PSC Golf from The Outback Golf Bar
Monday, Feb. 2, Burapha – Stableford
Five groups played from the white tees on C and D (rated 71.2/122) but with the rough not as brutal as in the past, the course did not play particularly difficult.
Course specialist John Cunningham did not have it all his own way for a change as Rob Barnes stepped up his game a little to record a great 39 points to snatch a comfortable win. Rob’s good mate, Peter Frost, also put his best foot forward in his penultimate game before returning home to score 35 to take third place, whilst Jim Brackett and Jimmy Little filled the remaining podium positions.
John Player (centre) is presented the trophy by Greg Hirst of DeVere with Andy Makara (seated left), John Stafford (seated right) and Kim Danboise.
John Cunningham had the only ‘2’, which he achieved on C5.
Outback Opinion: Weather – fine; Check in – quick and friendly; Tee time – early; Fairways – fast; Rough – light; Greens – medium; Bunkers – fair; Value for money – acceptable; Pace of play – 4hours 20mins; Drink stations open – all open; Restaurant – not visited
1st Robert Barnes (13) 39pts
2nd John Cunningham (05) 36pts
3rd Peter Frost (19) 35pts
4th Jim Brackett (07) 32pts
5th Jimmy Little (20) 31pts
Tuesday, Feb. 3, Phoenix – Stableford
Today was the first of a series of planned Tuesday visits to the revamped Phoenix course, playing the Mountain and Lake nines (rated 70.8/123). Mountain has undergone various changes, most of which are hardly noticeable apart from the fact that some of the greens have been re-laid, leaving the original Lake greens playing like a completely different course. That apart, it was a good day out although nobody managed to play to handicap.
Wednesday’s podium placers: (L-R) Tim Knight, Mick Shrosbee, Jim Brackett, Eddy Beilby, Bob Barnes and Suzi.
This was a “winner takes all event” which went to Mark Allen with 34 points playing off a course handicap of 17; and if you’re wondering why second placed Guy picked up Race to Bangkok points, that was because there were no ‘2’s.
If anyone fancies giving Phoenix a go; give Jack a call as we will be here every Tuesday at about 10 a.m.
1st Mark Allen (17) 34pts
2nd Guy Brennan (08) 32pts
Wednesday, Feb. 4, The Emerald – Stableford
The opinion of the six groups who played Emerald was “why don’t we play here more often?” It is a bit short at just over 6,000 yards but it has some great holes, sloping greens, hard par threes and is great value for money. The rating at 69.6/133 needs some attention, having been done in the early days by the PSC but General Jack (The PSC Handicap Committee Chairman) says it’s one of the long list of courses due for review.
There were no ‘2’s so we had four places in two divisions, with the high handicappers outscoring the top division but the slope may have had something to do with that. Mick Shrosbee had a fantastic 38 points to win Div. 2 from his playing partner Eddy Beilby on 36. Suzi Lawton had 35 for third and Tim Knight ws a distant fourth with 30.
In the top division there was a three-way count back, all with a fairly ordinary 31 points; Rob Barnes recording his second win this week from Sugar Ray Handford and Jim Brackett, while Geoff Stimpson was fourth with 30.
Outback Opinion: Weather – fine, hot; Check in – Ok; Tee time – early; Fairways – fast; Rough – dry and light; Greens – medium; Bunkers – good (is there such a thing as a good bunker?); Value for money – outstanding, even though we were charged too much by mistake; Pace of play – 4hours 20mins; Drink stations open – all open; Restaurant – good value.
Div A (0-17)
1st Robert Barnes (11) 31pts
2nd Sugar Ray Handford (17) 31pts
3rd Jim Brackett (06) 31pts
4th Geoff Stimpson (05) 30pts
Div B (18+)
1st Mick Shrosbee (19) 38pts
2nd Eddy Beilby (18) 36pts
3rd Suzi Lawton (29) 35pts
4th Tim Knight (26) 30pts
Friday, Feb. 6, Green Valley – Monthly Medal
What a fantastic turnout of 59 players for the Greg Hirst sponsored, DeVere Monthly Medal and my thanks to the Green Valley management for accommodating, firstly two extra groups on Wednesday afternoon then one more on Thursday; up from our normal 12 groups this time of the year. So having previously taken down the sign-up sheet advising all that we were full; we were able to call players back and fit them in. Well done Green Valley!
General Jack may have been a little generous setting his 500 baht bonus bar voucher at a net 68, but even at 67 he would have still have been considerably out of pocket as John Player and John Stafford were tied at the top with matching 66’s, and Andy Makara was just one shot back on 67. Ever steady Kim Danboise was fourth with 69 and probably the unluckiest man, Greg LeBlanc, was fifth after notching up a 12 on the 9th, which included taking 5 to get out of a bunker.
Unlucky indeed, as when the scores are converted to stableford for handicap purposes (used for the ESC (Equitable Stroke Control), which states that a 20 to 29 handicapper may not record higher than an 8 on any one hole), Greg had 42 points and he had a better net back nine than both the Johns. Don’t you just hate this game!
Tied sixth were Eddy Beilby and the fast improving Kev Hamilton, both with 72’s, whilst Bob Mattes, Paul Hack and Waldo all shared eighth with 73’s.
So John Player was awarded the trophy (as we only have one each month to present) on count back, even though technically it was a tie for first place.
There were seven ‘2’s from Paul Hack (5th), Andy Makara (8th), Wayne Cotterell, Mike Missler, John Player & John Stafford, all on the 12th and Jimmy Little (16th).
Welcome back to Jim Black, who said he hasn’t hit a ball since he was last here in November, blaming the frosty weather in Scotland just now and welcome also to the new Nordics, Heikki & Harri, John’s mate Rick, also from Scotland on his way back home after a couple of months in Aus and finally Colin Goon, Tony Hill & Gary Duffy.
T1st John Player (20) net 66
T1st John Stafford (18) net 66
3rd Andy Makara (25) net 67
4th Kim Danboise (13) net 69
5th Greg LeBlanc (26) net 70
T6th Kevin Hamilton (14) net 72
T6th Eddy Beilby (16) net 72
T8th Bob Mattes (21) net 73
T8th Paul Hack (13) net 73
T8th Stephen Blazsanyik (19) net 73
Note: The Outback Golf Bar is situated about 6km from Sukhumvit Road along Soi Siam Country. Call Jack on 081 578 1956.
