The Growling Swan Golf Society
Monday, Feb. 20, Treasure Hill – Stableford
1st JC Lhoste (28) 36pts
2nd Mick Johns (16) 36pts
3rd Alex Field (16) 35pts
4th Sal Brizzi (4) 35pts
Near Pins: #2 Bill Steinman, #6 Tiziano Dal Pastro, #13 Bill Steinman, #17 Glenn Smith.
Long Putts: #9 Patrick Poussier, #18 Tiziano Dal Pastro.
Another perfect sultry day greeted us and with an easier than normal bus trip, we teed up off the yellow markers before scheduled time. This was probably the first time that we have witnessed Treasure Hill a little on the dry side. Still, it was at a very good price of 1,050 THB incl. g/f, caddie and cart and this course is definitely worth the journey.
With a small field we played one flight only, with J.C Lhoste taking his first win at the Swan. His 36 points (with 20 from the back 9) gave him the nod via the count back system over Mike Johns. Another count back separated third and fourth, with Alex Field edging out Sal Brizzi.
Thursday, Feb. 23, Plutaluang – Monthly Mug/Stroke
1st Don Richardson (16) net 73
2nd Patrick Poussier (26) net 74
3rd G Cho (10) net 78
4th Stu Rifkin (16) net 78
Near Pins: #3 & #6 Stu Rifkin, #12 & #17 G Cho
Long Putts: #9 G Cho, #18 Lawrence Lee
Two buses and some cars loaded with enthusiastic golfers headed to the Navy course, ready to test their mettle against the challenging North and West nines. Pre-game comments were subdued, both enroute and in the locker room as minds were already focusing on their individual game plans.
The four courses at this Navy facility (North, South and East and West nines) are challenging at the best of times, but with fair pricing, it is worth the time to take on.
Mr. Martin Todd was the elected Captain for today’s stroke round, and he had the field play off the white tees with drop zones in play.
The signature “Lighthouse” par three 3rd hole “drop zone”, behind the green, was utilized by three players in this scribe’s post. With all electing to putt up the face of the green and take on the down slope to the pin on the other side, Steve Younger managed to salvage a bogey, Tom McMahon sent his ball over the green into the water on the other side, for his second wet ball on this hole, but taking the cake was Glenn Smith who sent another three balls into the depths to follow his wet tee shot. Not to be outdone, one player had 16 on a par 3!
One of the oldest players in the group today certainly kept his cool and used his mental stability to fall over the line ahead of the second placed player and way ahead of the rest of the field. Senior golfer Don Richardson (H/cap 14) played smart golf to take out the February Monthly Mug award with 73 net. He was closely followed by the French Connection, Patrick Poussier (26) with 74 nett and third spot was a count back between visitor G Cho (10) and, not seen playing for a few months, Stu Rifkin (16) who ended up with fourth position overall with net 78.
