Sweltering golf during Pattaya’s hottest time of year

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Vale Frank Quinlan.

PSC Bunker Boys Golf
Monday, May 10th
Pattavia Golf Course

Medal
1st Geoff Parker (20) Net 73
2nd Jimmy Carr (17) Net 73
3rd Peter Kelly (14) Net 73
Near pins Geoff Parker, Tony Robbins, Bob Paine, & Peter Kelly.

The Medal round of the month was played at Pattavia in overcast, sweltering hot, and humid conditions. Rain with thunder and lightning was all around us, fortunately far enough away not to affect the game. Like most courses now after so much recent rain, Pattavia was in excellent condition and despite the rain there was no need for the pick, clean, and place rule to be implemented.



Several societies seem very keen to implement this rule, very often when there is little or no justification. The PSC ruling is that it can be implemented when carts are not allowed on the fairways which seems fair enough except that this is very much at the discretion of the marshal which can vary a lot from course to course, and whether or not a competition is about to be held at that course.


Whilst scoring was modest today it was very tight at the top with three players locked together on net seventy-three being separated by countback and placed as listed.

All the near pins were taken with one each going to Geoff Parker, Jimmy Carr, Tony Robbins and of course Peter Kelly again.

Geoff Atwell, big winner at Burapha.

Wednesday, May 12th
Burapha Golf Course B & C
Stableford

1st Geoff Atwell (22) 39 points
2nd Kob Glover (25) 38 points
3rd Geoff Parker (35) points
Near pins Kevin LeBar & Michael Brett X 2.

Today we had an unusual pairing of the B & C nines for our midweek round at Burapha. On a sweltering hot day carts were very welcome. We availed of the over seventies all in fee of twelve hundred and fifty baht. Once again rain threatened accompanied by the usual thunder and lightning; fortunately we missed most of it with just a quick shower lasting about five minutes.



With regard to the course, the fairways were very good, the greens were slow and some bumpy, the bunkers had hard packed sand but the rough was brutal, full of lush thick cow grass where it was difficult to find a ball let alone play it from in there.

After a long absence we were pleased to welcome back Kob and Niall Glover. Niall had a hell of a time complying with all the immigration requirements to re-enter the country from South America and being very pale in colour was delighted to get out in the sunshine again.


Some excellent scores were returned today, none better than Geoff Atwell with an excellent thirty-nine points to take first place. Playing off the men’s tees, Kob Glover announced her return with a very stylish thirty-eight points to take second place with Geoff Parker taking third with thirty-five points.

Three near pins were won with Kevin LeBar being the only person on the last green and Michael Brett taking two.



It has been brought to our attention recently that one of our former members, Frank Quinlan, passed away in his homeland of South Africa about twelve months ago. Once Frank quit golf he lost contact with the Bunker Boys and it was just by chance that one of our members came upon a memorial notice on the internet.

Frank had something of a Jekyll and Hyde personality, difficult to handle on the course but delightful off. The most outstanding feature of his game apart from his endless pursuit of a thirty-six handicap was how difficult it was for his playing partners to find somewhere to stand that was not in his peripheral vision.

May he rest in peace.

Dave Ashman winner at Treasure Hill.

Friday, May 14th
Treasure Hill Golf Course
Stableford

1st Dave Ashman (27) 35 points
2nd Michael Brett (15) 34 points
3rd Geoff Parker (20) 34 points
Near pins Les Cobban, Steve Durey, & Michael Brett X 2.



A sweltering hot day for the last game of the week at Treasure Hill. It was nice to finish a round without rain or the threat of the usual combination, rain thunder and lightning, but Friday was probably the hottest day of the year so far. An all-in deal of one thousand and fifty baht was on offer so nobody was required to walk. It was essential to stay hydrated, otherwise we may have had to call an ambulance for anyone foolhardy enough to walk and not drink plenty.

The fairways were in excellent condition, well grassed and mown recently; however, the greens were not up to their usual standard, slow and bumpy with patchy grass in places, the rough was appropriately named.


It seems everybody struggles on this challenging course as was the case again with modest scoring. Dave Ashman calls Treasure Hill one of his favourite courses and it was obvious why. Friday taking first place with thirty-five points off an unbelievable twenty-seven handicap.

Michael Brett was one back in second place edging out Geoff Parker into third on countback. All the near pins were taken with one each to Steve Durey and Les Cobban with Michael Brett taking two.