PSC Bunker Boys Golf
Monday, January 18th
Plutaluang, East & South
1st Geoff Parker (18) 35 points
2nd Geoff Cox (18) 34 points
3rd Jimmy Carr (15) 33 points
Near pins Tony Robbins, Myles Knowlson, & Dave Ashan.
A virtually deserted course greeted the Bunker Boys for Monday’s round at Plutaluang. We had the choice of nines to play and selected East & South. A warm sunny day as opposed to the cooler windy weather we have endured lately. A five hundred baht green/caddie was a virtual steal and some did take it, however, most took the all-in deal of one thousand baht.
Speed of play was leisurely to begin with, but as the game progressed so too did the tempo and the round was completed in good time. No showers after the game and people are finally getting used to going home to shower.
Geoff Parker had another steady round taking first place with thirty-five points. He also managed to win all three sixes. Geoff is now back to his former best form and looking good for golfer of the month. Geoff Cox took second with thirty-four, the remaining Geoff (Atwell) this time was down the field after looking good early in his round. Jimmy Carr beat Bob Paine on countback to take third. One near pin each to Tony Robbins, Myles Knowlson, and Dave Ashman.
A measure of how decent and generous Thai people are was seen on the course with one caddie finding some food for every dog she encountered, a real angel of mercy. She even had a pill for one injured dog with a lame leg, so nice to see someone taking care of man’s best friend. You are unlikely to see such a display of kindness on many farang courses, then again you probably wouldn’t see the dogs either.
Wednesday, January 20th
Parichat, Rainbow
1st Myles Knowlson (11) 36 points
2nd Tony Robbins (18) 33 points
3rd Michael Brett (16) 33 points
Near pins Jimmy Carr, Geoff Atwell, & Donald McGuigan X 2
Our monthly rainbow as always was played at the Parichat Course where an all-in fee of twelve hundred baht represents decent value. This is a course that has always been noted as being in excellent condition; of late is not quite as good as it used to be. A number of tee boxes are not flat, several fairways had unfilled divots, and the greens today were simply impossible. Recently shaved almost bare of grass they were very firm and had been sanded within the last few days. This had the effect of exaggerating the curves and slopes and any approach shot that was not perfect ran off and down a steep slope. To add further to the difficulty, some of the pin placements were simply unfair and too difficult for the average golfer.
We set out with a clear course ahead of us but very quickly ran up against a local six-ball who held us up for several holes before allowing our lead group to play through. Our second group decided to jump ahead a couple of holes and go back at the end to play the skipped holes. Our last group had to wait till the closing holes to play through and finished much later than the first two groups who were into their second coffee before the third group made it back to the clubhouse.
Only one player managed to master the conditions and the course, the very consistent Myles Knowlson took first place with thirty-six points, twenty-two on the back. Tony Robbins and Michael Brett finished tied on thirty-three with Tony edging it on countback.
One near pin each to Jimmy Carr and Geoff Atwell with newcomer Donald McGuigan in only his second game with us taking two, one had to be particularly close as there was already a ball on the green within six feet. Bob Innes had a particularly difficult front nine and had to be convinced to play on, a good decision as he had a much better back nine.
Friday, January 22nd
Pattana Golf & Country Club C & A
1st Michael Brett (16) 39 points
2nd Jimmy Carr (15) 39 points
3rd Paul Smith (3) 37 points
4th Tony Plummer (18) 36 points
Near pins Myles Knowlson, Geoff Cox, Bob Innes, & Michael Brett.
The biggest field of the season so far (seventeen) was on hand for Friday’s game at Pattana where we were allocated the C & A nines. The C nine where we started had been closed for some time and on Friday’s evidence should still be closed. The greens were simply not up to standard, slow, rough, and very difficult to read. Most overestimated the borrow, and since the greens didn’t take break as normal, putting was difficult in the extreme. The greens on the A nine were ok and this was reflected in the scores.
In another rare appearance with us, Tony Plummer turned in a very respectable thirty-six points to take fourth place. In a remarkable turnaround in form, Paul Smith who had thirteen on the front nine, shot a score of twenty-four on the back to take third place with thirty-seven. A run of birdies (five in six holes) certainly changed the complexion of his card.
With twenty-two on the back Michael Brett edged out Jimmy Carr on countback for first place.
All the near pins were taken with one each to Bob Innes (again), Myles Knowlson, Geoff Cox, and Michael Brett.
When we checked in we were given more vouchers for another game at eleven hundred baht all-in price. Several expressed the view that they would not play the course again if they had to play the C nine, a poor reflection of a course that normally sets such a high standard.
