Travellers Rest Golf Group
The little scamp did it again! He only went and won twice this past week, the second time by amassing a stupendous 40 points. Mike Rushant ‘the Mighty Atom’ has been repelling all boarders on his pocket battleship and still he hasn’t been cut. Cries of “fix” and “teacher’s pet” and “I don’t believe it” have been re-sounding from the back of the classroom but still the man with the ‘mighty scythe’ keeps a low profile.
Mike has been crying out to be a single figure handicapper but his cries have gone unanswered. “I have won four competitions and finished runners-up three times in the last 22 days.
Mike Rushant – the two time winner.
What more can I do to become a single figure handicapper?” he sobbed uncontrollably wiping away the tears with a big spotted handkerchief. “Who knows?” I said in a consoling sort of voice.
Monday, Nov. 3, The Emerald – Stableford
All in all it was a strange week at the TRGG; the first week when golf was arranged for five competitions at five different venues. It didn’t get off to the best of starts on Monday at Emerald where the golfers managed to complete about sixteen holes before the heavens opened and play had to be abandoned for the day. Everybody got so drenched most were still drying out the following day and only a hardy few, now known as the “Magnificent Six”, turned up to play at Greenwood.
Tuesday, Nov. 4, Greenwood – Stableford
So with Monday’s event abandoned we move on to Tuesday at Greenwood (A and B courses). Brian Beaupre packed his heavy weather gear and his sou’wester and showed the rest how to play a wet course. He romped home in first place on 37 points but was closely followed by Mike Rushant, just tuning up for the rest of his dominant week. Ian Bell was some way back in third place.
1st Brian Beaupre (5) 37pts
2nd Mike Rushant (11) 36pts
3rd Ian Bell (7) 32pts
Thursday, Nov. 6, Green Valley – Stableford
On Thursday, which also happened to be Loi Krathong, the light festival, in Thailand, Mr. Confusion came to call at the TRGG. One of the big bosses booked everybody in that morning and sent them on their way in all the transport buses to play Green Valley. He then proceeded to drive to Eastern Star. He of course blamed his Satnav but we could see pressure was starting to tell. His partner, the other big boss, then had to rearrange everything at the course whilst waiting for the errant group to arrive after their jaunt down to Eastern Star. He then proceeded to “play the worst golf of my life” and come last with seventeen points. These five day working weeks are obviously going to take some getting used to.
Brian Beaupre – winner at Greenwood.
With the crazy things happening back at base, we arrived at Green Valley to find out that the management had once again altered the course around so that the first hole is once again the toughest hole on the course. This meant that a good number of the contestants were fishing around in the pond after their very first drive. Put that together with the weather on the day being one of the hottest and most humid I have ever encountered in Thailand and the majority of the bedraggled incumbents returned to the looking like the French Foreign Legion after a route march across the Sahara.
It was of course no problem for our hero of the week and Mike Rushant skipped back to the club house ready to collect his first prize. He did however only manage to pip another youngster, Ian Bell, on count back. The immaculately turned out Mike Sanders took third spot.
1st Mike Rushant (11) 35pts
2nd Ian Bell (6) 35pts
3rd Mike Sanders (6) 33pts
Friday, Nov. 7, Phoenix – Stableford
It was another welcome return to Phoenix on Friday, this time after about a year’s absence. We played Ocean and Mountain courses and because of the large turnout two divisions were required. Everybody got lucky because just a few miles away back in Pattaya the mother and father of all thunderstorms fell on the city for a couple of hours in the early afternoon and for a time it looked as though Noah was going to get a call to bring his ark along.
All remained calm at Phoenix and ‘Big’ Gerry Fernandez swatted away the challenge of, you guessed it, Mike Rushant to take top spot in Div 1. Mike just managed to pip dapper Mike Sanders on count back.
In Div.2 Derek Thorogood managed to get his act together and headed the field, but only just as he pushed Arthur Kimo back into second place on count back. Tewin Poopay Lamthong took up the baton for the girls and finished in third place.
Div. 1 (0-13)
1st Gerry Fernandez (12) 36pts
2nd Mike Rushant (11) 34pts
3rd Mike Sanders (6) 34pts
Div.2 (14+)
1st Derek Thorogood (14) 34pts
2nd Arthur Kimo (22) 34pts
3rd Tewin Poopay Lamthong (14) 33pts
Saturday, Nov. 8, Mt. Shadow – Stableford
Lastly, we come to Saturday and a trip over to Mountain Shadow on what turned out to be the most beautiful day of the week. The course was in excellent condition, showing no ill effects from all the rain.
Gerry Fernandez – winner at Phoenix.
Mike Rushant saved his best for last and rattled up 40 points in Division 1 to decimate the rest of the field, no one could get near the cheeky little blighter. Phil Cummins, who had never played the course before, did very well in finishing second and Fergus Brennan adjusted his grip to expel the nightmares he encountered earlier in the week to take third place.
In Division 2 the handy Andy’s dominated: Andy Driver took first place with your scribe (Andy Rich) in second. Right behind me, after count back, was the magnificently named Demon Wong.
Div.1 (0-13)
1st Mike Rushant (11) 40pts
2nd Phil Cummins (11) 35pts
3rd Fergus Brennan (13) 33pts
Div.2 (14+)
1st Andy Driver (16) 34pts
2nd Andy Rich (20) 33pts
3rd Demon Wong (20) 33pts
Good luck to all you golfers for the coming week and if you would like to play a round of golf with the TRGG, please phone Fergus Brennan on 086 056 7019 or pop into the Ned Kelly Bar in Soi Lengkee and add your name to the weekly lists which are posted on the notice board.
