PSC golf from Tropical Bert’s
Tuesday, July 10, Bangpra – Stableford
Been here a long time has this course, and they still have those damn monkeys. Of late they have not been around but on this day they were thick on the ground. As we came up to the green on the 4th a big male came across and made two mock attacks on the caddies and we had to go across and defend the girls until it went up a tree muttering away to itself.
Then later in the round we had a really big troop go all around us and one of the things that was noticeable was the large number of very small babies on their mother’s back. Little things they were, the babies, although the big males seemed quite content. Wonder if that is why the first big male was so ratty? He was on his own.
Tuesday’s best of the bunch – the top 2 in each flight.
Whilst we are on a nature walk, for the first time we saw more than one of those big lizards. I assume they are monitor lizards, even water monitor lizards, and we saw the first one on the par five, probably the 15th, in the water, before the green. That would have made our day, however as we went up the 16th and approached the green a very large one, maybe 4 or 5 feet, walked across the fairway behind us and reared up, it then went back into the small lake between the 16th and 17th.
Having teed off on the 17th a few of us walked over to the lake and saw two or three small ones, couple of feet long, on the bank and the big one swam to the small island in the middle. Wonder if they are hungry as I know one monkey who could do with a swim there. Pity I did not have my camera.
Anyway, back to the golf. It was a fine day as we teed off the first, maybe a bit cloudy but all looked fine. As is normal here, the course was in fine condition, with the fairways nice and green and the putting areas fast and tricky. The rough was as is normal except for the wild life, and we pottered on quite well.
We had a bit of a strong breeze but it was not excessively blustery and the day all in all turned out to be a fine walk in the ‘Animal Park’. We were soon around, the course being a bit empty, and were soon into the fine changing rooms and the hot showers. Then up into the restaurant where most partook in a bit of refreshment and some a bite to eat, then into transport and back to Bert’s.
Back at Bert’s it was into the presentations. In the A Flight, 0 to 17, the winner was your scribe, Derek Brook, with 38 points and coming back to form after a quiet period. Then we had ‘The Aussie Attack’ as some of our fine Aussie golfers followed in the scribe’s wake; how sad, but it will not last long! In second was Noel Pittard with 34 points on count back over Max Scott in third.
In the B Flight we had the best score of the day as Dick Warberg blew the flight apart with 43 points, nine points ahead of the second. In second was Henry Wong with 34 points and then George King with 32 points in third.
Near Pins: Max Scott, Bob Watson (2), Dick Warberg
Friday, July 13, Plutaluang – Stableford
It had to be Friday the 13th as on this day we went to my least favourite course. This place has its supporters, as we were on our way to play it, but I have to say that as we approach my heart goes into my boots and I know I am in for being beaten up, and sure enough it usually happens.
Friday winners and new face Ian Smith with two of Bert’s finest.
On this day it had poured down on the previous day, and the course was very wet, so carts were not allowed on the fairways and the ground was really soggy. They do say ‘a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at work’ but I am not sure about that!
Soon off, we drew the West and North, the more ‘rural’ of the two layouts, but the rest think this is a really testing and fine 18 holes. I did play this 18 holes really well once, and I am reminded of it every time I play, but even a blind dog can find a bone now and then. On this day there were no bones for me. Playing well the first few holes, the deep, soggy, long leaf grass finally got me and most of our three-ball. Still, it was cool and we had no rain so I suppose we were lucky.
The results showed that the ones who like Plutaluang all seemed to score well. The winner of the A Flight, 0 to 18, was Alan Sullivan with 37 points on count back over Bob Watson. Bob, just to rub it in, scored a gross 73 – that shows the course can be played well! In third with 35 points was Ian Smith.
In the B Flight we had the best score of the day when Mike O’Brien scored 39 points to win from Dick Warberg with 37 points and Henry Wong with 33.
It was the n time for a few ‘cold un’s’, and a walk home. T.T.F.N.
Near Pins: Bob Watson (3), Brian Parish
Long Putts: Noel Pittard, Brian Parish
