PSC golf from The Outback Golf Bar
Monday, June 20, Burapha A & B – Stableford
Twenty-seven golfers went to Burapha today and even playing under our new pilot handicap system there were only a few people who beat their handicap.
We played A and B off the blue markers and it played long, but there was no rain and it never threatened but the cloud cover kept the temperature down to a comfortable level. Get used to seeing three columns in our results tables for the time being; these will show the player’s “Playing Handicap” for that particular course and tee as calculated from the tables and his “Handicap Index” as held on the computer by the Outback, or if playing with us from the PSC (not already on our system), that held on the PSC USGA handicap system.
Mike Quill (left) and ‘Raji’ – winners at Khao Kheow on Friday.
It certainly was a day out for the Russell family as Lumpy took first prize in Div A with 37 points, his nephew, J B Russell (35pts), was third, and Lumpy’s lovely wife Noodle was fourth with 34. Only Steve Mann’s 35 points for second place prevented a Russell whitewash.
Div B was headed by Greg Hill’s 39 points, for which he received an immediate cut to h’cap 18.4 with Pete Stonebridge taking second with the same score; back in third place was Bill Peach on 38.
I know if you have access to a computer you will be reading this John Lawton so I will take this opportunity to wish you a speedy recovery from all at the Outback.
There were two ‘2’s from John Player on the 6th and Ivan Plunkett on the 12th.
Div A (0-16)
1st Lumpy Russell (15/Hi12) 37pts
2nd Steve Mann (13/Hi9.9) 35pts
3rd Joe Russell (6) 35pts
4th Nual Russell (13/Hi12.8) 34pts
Div B (17+)
1st Greg Hill (24/Hi19.6) 39pts
2nd Peter Stonebridge (18/Hi14.7) 39pts
3rd William Peach (24/Hi19.3) 38pts
4th Andrew Makara (31/Hi25.6) 35pts
Tuesday, June 21, Pattaya C.C. – Stableford
Seventeen Outbackers here today, which is another excellent turnout for the time of year. The course was in reasonable condition with two or three of the greens a little worse than that, maybe contributing to the lack of ‘2’s. As there were none, we ended up with two divisions and using the Handicap Index correctly as intended by the USGA, in conjunction with the Playing Handicap tables, there was very little difference, on this relatively straightforward course.
Div A went to the General, on count-back over Mark Kembrey, both on 36 points, with Kiwi John in third three back and Div B was won by Terry Marney, also on count-back, with 38 points over Don Everett. Dave Earthrowl in third with 37 points, who was going like a racehorse with four to play and should have won at a canter suddenly completely lost his concentration, three putting on the fifteenth and wiping 16 and 17 before parring the last.
Div A (0–18)
1st Jack Moseley (15/Hi15.1) 36pts
2nd Mark Kembrey (18/Hi17.7) 36pts
3rd John Low (12/Hi12.2) 33pts
Div B (19+)
1st Terry Marney (28/Hi27) 38pts
2nd Don Everett (23/Hi22.5) 38pts
3rd David Earthrowl (20/Hi19.9) 37pts
Wednesday, June 22, Royal Lakeside – Stableford
Some 29 Outbackers, including a large group of our Aussie friends here on holiday and enjoying Pattaya, took the hour long journey to the recently re-opened Royal Lakeside. After being closed for some 8 months we wondered just what we would find!
Well firstly the ‘White House’ has become the ‘Light Brown House’ with a new look Pro-shop and main reception hall, although some finishing work is still going on both inside and in the area on the outside leading out to the course. The locker rooms have also been completely re-furbished to a very high standard, including new showers.
Out on the course every hole has been changed but the basic layout has remained unaltered!
Previously, as many of you know, this was always a pleasant but short course with wide open fairways, inviting many to score well. These have been tightened by the presence of ‘waste bunkers’ newly planted with the now familiar reddish-brown coloured long grass, seen extensively at Siam Plantation and Phoenix. Unfortunately, not properly marked as such on the score card or on the course and the caddies just called them bunkers but said it was a free drop if amongst the grass. A little bit vague and really most of these areas should all be GUR for the time being until maturity, as some of the lies were very unfair!
