IPGC golf from The Haven
Monday, August 13, The Emerald – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Phillip Cass (23) 36pts
2nd Don Everett (21) 34pts
3rd John Wood (23) 33pts
4th Phil Stevenson (22) 30pts
5th Patrick Scullion (22) 30pts
In a week that saw temperatures on the all the courses played soaring way over the norm for this time of year, the scores also soared with only one player from the three competitions managing to play to his handicap and all of the CSS’s rising by three, with two of the competitions becoming non-counting for upward review of handicap.
The week started at Emerald where as usual the local rule of ‘lift and place’ in the fairway was in use as following heavy rain overnight carts were not allowed on the fairways.
Phillip Cass.
Phillip Cass, after featuring several times recently, again reached the top step of the podium with a level handicap round that was good enough by two to win as all the prizes on the day went to players with handicaps of more than twenty.
Don Everett took second place with a very strong showing on the back nine that garnered 19 points after starting out very slowly on the opening nine.
John Wood came back to Pattaya with some form and easily ended up in third even after managing to score zero points from the last two holes, which left travelling companion, Phil Stevenson in fourth after he had won a count back over Patrick Scullion with a better 16 to 14 over the inward half as Patrick took a bit of a dive for a blob on the last.
Derek Dickson holed the only 2 in the first division to sweep the pot while once again there were none in the second division.
Prior to the presentations there were welcome backs for Mick Bogunovich, Phil Stevenson, John Wood and Derek Dickerson.
Wednesday, August 15, Eastern Star – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Rodney Hayes (14) 33pts
2nd Alwyne Burley (18) 31pts
3rd Mike Dabanovich (11) 28pts
4th Patrick Scullion (22) 27pts
5th Markku Tynell (26) 27pts
Rodney Hayes.
If the players had thought that Monday’s course was difficult they had an even tougher day when they travelled to Eastern Star, where although they found the course to be in about as good a condition as had been seen over the last several months, with even the greens not attracting any criticism, the weather conditions of steaming hot left all of the contenders completely exhausted by the end of their rounds. The scores told their own story as once again the CSS went out three and the day became non-counting.
Rodney Hayes had the benefit of a cart with a flag that meant the walking was at a minimum and it may well have contributed to his win, although he too needed several minutes to recover after the last hole before he could move from the cart, but still could not make the day a counting one as he was left one shot higher than the standard required, but just enough to squeeze out the win.
Alwyne Burley, who spends most of his non-golfing time explaining to Rodney how to play the game, nearly did enough to show that he might be worth listening to at some stage as he slipped into second place two shots behind.
Mike Dabanovich had a hard time convincing his caddy that he was a regular golfer after starting out with just two points from the first four holes, although once or twice he had hit the ball further than she could point and did just sufficient to take third place.
Patrick Scullion went one better by winning the count back this time with a better 18 to 15, which left Markku Tynell in fifth spot.
There were no 2’s in either division, and in fact there were not even any 3’s as the course showed all its teeth, with the par threes being particularly difficult in a the wind that was so strong and hot it could have been from a blast furnace.
Friday, August 17, Phoenix – Stableford
CSS 75 Counting
Division 1 (0–15)
1st Barry Winton (5) 34pts
2nd Jeff Cordiero (10) 33pts
3rd Brian Libbey (10) 32pts
4th Rodney Hayes (14) 32pts
Division 2 (16+)
1st Alwyne Burley (18) 33pts
2nd Seppo Sadeharju (22) 33pts
3rd Stephen Beard (22) 32pts
4th Shuichi Kodaka (16) 31pts
An excellent turnout in honour of Tony Barritt’s last appearance on the golf course for an indeterminable period meant that unusually two divisions were required, with the cut coming at the almost standard fifteen and below for the first and sixteen and above for the second.
Alwyne Burley.
Once again the conditions were more akin to a Turkish bath house than the wide open spaces of the Mountain and Lakes courses from the white tees and certainly had a big effect on the CSS going up to an unprecedented 75 for a standard Stableford competition, which was even more surprising considering that the course was in excellent condition with the greens running very fast and flat and the fairways in pristine condition and as good as any course in the area.
Barry Winton did enough to take the first division after what for him from his handicap would be viewed as a disastrous start, with just five points scored from the first five holes with the first par of the round not coming until the sixth hole, but a much improved back nine sealed the win by a single shot to leave him a very surprised victor.
Second spot went to Jeff Cordiero just one back after he had returned a solid card with just one blob shown.
Third place went to Brian Libbey after he won a count back over Rodney Hayes with a better 19 to 17.
The second division was a very close affair with Alwyne Burly just getting the nod over Seppo Sadeharju after winning a count back by a margin of 18 to 15 to leave Seppo missing out on his first ever win in Thailand after returning his best ever score and the first below a hundred.
Third place was filled by Stephen Beard after a fantastic inward half of twenty one points following an awful start which had seen he and his partner, Barry Winton, playing so badly that they were impossibly seemingly six down after five in their four-ball match, although it was in fact only one down after six.
Back at The Haven there was a welcome for new member Mark Ridgway and welcome backs for Jeff Cordiero, Alan Griffiths, Barry Traynor, after a yearlong sabbatical, and Tony Barritt for whom it was also his farewell day prior to returning to London for an unspecified time.
At last the second division 2’s pool was taken with Markku Tynell holding his nerve to slide in a ten-footer to claim the huge rollover pot, while Barry Traynor (of course), Al Keith, Mike Dabanovich together with Barry Winton and Rodney Hayes with two each claimed one thirty seventh of Markku’s total in the first division.
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 8.30 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.
