PSC golf from The Outback Golf Bar
Monday, June 18, Burapha – Stableford
28 Outbackers travelled to Burapha to play the A and B courses on an overcast, cool and very windy day for Thailand. The course was as per usual in great condition but the rough is still as brutal as ever so the secret is to hit fairways and greens. The course was very lightly booked so we had it to ourselves and the last group completed their round in a leisurely 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Welcome back to Simon Spaulding and his group, including Nelly and also welcome back to Gray Hogg.
We had two divisions with four places in each plus the ‘2’s.
Division 2 winner with the best score of the day was Pete Stonebridge with 39 points on his 16 handicap from in second, Steve Milne with 38 points, also on 16 handicap, third went to Nelly Stoer (18) with 36 points and in fourth was John O’Keefe (16) with 34 points.
Division 1 was won by Mark McDonald (3) with 35 points who beat Kev Reid (12) on a count back; in third was Gary Hogg (7) with 34 points and fourth was Simon Spaulding with 33 points, playing off scratch and beating Paul Greenaway also on count back.
There were two ‘2’s for the day to Nelly Stoer on hole A3 and Chris Wright on hole B3.
Greg Kennedy (left) & Bruce Campbell (right) took 1st and 2nd at Khao Kheow.
Div A (0-12)
1st Mark McDonald (3) 35pts
2nd Kev Reid (12) 35pts
3rd Gary Hogg (7) 34pts
4th Simon Spaulding (0) 33pts
Div B (13+)
1st Pete Stonebridge (16) 39pts
2nd Steve Milne (16) 38pts
3rd Nelly Stoer (18) 36pts
4th John O’Keefe (16) 34pts
Monday, June 18, Khao Kheow – Stableford
A better sized field than of late, with 12 Outbackers here at Khao Kheow today, perhaps some sign that the course is returning to reasonable condition at last.
Friday winners, from left: Joachim Oestreicher, Geoff Christie & Gary Saunders.
A & B nines were the call as C remains closed and three players excelled themselves as anyone who can score 36pts or more round here off the yellows can give themselves a pat on the back. Geoff Christie, one of the Kiwi lads, fired a marvellous 78 gross to collect 36pts but found himself only in third place as two newbies from Sydney, Bruce and Greg stole the show, both with amazing back nines of 24 and 22 points respectively. Well done you guys and we’ve cut you to 21 apiece, just to slow you down a bit.
There were two ‘2’s from Sel Wegner and Bruce Campbell.
1st Bruce Campbell (22) 36pts
2nd Greg Kennedy (22) 36pts
3rd Geoff Christie (6) 36pts
4th Tony McDonough (14) 34pts
Tuesday, June 19, Laem Chabang – Stableford
22 players at Laem Chabang to play the C course and the recently reopened B course. The course was heavily booked but we teed off on time and the pace of play was a lot better than the last few weeks but still took just on four and a half hours to complete the 18 holes. The course was great, especially the greens, very fast but true, and the B course was in good condition considering the renovations it has undergone.
We had two divisions with three places in each division plus the ‘2’s.
Division 2 was won by Murray Hart with the best score of the day of 37 points off his 15 handicap from Greg Kennedy off a 21 handicap. Adam Oyston and Tim Knight, both off the same 17 handicap, finished up third and fourth respectively via count back and both with 33 points.
Division 1 was won by Stephen Mann with 35 points off his 9 handicap, from John Warwick with 32 points, with third going to John Low (12) with 30 points.
There were four ‘2’s for the day with two to Geoff Christie on C8 and B8 and Stephen Mann and John Tunstall on also C8.
Finally, please sign up as early as possible for Laem Chabang to avoid disappointment; as it is proving very difficult to get extra tee times.
Div A (0–14)
1st Steve Mann (9) 35pts
2nd John Warwick (13) 32pts
3rd John Low (12) 30pts
Div B (15+)
1st Murray Hart (15) 37pts
2nd Greg Kennedy (21) 33pts
3rd Adam Oyston (17) 33pts
Tuesday, June 19, Pattaya C.C. – Stableford
Just 8 Outbackers today playing the front nine twice; fairways, bunkers and greens in good condition even if a little slow, but it remained fine with a little breeze, making it a comfortable day to play.
Aussie Geoff Moodie (27) was in the top spot with 36 points, with organiser Chad – Barry Chadbourn (19) with 31 points in second who beat Nigel Cannon (21) on count back.
There were no ‘2’s.
As we played we could see the tremendous amount of work that is be undertaken on the back nine with many greens, fairways and tees all dug up!