The original waterways and streams running round and through the course have been extensively enlarged and cleaned out, bringing water hazards much more into play.
The greens have all been changed from the ordinary flat of the past into tricky undulating ones, which were very hard and fast making it hard to keep the ball on the green, with “Siam like” run off areas, leading to more than one’s fair share of three putts; hopefully these will soften up in the next few months.
For those of us who have known this course for a number of years; at present it is not in the pristine condition that we used to expect; the drinks stop at the start, although rarely open has now disappeared entirely but there are signs of a new one being built further out on the course but at present the first drinks stop doesn’t appear until after the par 3 sixth, far too long to go without water, so be warned.
The weather was overcast keeping it comfortable, and apart from us and our friends from The Caddyshack – the course was empty. But to sum up, it’s only been open again for three weeks and they’ve done an amazing amount of work in a short space of time; so maybe the signs are good for the future, that remains to be seen.
This course was never previously properly rated and the rating currently held at the PSC needs to be altered forthwith, since none of us had any experience of the changes, the Outback decided to play the course with the rating as the par for the course (72) with a standard slope of 113 for both the red and white tees.
Capt’ Bob has always had a liking for this course which showed clearly again today, as he took the honours in Div A, with the day’s top score of 39 points. Gary Hogg (38pts) was closely behind in second and Lloyd Shuttleworth beat Steve Mann into third, both on 36.
Div B didn’t fare so well, as surprisingly, a mere 32 points was enough to win; Rick Forrest beat Don Everett both with that score and there was a pile up of another four players right behind, all on 31. General Jack was one of them, who was going well to the seventh but a run of five wipes knocked back his chances of a good round. In the end it was Nigel Cannon who was declared third ahead of Len Hardingham in fourth.
There were just two ‘2’s from John Low and Lloyd Shuttleworth.
Div A (0-14)
1st Bob Philp (9) 39pts
2nd Gary Hogg (8) 37pts
3rd Lloyd Shuttleworth (6) 36pts
4th Steve Mann (10) 36pts
Div B (15+)
1st Rick Forrest (21) 32pts
2nd Don Everett (22) 32pts
3rd Nigel Cannon (22) 31pts
4th Len Hardingham (20) 31pts
Friday, June 24, Khao Kheow – Stableford
Thirty-three intrepid Outbackers converged on Khao Kheow today and you better believe it, the course won yet again. Playing A and B loops it was the perfect weather for golf, no rain with just a little cloud cover made for great golf, so no real excuses.
A couple of three-balls out first and away we went no hold ups and a good pace of play. There were some horror stories to be heard from some of us, even the Capt’ got his butt kicked out there today making only 7 points on the back nine; Dion, the big Kiwi only had 9 so there had to be something out there that wasn’t conducive to really good golf for some of us, maybe it’s “L.O.F.T” disease we’ve got.
According to the scores fed into the computer on a hole by hole basis, the course actually played one shot tougher than par with only Mike Quill playing better than handicap with an excellent 37 points off his 21 handicap to win Div B. John Stafford, making the most of three extra shots, got second with 35 and Sid Ottaway grabbed third with 32.
Raji remained steady for his 36 points, winning Div A, with visitors, Geoff Christie (35pts) and Gary Hogg (34pts) filling the minor places.
There were three ‘2’s from Jon Goddard, Raji and Geoff Christie.
Back at the Outback during presentation, Capt’ Bob outlined the changes to our playing schedules starting in about six weeks time. Khao Kheow moves to Mondays, starting 8th August; Burapha goes to Wednesdays starting 10th August and the newcomer on the block, Green Valley comes in on Fridays starting 5th August. Pattaya C.C. will remain in its ever popular, Tuesday slot.
Div A (0-14)
1st Amarjit Banwaitt (7/hi6.6) 36pts
2nd Geoff Christie (5/hi5.1) 35pts
3rd Gary Hogg (7/hi7.3) 34pts
4th Lloyd Shuttleworth (6/hi6.1) 32pts
Div B (15+)
1st Mike Quill (21) 37pts
2nd John Stafford (24/hi20.7) 35pts
3rd Sid Ottaway (27/hi23.1) 32pts
4th Sugar Ray Handford (20/hi17.8) 31pts
