IPGC Golf from The Haven
Monday, Dec. 5, Treasure Hill (yellow tees) – Stableford
CSS 71
1st Masanori Takano (8) 36pts
2nd Markku Tynell (20) 36pts
3rd Dave Edwards (12) 34pts
4th Peter Brown (24) 34pts
5th Allan Hanlon (13) 34pts
6th Larry Gibb (21) 34pts
7th Tony O’Neil (23) 34pts
Years past, when it first opened, Treasure Hill was the toughest course in the area. It took almost two years before any of the then local and visiting players played to their handicap and in the ensuing years it has continued to be a real challenge.
It was therefore a huge surprise for the scorer to find so many of the day’s entrants playing to their handicaps or well within their buffer zones and seeing the CSS for day reduce to 71. But the reason behind this exceptional scoring day was clearly the course management’s decision to set all the tees forward to facilitate the throughput of the many golfers expected for the Bank Holiday. In the event it was a great day of golf when the field moved at a good pace and many were well pleased to return their best cards for the course.
Masanori Takano took the top step on his return to the group after winning a count back over Markku Tynell, who was also returning, by the narrowest of margins with a better 19 to 18 over the back-nine.
Dave Edwards then won a five-way count back for third place between a group two strokes behind the leaders; Dave returning a best back-six of 12 after the top four contenders had tied the nine at 18 each.
Peter Brown then placed fourth with a better 4 on the back three after 10 on the back-six, and Allan Hanlon fifth with 2 on the back 2, leaving Larry Gibb in sixth as he could manage just the single point on the last hole. Tony O’Neil was in seventh after he scored 14 on the inward half.
There were no 2s in the first division but Markku Tynell made up for losing out to Masanori with the sole one in the second division sweeping the roll over pot clean.
Wednesday, Dec. 7, Khao Kheow A & B (yellow tees) – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Mark Cooper (12) 42pts
2nd Daryl Burkett (12) 36pts
3rd Paul Hubbard (10) 34pts
4th Dave Edwards (12) 30pts
5th Brendan Dunne (28) 30pts
Another tough course was the second test of the week with the A & B courses set for the day. Once again there was a surprise at the prize giving to find that the usually difficult to score on eighteen had given up a six-under result, which had been returned by Mark Cooper after a fine day’s golf that included an outstanding inward half that he completed in level par for 24 points.
Six behind in second place was Daryl Burkett with a level handicap return that could have been even better but for a slight slip on the tenth where he failed to score.
Paul Hubbard took third place another couple adrift after he had started slowly but a very good middle to the round ensured a better end to the day.
Dave Edwards took fourth after winning a count back over Brendan Dunne with a better 11 to 9 on the last six after they had tied the nine on 13 each.
There were no 2s in the second division but Mark Cooper, Dave Edwards and Daryl Burkett shared the first division pool with one each.
Friday, Dec. 9, Pattaya C.C. – Stableford
CSS 72
1st Alan Flynn (14) 39pts
2nd Daryl Burkett (12) 39pts
3rd John Carlin (19) 35pts
4th Wilf Wellman (30) 35pts
5th Brendan Dunne (28) 34pts
6th Benny Hansen (26) 34pts
Another good day for scoring was had at the continually improving Pattaya Country Club where the recently redesigned and re-laid greens on the back nine are starting to develop well, and with the fairways offering good run throughout and attractive lies it was another day when the players all went away happy with their day.
Alan Flynn had his best round for a while and took the top step of the podium after winning a count back over Daryl Burkett with a better 20 to 17, this after the latter had looked a likely winner until he saved his worst holes to the end and had to settle once again for second place.
John Carlin took third place after he also won a count back with a better 18 to 14 to leave Wilf Wellman in fourth but well pleased to be figuring in the placements so early in his trip.
Brendan Dune also figured in his second count back of the week, this time winning it with a better 18 to 17 after Benny Hansen just failed to close out a good round by dropping a couple of points on three last three holes.
There were no 2s in either of the divisions.
