PSC golf from The Golf Club
Monday, August 20, Green Valley (White tees) – Stableford/ Eclectic (Day 1)
1st Phil Smedley (14) 43pts
2nd Brian Prudden (19) 41pts
3rd Mark Wood (9) 39pts
4th Terry Wagner (21) 39pts
This was Day 1 of the “2 day Eclectic” at Rayong Green Valley and the competition was fierce. We have not had so many good scores in quite some time, so it was many a smiling face at the bar when the clock tolled 6 chimes.
The course condition was fantastic, the weather was perfect, and all 29 golfers showed up right on time for this great day of golf. As mentioned last week, this “new” hole layout for the first 4 holes at Green Valley is proving to be a winner!
Phil Smedley, Brian Prudden, Mark Wood and Terry Wagner.
If you have not played an “Eclectic” before, here is the format. You play the same course for two days straight, then you take your first round scorecard and play the second day trying to improve those holes where improvement is necessary. So if you made a double bogey on the 6th on day 1, then today you need to get at least a bogey or better. That’s all there is to it, but it sounds a whole lot easier than it is! The pressure is on, and only the strong survive. Of course it does help to have a decent first round, but being this funny old game that it is, everyone is in with a chance.
Phil Smedley had an astounding first round. He played his best ever round in Thailand to walk off the 18th green with a big red “43” circled at the top of his scorecard. Now that’s what I call a good start! Phil started his first round with “double bogey-bogey-bogey” on the first 3 holes so the pressure was on for a tidy start on Day 2.
The ‘Silver Fox’ himself, Brian Prudden, was not far behind on 41 points from the new PSC “Silver Tees”. Our thanks go out to P.S.C. Golf Chairman Joe Mooneyham for initiating this great idea that allows those over 70’s to play from just behind the red tees. All the courses have been re-rated to adjust for this allowance, and it is great that all of our “Sterling” golfers are now back in the game! Hey, no moaning from the rest, you will get there sooner than you think.
Mark Wood played his usual consistent round to put him in third with 39, just beating a p***ed off Terry Wagner on count back. Yes Terry, you would have won with a 39 the last week and the week before, not come in 4th, but this is a cruel, cruel game, remember? Since our inception 5 years ago, The Golf Club has installed complimentary stone pillars around the bar area for head-banging.
Tuesday, August 21, Green Valley (White tees) – Stableford/ Eclectic (Day 2)
1st Terry Wagner (21) 40pts
2nd Alain Pelsherbe (16) 39pts
3rd Mike Newbert (13) 39pts
4th George Bishop (20) 36pts
Eclectic Final Results
1st Phil Smedley (14) 48pts
2nd Terry Wagner (21) 46pts
3rd Alain Pelsherbe (16) 45pts
4th George Bishop (20) 45pts
Time now for the second installment of the Eclectic, with the pressure on for the lads taking on the challenge of Green Valley once more. There was a bit of confusion this morning as I had put the wrong departure time up on the daily sign-up sheet (Hey, the monthly sheet was right!), so my apologies to all the gang. It was the first time in 5 years, so I guess that early dementia thing might be something to watch out for. They say insanity is hereditary- you get it from your kids. Don’t worry, I shall find an excuse. Anyway, on to the comp…
Phil Smedley was the master of the 2-day eclectic at Green Valley.
Phil Smedley started out with no improvement on his first day’s 3 holes, so it was not looking good for him. Terry wanted his revenge after a brilliant 39, and he pretty much got it. Alain, George, and a dozen others were still in the hunt so it was going to be an afternoon of pressure and pleasure.
Visiting American Mike Newbert had an improved scorecard for the second installment after not placing on the first day’s golf. His 39 points for Day 2 took him to 3rd place on the podium, losing to Alain Pelsherbe on count back with 39’s. Alain came home in 2nd on the day and Terry Wagner had his comeuppance to win the day with a strong 40 points. Terry’s fantastic combined score of 79 would have won in a different comp, such is the nature of the beast called an eclectic. Well played buddy!
But it was Phil Smedley, ending up with a great 48 Eclectic stableford points, who won the 2-day comp and it seems it was mostly due to his tremendous first round of 43 that carried him through to victory. It just goes to show you that you cannot give up after a bad start, or in Phil’s case, two bad starts. Just keep plugging away and play as best you can and see what happens. Well, it sure happened for Phil, so great job of hangin’ in there mate! Don’t forget, Phil had the added burden of getting the lads out to the course and running the tournament, which is a big distraction to one’s own game, as anyone who has run a golf comp will attest to.
Thanks to all who participated, and we will definitely be doing this format again in the very near future.
Friday, August 24, The Emerald (White Tees) – Stableford
1st Dale Shier (14) 40pts
2nd Maurice Bonman (18) 39pts
3rd John Pierrel (15) 38pts
4th Jim Dundon (13) 35pts
It was not going to be an easy day out – the Emerald course is always a difficult test of golf even on the best of days. In the Pattaya area there are many more forgiving layouts than this Faldo-Muirhead track, but it does lure you back for some strange reason. It’s a bit like that ‘bird’ you had that love/hate relationship with when you were 24; she abuses her gift of beauty to wrap you around her little finger and toy with your soul.
On this day, the hair and make-up were tussled and smeared, but still nice to wake up to. All around the greens were G.U.R., for the record. There is an invasion of broadleaf grasses that are being dealt with, so the course has been in better shape to say the least. Still, a determined golfer like Dale Shier rose to the occasion with 40 points on the card, even with a few silly putts lost to the ‘Gods’ of golf.
Maurice B. found himself one stroke off the win with 39, and the travelling golfer John Pierrel one more back on 38. John will feature in upcoming events, I am sure.
Jimmy Dundon is now back, and in town for a couple of months, so a big thank you Jim for that liter of Chivas to assist this writer on this and fruturre wyrite-ups whhyst gjolff forjs patpers. Great job Dale, and have a lovely time back in Blighty!
Note: The Golf Club is located on Soi LK Metro. We play on Monday, Wednesday and Friday so come join us for a seriously fun day out. Just call 085 434 3377 or see our website www.golfclub pattaya.com and for more information mail us: [email protected] and see updates at www. facebook.com/golfclubpattaya.
