Travellers Rest Golf Group
Season’s Greetings to all you golfers out there and may your handicaps be reduced as quickly as my bank balance has been this past week. The lead up to Christmas is always good fun where old golfing acquaintances seem to return in their droves on their annual pilgrimages to the golf courses of Thailand – a time to catch up and to share a drink or two with old comrades and adversaries.
Monday, Dec. 21, Phoenix – Stableford
Christmas week got off to a flying start on Monday with the short trip over to Phoenix (Mountain and Ocean) and it was one of the returning old faces that showed all the rest the way home.
Alun Webber with caddy.
The Welsh maestro, Alun Webber, flew in on his magic carpet (he is a carpet distributor in real life) and once more we all stood in disbelief watching him address his golf ball, which I can only describe as watching someone looking through a key hole, and then smashing it down the fairway somewhere in the direction of the green. Anyway, on the day he did it enough times to muster 36 points and to win the golf competition. Tani Guchi finished one shot behind in second place and the redoubtable Alan Thomas finished in third.
Jack Macnamara.
1st Alun Webber (22) 36pts
2nd Tani Guchi (12) 35pts
3rd Alan Thomas (5) 34pts
Tuesday, Dec. 22, Burapha – Stableford
On Tuesday it was off to Burapha (A and B courses) and once again high scoring was the order of the day. In Division 1 Ian Smith, who has been regularly mentioned in dispatches of late, did it again off a reduced handicap. He took the course apart and racked up an amazing 41 points to head the leader board. Brett Arnold was only two shots behind in second and Alan Thomas took third for the second day running.
In Division 2 big Jack Macnamara did even better by recording the highest score of the day (42pts) and put a first place finish to his name. Ged Blairs, who was amongst the prizes last week, did it again by finishing in second place and Rob Herald, another Xmas visitor, took third.
Div.1 (0-14)
1st Ian Smith (9) 41pts
2nd Brett Arnold (11) 39pts
3rd Alan Thomas (5) 38pts
Div. 2 (15+)
1st Jack Macnamara (19) 42pts
2nd Ged Blairs (28) 38pts
3rd Rob Herald (18) 36pts
Wednesday, Dec. 23, Plutaluang – Stableford
On Wednesday the Navy Course at Plutaluang (North and West courses) provided the obstacles for the TRGG carol singers. Fergus Brennan gave a fine rendition of the Little Drummer Boy and then ran away with first place. Ally Walker said he saw Three Ships Come Sailing In, but we reminded him it was the Navy Course, so he settled for second place instead. It did however require a count back to find out that Ally had just got the better of AJ Arnold Jones who was very upset and he then gave us a rendition of In the Bleak Midwinter and left the scene in tears.
Tewin ‘Poopay’ Lamthong.
1st Fergus Brennan (14) 38pts
2nd Ally Walker (15) 32pts
3rd Arnold Jones (15) 32pts
Thursday, Dec. 24, Green Valley – Stableford
Green Valley was awash with TRGG golfers on Thursday and it required three divisions to sort everybody out.
In Division 1 it was an extremely tight finish with the top three all finishing on 34 points. The little elf Mike Rushant finished King of the Pixies, with Rungratree Cox dressed as Widow Twanky in second and Brett Arnold as the back end of the Pantomime Horse in third.
In Division 2 Ally Walker sang Scotland the Brave before walking off with first place. Derek Thorogood wasn’t sure whether to give us a version of Waltzing Matilda or You’ll Never Walk Alone so made do with coming second again. Sir Norman Cheetham, our latest Hole in Oner, sang We Three Kings and finished third.
In Division 3 Alun Webber recited a passage from How Green was my Valley before walking off with first place again. Prince Charming (that’s me) went in search of Cinderella but finished second as gentlemen do. The boisterous Tim Dalton finished off with a version of The Boy stood on the Burning Deck I had not heard before and finished third.
Div. 1 (0-12)
1st Mike Rushant (8) 34pts
2nd Rungratree Cox (7) 34pts
3rd Brett Arnold (10) 34pts
Div. 2 (13–16)
1st Ally Walker (15) 36pts
2nd Derek Thorogood (14) 35pts
3rd Norman Cheetham (14) 33pts
Div.3 (17+)
1st Alun Webber (22) 33pts
2nd Andy Rich (17) 30pts
3rd Tim Dalton (19) 28pts
Friday, Dec. 25, The Emerald – Stableford
On Friday the TRGG spent Christmas Day at Emerald and in Division 1 Tewin Poopay Lamthong finished as the fairy on top of the Christmas Tree. Mochi Dome and Guy Fraser were the two of the wise men who followed her home.
In Division 2 Anthony Atherton walked off with the mince pies, with John Fraser and Ged Blairs picking up the crumbs.
Div 1 (0-14)
1st Tewin Lamthong (10) 37 pts
2nd Mochi Dome (10) 36 pts
3rd Guy Fraser (12) 35pts
Div. 2 (15+)
1st Anthony Atherton (16) 36pts
2nd John Fraser (18) 34pts
3rd Ged Blairs (27) 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 Derek Thorogood on 080 673 3118 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.
