Doyle by a distance

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Donal McGuigan (center) with Tip Briney (left) and Mickey Tighe.
Donal McGuigan (center) with Tip Briney (left) and Mickey Tighe.

PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society

Monday, Dec. 24, Royal Lakeside – Stableford

A Flight

1st John Doyle (9) 42pts

2nd John Collias (12) 35pts

3rd Phil Davies (11) 35pts

4th Stan Stewart (16) 35pts

B Flight

1st Ralph McConnell (18) 37pts

2nd Derek Phillips (18) 36pts

3rd Ross Luchterhand (19) 34pts

4th Will Brown (17) 31pts

On Christmas Eve the society golfers took to their sleighs and paid a festive visit to Royal Lakeside to play a stableford competition.

Thirty-three golfers were divided into two flights at seventeen and under and scores were generally below the average for the course. In the second flight Wales’ Will Brown managed 31 points for fourth place with visitor Ross Luchterhand taking third on 34. The top two had a closer contest with Derek Phillips recording a level par 36 points for second whilst the returning Ralph McConnell took the win with 37.

The top flight saw a countback for the minor places with Stan Stewart taking fourth behind Phil Davies and runner-up John Collias, all with 35 points. Ahead of them, almost out of sight, was John Doyle who finally played to his handicap of nine with a gross 75 giving him a points total of 42. His becomes the 172nd name on the annual PLGS “Sixties Club” roster, a group of golfers recording 69 or less in tournaments during the year.

Near pins went to Ian Craigen (3), Wayne Peppernell (6) and Phil Davies (12 and 15).

The best front nine award went to Vincent Smyth with 21 points and the best back nine score was Michael Wright’s 19.

Tuesday, Dec. 25, Treasure Hill – Stableford

A Flight

1st Colin Smith (14) 38 pts

2nd Stan Stewart (16) 34pts

3rd George Mueller (13) 32pts

B Flight

1st Stuart Mann (25) 34pts

2nd Panda Aree (28) 34pts

3rd Ross Lucherhand (19) 31pts

Links Bar decided to make a big Christmas Day by playing our regular Wednesday game on Tuesday. We played the Xmas Day game at Treasure Hill last year and returned again for this year to find this course in even better condition than last time.

With 32 players we had two flights today with the cut at 0-17 and 18+, The “A” flight saw a great return to form from Colin Smith who recorded the best score of the day of 38 points. Second spot went to the very consistent Stan Stewart on 34, followed by George Mueller, also a regular on the podium, with 32.

In the “B” flight, sometime visitor to Links, Stuart Mann, won a tight countback to beat first timer with us, Panda Aree, both scoring 34 points. Ross Lucherhand had a placing a day earlier and placed again for third on 31 points.

Near pins went to Andy Cowan (2), Dane O’Brien (6), Colin Smith (13), Phil Davies (17)

Consolation nines were posted by Wayne Pepperenell (16pts) and Graham Pratt (18pts).

For something different we played Mystery Partner. All the scorecards were jumbled into a bag. Phil drew a card, then John drew one, and the two scores added together. The final result of this was a winning pair of George Mueller and Stan Stewart with 66 points

Friday, Dec. 28, Eastern Star – Stableford

A-Flight (0–17)

1st Stan Stewart (16) 39pts

2nd Colin Smith (14) 36pts

3rd Michael Wright (10) 33pts

4th Maurice Roberts (13) 32pts

B-Flight (18+)

1st Donal McGuigan (19) 36pts

2nd Niall Caven (18) 34pts

3rd Mike Tottenham (19) 33pts

4th Andy Cosway (22) 32pts

Colin Smith.
Colin Smith.

For its penultimate golf day of the year the society visited Eastern Star on Friday to find a full course – but one in fine order with excellent greens running with pace and fairways affording a lot of run.

Thirty-four golfers were divided into two flights at seventeen and under and play got underway on time from the first and tenth tees.

As always Eastern Star provided plenty of challenges and scores were predictably tight and generally lower than elsewhere. In the second flight fourth place was taken by Andy Cosway with 32 points, beating Gabriel Enright on countback and one point behind third placed Mike Tottenham. Second place went to Niall Caven who played bogey golf almost throughout, his handicap giving him 34 points. The flight winner was Irish golfer Donal McGuigan with a fine 36 points.

In the top flight Maurice Roberts’ fourth placed finish of 32 points included a near ace on the testing par three 6th hole. In third was Michael Wright with 33 points and he had the pleasure of the boasting rights over his regular jousters Phil Davies and John Doyle. In form Colin Smith recorded 36 points for second but the surprise package was Stan Stewart who again came good with 39 points and the win.

The consolation awards went to John Harrison (best front nine, 17 points) and Len Jones (best back nine, 17 points)

Near pins were claimed by Michael Wright (3), Maurice Roberts (6), Tip Briney (13) Stan Stewart (17).