Finally, today we said goodbye for a few months to The Colonel – Bob Pearce who is returning to the UK, but the Outback will be here again next week, even if the Colonel can’t be, for another enjoyable game at the very local course playing off whites then blue tees.
1st Geoff Moodie (27) 36pts
2nd Barry Chadbourn (19) 31pts
3rd Nigel Cannon (21) 31pts
Wednesday, June 20, Siam Plantation – Stableford
We have now extended our number of groups each week to five (20 Pax max) at Siam Plantation as the course is proving to be very popular and why not, as the course is in great condition; the staff extend a very warm welcome and the caddies are fantastic, together with an excellent pace of play.
The 20 players started off on Pineapple (C) a little earlier than our tee time on a very windy day which made for some very challenging holes, but as ever it was a pleasure to play a great course like this, the other nine being Sugarcane (A).
Sugar continued his friendly sparring with the Kiwis with a win over the John & Dion pairing, carrying, or so he claims, the remaining Kiwi, Geoff over the front nine – but as Sugar tired from the extra weight, Geoff feeling refreshed and inspired came home with a resounding 37 gross (20pts) to complete an emphatic win which we hear will be resumed on Friday at Green Valley. Sugar ended up second overall with 36pts, to be beaten on count back by Jim Bryan and newcomer to the Outback, Mike Missler took third with 35pts on count back from Rosco.
There were four ‘2’s from; Mike Missler (A3), Sel Wegner (A6) and Sugar got two on A6 and B7.
1st Jim Bryan (17) 36pts
2nd Sugar Ray Handford (16) 36pts
3rd Mike Missler (12) 35pts
4th Rosco Langoulant (13) 35pts
Wednesday, June 20, Crystal Bay – Stableford
Such is the popularity of Siam Plantation, our alternative Wednesday course took a severe beating today with just five players. Playing the A & B nines the course did not receive many approving comments as the general opinion was very ordinary. The greens had been cored and sanded but in an unusual front to back, half and half way, this week being the turn of the front half, giving the ball little chance of bouncing up to the pin on the soft cored area; right and left split coring of the greens is more usual.
Elsewhere, the course was scruffy with some patches of long rough grass not far from the greens so all in all the view is, we shan’t be back there for a while.
Bob St. Aubin, playing in a 2-ball with Dennis Pelly, won the day with 37pts.
1st Bob St. Aubin (14) 37pts
2nd Paul Bourke (8) 32pts
3rd Dennis Pelly (11) 29pts
Friday, June 22, Green Valley – Stableford
38 Outbackers at Green Valley, which once again proved to be the most popular venue of the week. The course has recovered well from the coring and sanding of the greens and the greens are nearly back to their best. The new cart paths are almost completed so hopefully all the GUR will shortly be repaired.
The course was in the process of being prepared for a Junior Tournament on the weekend and there were a number of juniors playing the course with their parents and coaches. Unfortunately some of the groups that were practicing were playing two balls and held up all the groups behind, with little care. It is unfortunate that whilst training the juniors they don’t actually teach them the etiquette of golf as well … but then TIT.
Lovely overcast, cool and windy day which made for some good scores on the day; the best coming from (and welcome back after a long absence) Gary Saunders with a fine 39pts, which included three birdies on the back nine, the 13th, 14th, & 17th.
Barnesy (Bob Barnes) bounced straight back to 13 from his new 14 h’cap today after matching Gary’s 39pts only to lose on count back whilst in Div A Geoff Christie carried on where he left off on Wednesday with 38pts to win from a disappointed Dennis Pelly who lost out on count back over the last six holes only, each having 20 on the back nine. Tubz (Mark McDonald) took third with the day’s low gross of 75 (36pts).
The scores were a little lower in Div C with Joachim getting the win on 34pts from his friend and newcomer to the Outback, Peter Montanari (33).
The DeVere sponsored, Hidden Pairs was won by John Cunningham & Gary Saunders.
There were five ‘2’s from Paul Bourke (9th), Jan Eriksen, Capt’ Steve & Sunanta on the 12th and Geoff Christie (16th).
Div A (0-11)
1st Geoff Christie (6) 38pts
2nd Dennis Pelly (11) 38pts
3rd Mark McDonald (3) 36pts
Div B (12-17)
1st Gary Saunders (15) 39pts
2nd Robert Barnes (14) 39pts
3rd Martin Kingswood (13) 36pts
Div C (18+)
1st Joachim Oestreicher (22) 34pts
2nd Peter Montanari (24) 33pts
3rd Jean Morel (18) 32pts
Pairs Results
1st Gary Saunders & John Cunningham 46pts
2nd Geoff Christie & Brian Maddox 44 pts
3rd Simon Kendall & Robert Barnes 42 pts.
