PSC Bunker Boys Golf
Monday, July 27th Eastern Star
1st Tony Robbins (23) 34 points
2nd Michael Brett (17) 32 points
3rd Mashe Kaneta (18) 32 points
It seems like the Bunker Boys cannot play this course without some kind of hassle. Monday we were advised that our green/caddie fee would be eight hundred and fifty baht at the time of booking; however, on arrival we were told it would be fifteen hundred baht as it was a holiday. Needless to say, this news went down like a lead balloon, so with the threat of a walkout our original green fee was honoured, but not without the further aggravation of producing passports and signing various other identification requirements.
This hassle every visit has become so tedious that several of our group have had enough and vowed never to return. It just seems that we will be gouged every visit if we tolerate it, so we have to seriously consider if we wish to continue with this nonsense since other courses are far more welcoming, hassle-free, and have competitive green fees.
The course itself was in good condition but the usual strong onshore wind made conditions tricky and as a result, scores were on the low side. For some reason, the wind seemed to be in our faces much more than at our backs or across.
On a very generous handicap of twenty-three, Tony Robbins took first place with thirty-four points and just about locked up the golfer of the month trophy.
Two points back, Jimmy Carr, Mashe Kaneta, and Michael Brett were tied on thirty-two, with the latter taking second on countback from Mashe.
For the third time in recent weeks, nobody was able to snag a near pin, a sad reflection on the standard of play although a couple of efforts were not far off the mark.
Wednesday, July 29th Emerald
1st Geoff Cox (16) 36 points
2nd Michael Brett (17) 36 points
3rd Dave Ashman (23) 34 points
Near pins Geoff Parker, Geoff Cox, & Michael Brett
On our last visit to Emerald, the course was in good condition but the greens were shabby, full of bare patches and black fungus. Wednesday the course was in even better condition and the greens had improved somewhat, still a bit shabby looking but decent for putting.
It seems that the buffalo grass on many of the fairways is gradually being replaced with proper grass. If maintenance work continues on the course it will become very good in a couple of months, as the greens dry out a bit and the fungus disappears.
An all-in fee of just over one thousand baht represents very good value and no doubt we will be back again soon if this rate continues. If there was a complaint it was about the caddies who were mostly new, untrained, lazy, and not very interested. One had to be just about the laziest caddie ever seen and this was reflected in her build. Fortunately for her, she was in a cart, otherwise she would not have made to the finish of the round.
Reasonable scoring from at least the top three with Geoff Cox edging out Michael Brett on countback, both with thirty-six points and Dave Ashman a further two back.
Shot of the day came from Geoff Parker who on the difficult par-three fifth played a controlled fade which ran up the slope to about six inches from the pin. Naturally, he sank the putt for a four-pointer.
Geoff Cox and Michael Brett took the other two near pins with one unclaimed.
A bad day for Jimmy who didn’t enjoy the speed of play and lost all sixes.
Friday, July 31st Treasure Hill
1st Dave Ashman (23) 30 points
2nd Tony Robbins (23) 29 points
3rd Michael Brett (17) 28 points
Near pins Jimmy Carr, Tony Robbins, Geoff Atwell, & Michael Brett
The notoriously difficult Treasure Hill Course was the venue for the last game of July. Of all the Bunker Boys it seems Robby Watts is the only one with mastery over this course, consistently shooting thirty-six and over. Everyone else seems to fail miserably.
Friday the course was made all the more difficult for a variety of reasons. The white tees were pushed way back making it much longer than normal, the rough was impossible being three to four inches deep almost all over the course and the greens were ridiculously slow.
Scores were embarrassingly low. Usually, somebody gets a score but not Friday. The best was Dave Ashman with thirty points, followed on twenty-nine by Tony Robbins and in third Michael Brett.
All the near pins were taken with one each to Geoff Atwell, Jimmy Carr, Tony Robbins, and Michael Brett.
As expected, Tony Robbins won golfer of the month by a good margin; his first for some considerable time. It may now be time for his generous handicap to get a serious clip.
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