IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, Jan. 19, Greenwood A & B – Stableford
CSS 75 NC
1st Patrick Scullion (22) 33pts
2nd Alan Hanlon (13) 32pts
3rd Markku Tynell (22) 31pts
4th Mike Korney (19) 29pts
5th Walter O’Keefe (15) 29pts
With the wind blowing at the rate of half a gale, scoring was always going to be at a premium even though the shortest of the three possible eighteen’s were in play. The wind appeared to be against on almost every hole and it was of little surprise to discover that the CSS for the day went out the maximum three as the competition became non-counting for upward review of handicaps.
(Left to right) Wilf Wellman, Walter O’Keefe & Mike Korney.
H.E. Patrick Scullion celebrated his *** birthday in some style, as he won his first competition during this trip following many previous outings where he had not looked like troubling the scorers at all. But this birthday was to be very different, and if not for a bit of a collapse over the closing three holes when he garnered a measly two points, he may also have equaled his handicap in Thailand for the first time since 2012. But these are minor details when there are rounds to be ordered and consumed at a prodigious rate which indeed was the case at the celebration following the announcement of his win.
Alan Hanlon took second place another point behind and just one ahead of Markku Tynell in third.
Mike Korney and Walter O’Keefe showed some of their form to come in the week as they took fourth and fifth respectively after a count back, which Mike won with a better 16 to 10.
Mark Williams cleaned out the first division 2’s pool when he stroked in a very nice one on the 193-yard second hole on the A course and at long last the second division pot was taken, in fact shared after Patrick Scullion had scored an excellent one with a top drive to almost the center of the green, where the flag was situated, and held his nerve to slide in the putt from almost 25 feet on the 156-yard A6.
Unfortunately for Patrick, Wilf Wellman, playing in the group immediately behind and having watched the celebrations ahead, calmly nobbled one in from the bunker after the previous group were out of sight. Patrick, who had celebrated a little early, vowing to spend as much as he could on his return to the Haven, was left having to make up the balance of the bill after the unforeseen share-out.
Wednesday, Jan. 21, Green Valley – Stableford
CSS 72
Division 1 (0-19)
1st Walter O’Keefe (15) 38pts
2nd Alan Hanlon (13) 37pts
3rd Trevor Schirmer (13) 36pts
4th Kevin Blake (9) 33pts
5th Keith Huxtable (15) 33pts
Division 2 (20+)
1st Wilf Wellman (30) 34pts
2nd Peter McGarry (21) 34pts
3rd Hal Hart (20) 33pts
4th Markku Tynell (22) 32pts
5th John Berry (25) 32pts
Two divisions were required at the now always popular Green Valley when playing one of the regular twice monthly events, with the cut coming at an abnormally high 19 for the first division.
Walter O’Keefe took his first win of the week with a solid two under return to just edge out Alan Hanlon into the bridesmaids’ position by a single point, with Trevor Schirmer in third a further shot adrift. Kevin Blake showed some resurgence of form after he had started slowly but won a count back over Keith Huxtable with a better 19 to 13.
The second division was led in by Wilf Wellman after he had been pipped at the post the previous week with the same score. On this occasion he blasted his way to 21 points on the back nine to win a count back over Peter McGarry by seven clear after the latter had looked a likely winner after the front nine.
Third spot went to Hal Hart a point behind with Markku Tynell taking fourth ahead of first time podium winner John Berry in fifth.
There were no 2’s in the first division but true to form, Hal Hart scored the lone one in the second division as he usually does following a clean out of a very large rollover pot.
Friday, Jan. 23, Silky Oaks – Monthly Medal
Division 1 (0–15)
CSS 77 NC
1st Walter O’Keefe (15) net 77
2nd Alan Hanlon (13) net 77
3rd Kevin Blake (9) net 79
4th Mark Williams (6) net 81
Division 2 (16+)
CSS 73
1st Mike Korney (19) net 73
2nd John Carlin (19) net 78
3rd Brendan Dunne (28) net 80
4th Terry Hodgkiss (23) net 83
Having once again had to reschedule at the last moment, Silky Oaks was the only available option and so The Haven (playing the course for the first time) staged its prestigious Monthly Medals event there with the first division playing from the yellow tees and the second division from the forward whites.
The best part of the day was the check in at the counter where the green fee was found to be just 600 baht making the day only 50 baht dearer than the previous Wednesday at Green Valley but with the benefit of a cart, without which it must be said the course would be totally unplayable.
The event was almost a total disaster as the eighteen hole course appears to have been gouged out of a twelve hole one with many holes either running parallel in the same direction or sharing the same fairway, leading to almost unbelievable mayhem when they turn out to be shared with other playing groups that do not speak the same language and nobody, least of all the caddies, knows which group from the four or five milling around on four tees has priority.
In the event the scoring suffered dramatically with the first division being won at five over after Walter O’Keefe once again overcame Alan Hanlon, now known as “the Bridesmaid in waiting”, in a count back, winning on the back six with a better 22 to 24.3 after they had shared the nine at 37.5. Kevin Blake took third a couple ahead of Mark Williams in fourth.
The second division was headed by Mike Korney who had the best score by far for the day as he won by five strokes from John Carlin in second spot. Brendan Dunne made a first appearance on the podium in third place another two behind but three in front of fourth placed Terry Hodgkiss.
There were no 2’s in the second division but Alan Hanlon and Kevin Blake shared the rollover pool in the first division.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact 038 710 988 or call into The Haven Hotel, at 185 Soi 13, between Beach Road and 2nd Road. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
