Philips & Cronin sail through the storm

The Pattaya Links Golf Society

Monday, March 20, Royal Lakeside – Stableford

A Flight

1^st Huw Philips (14) 40pts

2^nd Mark Cooper (11) 38pts

3^rd Phil Mitchell (18) 36pts

4^th Kevin McEntee (8) 36pts

B Flight

1^st Matt Cronin (19) 41pts

2^nd Mogens Melander (19) 38pts

3^rd Colin Service (19) 37pts

4^th Richard Dobson (24) 37pts

Like its next door neighbor, Royal Lakeside is a relatively flat course and usually conducive to good scores.  The greens have a tiered design and can trick the unwary, running quite quickly and true.  Fairways are well grassed, but starting to dry around the edges.

There were some good scores from the Links golfers today, but without the storm, albeit short and sharp, we wonder what might have been.  However a few more of these storms or rains will fix the drying out problem soon.

In his first appearance at Links for a while, Huw Philips defied the storm and came in with 40 points to take out A Flight.  Mark Cooper also did well off his low handicap to record 38 points to get 2^nd place.  Then Phil Mitchell won a count back from Kevin McEntee, both on 36 points.

The winner of B Flight almost wasn’t!  Matt Conin presented his scorecard as the envelopes were about to be sealed.  He had 41 points.  Mogens Melander with 38 points got 2^nd spot, and then another count back saw Colin Sevice win by a nose from Richard Dobson, both on 37 points.

For those who had not yet won anything we have a “best front nine” and a “best back nine.  John O’Sullivan managed 21 points to win best front 9 and Christian Boysen, with 20 points, took the honours on the back 9.

Wednesday, March 22, Greenwood – Stableford

A Flight

1^st Wayne Peppernell (16) 40pts

2^nd Kevin Cumming (14) 40pts

B Flight

1^st Nigel Harrison (26) 40pts

2^nd Mogens Jensen (38) 39pts

The price at Greenwood may have come down (happy about that), but the quality and presentation of this course has not.  Fairways are well grassed, but cut to allow good run.  The greens are not a 10 on the stimpmeter, but have enough pace to get the ball to the hole if you are good enough.

The weather was kind today, with the skies darkening only as we approached the final green.  My caddy was perspiring a bit, more due to having to hold her breath when I putted than the heat of the day.

40 points was the benchmark today, and this was achieved by 3 of the eventual 22 starters.  The A Flight winner was Wayne Peppernell but he had to survive a count back over octogenarian (14 handicap would you believe?) Kevin Cumming. Well done both!

B Flight winner Nigel Harrison had it slightly easier, also scoring 40 points but no count back.  Still close however, as Mogens Jensen was only 1 point behind on 39.

We had 4 near pins laid out, all on par 3s but only 2 had names on them.  The winners were Dave Moriaty (A flight) on B5 and Chris Walsh (B flight) on B2.

Any players who have won nothing else now get the chance participate in the “Best 9”.  Svend Hommell with 20 points was “Best Front 9” and John Anderson with 21 was “Best Back 9”.