Wednesday April 15th
Kanchanaburi Trip.
Day 1
Royal Ratchaburi
1st Robby Watts (17) 45 points
2nd Paul Smith (3) 41 points
3rd Craig Dows (6) 36 points
4th Michael Brett (15) 36 points
Near pins Les Cobban, Colin Greig, & Paul Smith X 2.
A blistering hot day at Royal Ratchaburi for the first game of our Songkran trip. As always the course was in very good condition, the wind was up making scoring a bit more difficult, nevertheless some very respectable scores were returned none better than Robby Watts with forty-five points, four clear of Paul Smith in second place with forty one points. Craig Dows took the remaining spot on the leaderboard on countback from Michael Brett. Near pins were as listed dominated by Paul Smith with two.
Our aim for the trip was to get away from the madness of the Songkran festival in Pattaya, unfortunately we completely missed the mark and ran straight into the biggest of it in Kanchanaburi, it’s becoming clear that those who don’t relish the Songkran festivities need to find an alternative, possibly outside of Thailand.
Thursday April 16th
Day 2.
Evergreen Hills
1st les Cobban (11) 43 points
2nd Jay Babin (34) 35 points
3rd Craig Dows (6) 32 points
No near pin competition
A snap decision overnight meant an extra unscheduled game at Evergreen Hills where eight participated. The course was in excellent condition and very enjoyable and at twelve hundred and fifty baht all in was a steal. Every hole is different and some are unique, no other course has the variety of this course. Those that didnt participate missed a real treat.
Les Cobban was the man on form today taking first place with an excellent score of forty-three points, the high scoring continues at the Bunker. A surprise packet in the form of Jay Babin took second place with a creditable thirty five points. Craig Dows took the remaining spot on the leaderboard with thirty-two points on countback from Robby Watts. As it was a rushed decision with no preparation the near pin flags were not available so no competition.
Friday April 17th
Day 3
Artitaya C & D
1st Colin Greig (14) 45 points
2nd les Cobban (11) 37 points
3rd Dave Ashman (28) 37 points
Near pins Alan Sullivan & Colin Greig X 2.
Golf fatigue had taken over some of the group with only seven golfers today. The Artitaya course was in superb condition and it was easy to see why, watering was going on all day, no brown or bare patches to be seen. In particular the greens were first class.
Another steal with all-in fee of twelve hundred baht, if this course was in Pattaya at this price we would play it every week. A very fast round for the lead three ball, not so much so for the following fourball.
The recent high scoring on this trip continued again, this time Colin Greig the one to top the list with a magnificent forty- five points to equal Robby Watts score on Wednesday. Les Cobban edged out Dave Ashman for second . Colin Greig took two near pins , Alan Sullivan took one with one unclaimed.
Can the high scoring continues at Grand Prix, tomorrow we find out on what is arguably the best course in the district.
Saturday April 18th
Day 4
Grand Prix
1st Colin Greig (13) 37 points
2nd Paul Smith (3) 34 points
3rd Jay Babin (33) 34 points
Near pins. Colin Greig, & Michael Brett X 3.
Final game of our Kanchanaburi Trip was played at Grand Prix in stinking hot conditions. The course which is generally regarded as the best in in the area was in excellent condition. A very hazy day, from the clubhouse one could not much more than a kilometer into the distance, and the smog indicator was in the red zone, not good for anybody with breathing difficulties. With the heat in the extreme everybody was pleased to finish and get inside into air conditioning.
Scoring was respectable if not up to the standard of the previous rounds, once again Colin Greig was the winner, but not forty-five, today was a more modest thirty-seven, still enough to make him golfer of the trip. Paul Smith took second on countback from Jay Babin. Near pins were dominated by Michael Brett taking three, the other went to Colin Greig. Overall some of the best scoring of any trip we have been on in recent memory. Two notable incidents from the trip, first, Craig Dows left his clubs at Ratchaburi on the first day and had to go all the way back next day to retrieve them, second, Jay Babin within reach of the hotel took a right turn instead of a left and it took him almost three hours to extricate himself from a traffic snarl, he will pay more attention to sat nav next time.
Winner at Royal Ratchaburi Robby Watts
Winner at Evergreen Hills les Cobban.
Winner at Artitaya & Grand Prix, Colin Greig
