Monday January 26th
Pattavia
1st Ian Flannigan (21) 42 points
2nd Ken Smith (28) 39 points
3rd Harvey Williams (29) 39 points
4th Stuart Tinkler (21) 38 points
5th Neil Griffin (34) 38 points
Near pins Harvey Williams, Colin Greig, Tony Robbins, & Robby Watts.
In the last month we have had two holes in one for which we were rightly proud. Just when we thought we were done with them for a while along came another, this time to Colin Greig who got his first ever having played golf for about forty years, however this pales into insignificance compared the to what happened at the Hollywood Lakes course in Dublin recently where two young lads got holes in one with consecutive shots on the same hole. The odds of this happening are seventeen million to one, something for a couple of Bunker Boys to aim for. Will this trend continue or are we done with holes in one for some time now?
Pattavia was the venue for today’s round where a field of twenty-two took part. Despite the course not looking busy we had another slow round, out behind possibly the slowest society in Pattaya. Rain is desperately needed before the course becomes unplayable, very bare in places, hard as the road. Early scores suggested we might have all low scores, however the opposite turned out to be the case. Scottish pair Ian Flannigan and Ken Smith playing in the same group and marking each other’s cards, no suggestions of any impropriety, top scored with forty-two and thirty-nine respectively shattering the exception of low scores. This was all the more unexpected as a crowd in the clubhouse watched Ian three-put from three feet on the last hole, perhaps the audience put him off.
In desperate need of some young blood we recently got some in the form of the Galvin boys Davy and Scott and also Harvey Williams, today Harvey had his best round so far with a very solid thirty-nine points to take third place, losing second on countback to Ken. Are we seeing the dawn of a new era of younger golfers at the Bunker? Let’s hope so The final two spots in the winners circle were fought out between Stuart Tinkler and Neil Griffin, again a countback to decide it. Today was clearly a day for the high handicappers with all the winners above twenty handicap.
All the excitement was in the near pins where as previously mentioned Colin Greig got his first ever at the age of sixty-five. After the game he was awarded a framed certificate to mark the event as well as a tower of Chang by the course management. Given that we are in the mood for holes in one, could somebody get one at Pleasant Valley fifth next month and take home the motorcycle which has been on offer for quite some time. Maybe it’s the colour that puts people off, not everybody wants to be seen on a pink motorcycle. To complete his good day Harvey Williams also took a near pin as did Tony Robbins and Robby Watts.
Wednesday, January 28th
Bangpakong Riverside
1st Mike Milland (17) 39 points
2nd Ian Flannigan (20) 39 points
3rd Alan Howard (20) 39 points
4th Torben Veelsgaard (16) 39 points
5th Jimmy Carr (25) 38 points
Near pins Mick McMahon, Walter Baechli, Dave Galvin, & Les Cobban
For the second last game of January we scheduled a game at Bangpakong Riverside where surprisingly we had twenty three players, unperturbed by the travel distance. Once again vouchers became an issue, Bunker Boys never know how many players are likely to turn up and PSC did not have enough vouchers so it was a bit of a performance before we got away. As always Bangpakong was in excellent condition.
Normally a high scoring course today was a bit more challenging as a stiff breeze was blowing all day making scoring just a bit more difficult, nevertheless some very respectable scores were returned. A complete logjam at the top with the first four placegetters all locked together on thirty-nine points, the top two with the same scores on the back nine, six, & three. Eventually it was decided by counting back from the eighteenth where Mike Milland got a birdie four pointer on the fifteenth. Alone on thirty-eight Jimmy Carr took the final spot in the winners circle. Near pins were as listed, incidentally none of the near pin winners were at the presentation so the delinquent fund got a nice boost. With a win and a second place todate this week people had a slight expectation that they might hear the tinkling of the little bell, alas it was not to be. Somebody came up with a famous Scottish phrase this week “every penny is a prisoner ” seems to be true?
Friday, January 30th
Crystal Bay
Medal
1st Colin Greig (16) Net 67 points
2nd Jimmy Carr (25) Net 71 points
3rd Michael Brett (18) Net 71 points
4th Dave Galvin (21) Net 72 points
Near pins Ian Flannigan, Dave Galvin, & Sam McDonald X 2.
We begin the last report of the month with some sad news. A member from the UK and infrequent visitor Lee Gadd passed away on Wednesday night after an illness extending over the last couple of years. A slightly eccentric man with a high handicap Iee didn’t make it to the Bunker overcome by illness on arrival on his last two visits. Affectionately known as Norman Wisdom due to an uncanny likeness he was a long time friend of the late Ken Elmore who introduced him to the Bunker. May he rest in peace.
The last game of the month was played at Crystal Bay in stroke play format. The course is holding up remarkably well despite no rain for months, in fact it is in better condition than many . If there was a criticism it was the greens which were deceptively slow, one might feel they had been overwatered, also a bit inconsistent in speed from the front nine to the back. Overall many considered the course to be in better shape than the likes of Pattavia and four hundred baht cheaper, goes to show you don’t always get what you pay for.
The purists always claim stroke play is the only format to play, even though one bad hole can ruin your day, it seems we are compelled to have two stroke play rounds per month which makes choosing the two courses on which to play stroke all the more important. Today’s winner by five strokes was Colin Greig with an excellent round of net sixty-seven. Jimmy Carr edged out Michael Brett for second on countback, both with net seventy-one, while Dave Galvin brought up the rear on seventy-two. There was a modicum of suspicion around the near pins today with three of the four going to the last group, who would have thought? Of late it seems that the only way for a certain individual to get a near pin is to get a hole in one, on more greens than most but never getting the chocolates.
Going into today’s round Colin Greig led the race for golfer of the month by one stroke from Alan Howard and three from Jimmy Carr. Neither of the challengers was good enough to overtake Colin who claimed back to back trophies.
Ian Flannigan, winner at Pattavia.
The celebration begins, Colin shares a beer with some of the Bunker Boys at the course
Winner at Bangpakong Riverside Mike Milland
A big week for Colin Greig taking golfer of the month as well as a hole in one.
