IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, Nov. 17, Phoenix – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Peter Newham (20) 41pts
2nd Markku Tynell (23) 39pts
3rd Yasuo Suzuki (13) 38pts
4th Lyle Blaw (11) 38pts
5th Russell Exley (9) 35pts
6th Frank Hughes (18) 34pts
For the first time since March 2013 the group played Phoenix following a meeting with the new General Manager, Khun Nathawat Aksornchat (Nat) and his ensuing generous offer to try out the course once again. The venue proved to be very popular with the players and so a return has been scheduled for Friday the 19th December.
Peter Newham & Phil Groves.
With the compulsory cart having been cancelled, the only problem may be the green fee which will be 1,500 baht, making the cost walking 1,850 baht, so in the end the players will decide whether, as the most expensive course on the schedule, it is worth supporting. But Nat seems determined to bring back both members and local groups to add to the steady flow of tour groups playing the three nines, so things may well be on the up and up again for Phoenix Gold as it is now known.
The course was in fairly good condition, following the redesign of some holes with the addition of a few extra sand traps, although there were signs that some areas needed to be considered as GUR although unmarked. The CSS for the day bore out the general good shape and playability.
Peter Newham took advantage of the generous fairways and the extra roll to return his best card in Thailand and easily run out the winner ahead of Markku Tynell, who is temporarily running the golf operation while Trevor remains away and Hal is on vacation. The extra responsibility seems to have improved Markku’s performance on the course as he finished the week on the podium three times.
Third place went to a count back which Yasuo Suzuki, making his swan song appearance this trip, won with a better 13 to 11 to consign Lyle Blaw into fourth.
Russell Exley took fifth on his return to golf, having played just four times since the end of April, to leave Frank Hughes to take his first podium placement this trip in sixth.
Strangely, with the good conditions and the scoring, there were no ‘2’s in either division.
Wednesday, Nov. 19, Green Valley – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Phil Groves (9) 39pts
2nd Lyle Blaw (11) 39pts
3rd Markku Tynell (23) 38pts
4th Peter Newham (20) 35pts
5th John Carlin (18) 35pts
6th Mark Lang (6) 34pts
Now Green Valley is permanently back on the schedule the players are beginning to get the better of the course, which today saw the CSS dropped to 71 following some good scoring by many of the hopefuls.
Phil Groves, who is finally getting back to his old form, took yet another win, this time at three under but he had to contend with Lyle Blaw who sadly lost a count back for the second time in a row. Phil took the top spot over the last three holes with a better 6 to 5 after he and Lyle had tied the nine at 18 and the six on 13.
Markku Tynell took third for his second placing of the week, with Peter Newham back in fourth after he won a count back over John Carlin with a very good 21 to 19 result, which left Mark Lang in sixth another shot behind them.
The pot for the first division 2’ was shared between Jon Yarrow and Shuichi Kodaka with the latter cursing his previous good play that had taken him up into the first division as once again there were none in the second division with that pot almost overflowing.
Friday, Nov. 21, Khao Kheow A & B – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Jon Yarrow (14) 37pts
2nd Phil Groves (9) 37pts
3rd Mark Lang (6) 37pts
4th Peter Skinner (12) 35pts
5th Markku Tynell (23) 34pts
6th Shuichi Kodaka (15) 32pts
The third excellent condition course in a row was Khao Kheow over the A and B nines, where the scoring was a little harder to come by than on the two previous outings in the week.
Jon Yarrow won a three-way count back over two of the single figure handicappers in the field, with a stunning level par back nine off his 14 handicap to amass 25 points that easily saw off Phil Groves, in second, and Mark Lang, in third, as they could muster just 19 each. Phil took second with a better 13 to 12 on the last six. It surely will not be long before Jon is amongst the single figure players in the group on this showing.
Peter Skinner has been toiling away recently in the lower sections of the field but did enough this time out to take fourth, two shots adrift of the top three. After a bright start at one under for the front nine he slipped slightly over the inward half, otherwise he would certainly have been in contention for the top step.
Markku Tynell made it to the podium for the third time in the week finishing in fifth, with Shuichi Kodaka taking sixth a couple behind him.
There were no 2’s in the second division, but the top three in the competition, Jon Yarrow, Phil Groves and Mark Lang, all had one each to share the first division pool.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact 038 710 988 or call in to The Haven Hotel, at 185 Soi 13, between Beach Road and 2nd Road. All transportation to the course is arranged and you do not need to sign up prior to the day, but you should be there by 8.15 on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days that you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
