Monday, January 8th
Plutaluang South and East
1st Rob Folland (15) 38 points
2nd Gary Smith (7) 37 points
3rd Sam Gershon (17) 36 points
4th Fred Jones (11) 35 points
5th Paul Smith (3) 34 points
6th Keith Norman (16) 34 points
Near pins Jimmy Carr, Sam Gershon, Gary Smith, & Daryl Vernon.
The Navy course looked very busy as we drove in but we still managed to get away at the appointed time on the East and South nines. Dry as a bone and rock hard adequately describe the condition of the course with bare patches in many areas. A lack of caddies proved to be somewhat of a problem with one person having to suffer a fourteen-year-old as a caddie who only was seen out of the cart only three times, even too young to drive the cart and spoke not a word of English. Another issue after the round was a lack of towels for the late finishers. Given that they charge for towels one would have imagined there might be plenty available. Another peculiarity of this course is that they charge for ice which is the only course we know of that does that.
A field of twenty-seven was a reasonable number for what is not a particularly popular course. Overall scoring was decent with newcomer Rob Folland achieving his first win with thirty-eight points. Fresh back from Scotland and thawed out Gary Smith took second one adrift. Sam Gershon must have been practicing back in his native Hawaii and took third with thirty-six points, he also managed to snag a near pin. Fred Jones had a solid round of thirty-five in fourth. A countback was required to settle fifth and sixth with Paul Smith edging out Keith Norman. Jimmy Carr, Gary Smith, and Daryl Vernon took the remaining three near pins.
Wednesday, January 10th
Treasure Hill
1st Dave Ashman (28) 34 points
2nd Alan Howard (16) 33 points
3rd Michael Brett (16) 33 points
4th Mark Hayward (17) 31 points
5th Geoff Atwell (18) 30 points.
Near pins Witt Mann, Bob Innes, & Mark Hayward X 2.
Another slow round today at Treasure Hill where we had a reasonable field. Several members are tired of playing the same courses repeatedly every month and starting to make their own arrangements, playing elsewhere, roll on low season when pricing sanity may prevail once again. Having said that a seven-hundred and fifty baht walking fee at Treasure Hill is remarkable in high season.
As always the course was in good condition but the pace of play was pedestrian at best.
On his favourite course, Dave Ashman prevailed today with a winning score of thirty-four points, his first podium stance for a while. Alan Howard took second place on countback from Michael Brett. Mark Hayward took fourth with thirty-one points, one ahead of the backmarker Geoff Atwell. Mark Hayward was on target on the par threes taking two near pins, Bob Innes got very close for one and Witt Mann got the final one.
Friday, January 12th
Pattavia.
1st Niall Glover (15) 40 points
2nd Kob Glover (15) 38 points
3rd Witt Mann (14) 36 points
4th Mark Hayward (17) 35 points
Near pins Geoff Parker, Kevin LeBar, & Kob Glover.
“Now is the winter of our discontent”, at least for several Bunker Boys. Sick of playing Pattavia every week people are voting with their feet and now playing other courses, today one group of eleven going to Bangkapong Riverside, and another group of eight going to Crystal Bay. People here on holiday and locals alike have a preference for playing as many different courses as possible every month. Whilst it’s not easy balancing the need for value-for-money courses with variety playing one course four times every month doesn’t suit many so we need to find a way through until low season and more sane pricing returns.
Today’s game at Pattavia was a bit of a disaster with about two hundred Koreans flooding the course, to make matters worse they turned up an hour late for their tee time and then booked two rounds with a lunch break in between. Not only that they also took all the carts available so the Bunker Boys had to play second fiddle. It was past the regular presentation time at the bar by the time the first got back.
A Glover affair at the top of the leader board with Niall taking first place on forty points and wife Kob taking second with thirty-eight points. Witt Mann took third with thirty-six points and Mark Hayward brought up the rear with thirty-five points. Three of the four near pins were taken going to Geoff Parker, Kevin LeBar, and Kob Glover. Fresh from shoveling tons of snow in Japan Raleigh Gosney made his first appearance of the year, and already has a ready-made excuse for poor play with backache from all that shoveling.
Rob Folland, winner at Plutaluang.
Dave Ashman, winner at his favourite course Treasure Hill
Niall Glover, winner at Pattavia.