outward half, when he included a couple of doubles for zero points, consigned him to his worst finishing spot.
It was good to see Stuart Thompson, back from OZ on a flying visit, and Bob Lamond, back from the northern territories of Thailand, both playing and getting themselves a mention once again in Pattaya golf with their fifth and sixth places respectively. We all look forward to their next visits.
Stuart Thompson and Peter Skinner shared the 2’s rollover pool in the first division whilst Phillip Cass went over the top to grab the rollover pool with two in the second division.
Back at The Haven before the prizes were presented there was a welcome for new member Jan Deenoi and also welcome backs for Benny Hansen, Dick Heaney, Stephen Lewis, Bob Lamond and Stuart Thompson.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact mobile 082 219 0965 or call in to The Haven Hotel, at 185 Soi 13, between Beach Road and 2nd Road. All transportation to the course is arranged and you do not need to sign up prior to the day, but you should be there by 8.15 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
