PATTAYA, Thailand – The Bunker Boys wrapped up the end of April and opened May with two contrasting but memorable rounds, battling difficult weather, course renovations, slow play and strong winds while witnessing a remarkable Golfer of the Month performance from Colin Greig.
Monday, April 27 – Khao Kheow Country Club (B & C Courses)
Khao Kheow continues to undergo major renovations, with the reception area, pro shop, restaurant and much of the changing facilities currently closed. Despite the disruption, golfers received no reduction in green fees, though members watched with interest to see how the redevelopment progresses.
The Bunker Boys were assigned the B and C nines and, fortunately, had the course almost entirely to themselves. Threatening skies lingered throughout the front nine before heavy rain, thunder and lightning finally arrived on the back nine, forcing players into a shelter for a 15-minute suspension of play.
Only Alan Sullivan truly mastered the demanding conditions, producing an excellent 37-point round to comfortably secure first place. A countback was required to separate Paul Smith and Walter Baechli after both finished on 30 points, with Smith edging second place by a single point on the back nine. Colin Greig once again dominated the near-pin contests, claiming three of the four available prizes.
The scheduled Wednesday trip to Vintage in Samut Prakan was later cancelled due to limited player interest in the long journey, making the Khao Kheow outing the final game of April.
As tradition dictates, the Golfer of the Month title was decided on the final playing day, and this time there was little suspense. Colin Greig produced a staggering monthly total of 239 points, smashing the previous record by seven points to claim his second monthly trophy of the year. The new benchmark now stands as one of the highest totals ever recorded by the Bunker Boys.
Results: 1. Alan Sullivan (16) – 37 points. 2. Paul Smith (2) – 30 points. 3. Walter Baechli (20) – 30 points. Near Pins: Colin Greig x3.
Friday, May 1 – Hermes Golf Club
Every visit to Hermes continues to amuse the Bunker Boys, who once again found themselves listed on the reception running sheet as the “Banger Boys” — a recurring typo that has now become something of an inside joke among the group.
The opening game of May proved to be a stern challenge. Slow play, blustery winds and a crowded public holiday field combined to make scoring extremely difficult. More than 170 golfers were listed for the day, a dramatic contrast to the previous round when many caddies reportedly went without work.
With carts banned from entering the fairways, players were forced into a significant amount of extra walking, adding to the fatigue caused by the lengthy pace of play.
In difficult conditions, Michael Brett’s modest but steady 33-point performance proved enough to secure victory. Hubert Stiefenhofer, playing his final round of the trip before returning to Germany, finished one point behind in second place with 32 points. Paul Smith continued his consistent form by taking third place with 30 points. Near-pin honours were shared between Paul Smith, Alan Sullivan and Colin Greig, with one prize remaining unclaimed.
The round also marked the final appearance of Colin Greig before his return to Scotland for the summer. Hubert Stiefenhofer is set to follow back to Germany next week, temporarily reducing the Bunker Boys numbers. However, reinforcements are already on the horizon, with Les Humphrey and Rob Folland expected to return after lengthy injury layoffs, while Geoff Atwell is rumoured to be preparing for a comeback after almost two years away from the fairways.
Results: 1. Michael Brett (15) – 33 points. 2. Hubert Stiefenhofer (19) – 32 points. 3. Paul Smith (2) – 30 points. Near Pins: Paul Smith, Alan Sullivan, Colin Greig.
