Split days for Pattaya’s Bunker Boys Golf

0
3421
(L-R) Niall Glover, winner at Pattana, Geoff Atwell, aka Robin Hood, winner at Emerald and Gez Williams, latest arrival.

PSC Bunker Boys Golf
Monday, December 20th
Crystal Bay Golf Club C & A
1st Greg Berry (15) 36 points
2nd Geoff Atwell (22) 36 points
3rd Jimmy Carr (17) 34 points
4th Colin Greig (14) 34 points
Near pins Jimmy Carr, Danny Evans, & Bob Innes X 2.



Another split day of golf for the Bunker Boys with the bulk of the group playing at Crystal Bay while a team of four made the trip to Kabin Buri to play in the Serenity Resort Christmas scramble. The Kabin Buri course was in pristine condition, competition ready to host the Thailand Seniors Open competition later in the week. In particular, the greens were as good as greens can be, a nice speed without being ridiculously fast and smooth as a billiards table. The day was bright and sunny but not too hot, so perfect for golf.


The Bunker Boys team comprising Tony Robbins, John Hughes, Daryl Vernon, and Michael Brett played as a team, and at different stages, someone always came to the rescue and everyone contributed. A score of forty-seven points, net sixty-one was a fair reflection of how the team played and was good enough to equal the best score of the day. Unfortunate to lose first place on countback but satisfying nevertheless. After golf, everyone retired to the Serenity Resort & Spa where our host Olivier laid on a magnificent feast of Christmas fare followed by prize giving. Wine and beer flowed freely and the revelry went on into the small hours.



At Crystal Bay, the group played the C & A nines. As always, the course was ok but the tee boxes and bunkers were a shambles. The rough was also up so anybody that strayed in there was lucky to be able to play their ball if it could be found.



The very consistent Greg Berry took out first place beating Geoff Atwell on countback. It seems like a day of countbacks with third and fourth also decided in that manner with Jimmy Carr edging out Colin Greig who could count himself very lucky to be cut only one stroke after last Friday’s heroics. Danny Evans and Jimmy Carr got near pins while the new “Dead Eye Dick” Bob Innes took two.

The Bunker Boys team in Kabin Buri.

Wednesday, December 22nd
Pattana Golf & Sports Resort A & C
1st Niall Glover (15) 40 points
2nd Tony Robbins (23) 38 points
3rd Michael Brett (16) 38 points
4th Gerry Cooney (19) 38 points
Near pins Gerry Cooney, Kevin LeBar, Paul Smith, & Michael Brett.

Another beautiful sunny day for golf at Pattana where despite several delinquents we managed a field of eighteen. We were allocated the A & C nines, both of which were in very fine condition. An all-in fee of eleven hundred baht was excellent value for a course of this quality.

Scoring was very good and it was tight at the top with Niall Glover taking the chocolates with an excellent forty points. Tony Robbins, Michael Brett, and Gerry Cooney all finished with thirty-eight points and were placed in that order. All the near pins were taken  with one each going to Gerry Cooney, Kevin Lebar, Paul Smith, and Michael Brett.



We were hopeful of another big influx of seasonal visitors in the coming weeks but with paranoia about the latest Covid variant rampant, it looks at this stage that there may be doubts about any further international tourism until a clearer picture emerges. We live in hope.

Friday, December 24th
Emerald Golf Club
1st Geoff Atwell (22) 38 points
2nd Gez Williams (13) 36 points
3rd Colin Greig (14) 34 points
4th Dave Ashman (26) 34 points
Near pins Niall Glover, Gez Williams, & Paul Smith X 2.


A curious day for golf at Emerald, we started under grey skies, shortly after we had a sprinkling of rain, and finished in bright sunshine. The course was ok by Emerald standards, the greens were good, fairways were decent and the bunkers were also fine, so no complaints on that score. Despite several regulars missing, presumably doing some late Christmas shopping, a field of eighteen was a reasonable group under the circumstances. Other members were doing a bit of travel to different resorts and some went upcountry.



There are many curiosities in the game of golf but one, in particular, seems to remain a constant at the Bunker Boys. I refer of course to our resident Robin Hood, Geoff Atwell, who regularly throws up a very good score and yet maintains his handicap in the low twenties. Today he did it again with an excellent thirty-eight points to take first place. Fresh from Blighty, Gez Williams in his first game for months went straight down to business and took second place with a solid thirty-six points. Colin Greig continues to motor along in the winner’s circle and took third place beating Dave Ashman into fourth place on countback. All the near pins were taken with one each to Niall Glover and Gez Williams with two going to Paul Smith.