PATTAYA, Thailand – A mass weekend exodus of seasonal visitors, triggered by cancelled and rescheduled flights, saw no fewer than six regulars depart, thinning the ranks. Despite this, a strong field of twenty-one golfers assembled for the Bunker Boys’ short trip to Royal Hills Golf Resort and Spa.
The course on Monday, March 16 was presented in excellent condition, complemented by a well-received spread in the clubhouse restaurant. However, one member was left digesting a particularly large serving of “humble pie” after confidently predicting that Scotland would end its eleven-game losing streak against Ireland in the Six Nations. The wait continues—now stretching beyond eleven years—further compounded by Scotland’s under-20 side also suffering a comprehensive defeat.
On the fairways, Royal Hills proved a stern test, with scoring generally on the modest side. Players arriving the day before clearly benefited from rest, while same-day travellers appeared less composed. Under the circumstances, Hubert Stiefenhofer delivered an outstanding round of 37 points to take top honours. Uli Mueller edged Danny Miller on countback for second after both posted 34 points. Dave Galvin claimed fourth with 33, while Colin Greig rounded out the podium on 32. Near pins were evenly shared.
The day’s most memorable moment came at the 18th hole, when a large elephant casually followed the final group down the fairway – an unusual and thrilling sight that even local staff found remarkable.
The second day’s two-man scramble saw a notable improvement in scoring as players adapted to the course and its challenging greens. Paul Smith and Danny Miller, playing off a team handicap of four, combined superbly for 46 points, highlighted by four birdies and an eagle. Jimmy Carr and Robby Watts secured second place with 40 points.
Midweek numbers dipped sharply at Crystal Bay on Wednesday, March 18, reflecting both the earlier departures and lingering fatigue from Royal Hills. Nevertheless, the course held up well despite threatening skies, with the group narrowly avoiding rain until the return journey. In hot and humid conditions, Michael Brett staged a strong back-nine recovery to win with 37 points. Takeshi Hakozaki finished second on 30, followed by Kevin LaBar on 29.
By Friday, March 20, numbers rebounded at Plutaluang Golf Course, where the South and East nines again impressed given the dry season conditions. Scoring proved inconsistent for many, but Dominique Pujol stood out with remarkable steadiness – 20 points on both nines – for a winning total of 40. In celebration, he duly rang the bell back at the bar. A surprise return from Mike Lloyd paid dividends as he secured second place with 37 points and added a near pin to his tally. Danny Miller continued his consistent form in third, just ahead of Dave Galvin in fourth.
All in all, a week marked by shifting numbers, challenging conditions, and memorable moments – none more so than golf in the company of elephants -kept the Bunker Boys firmly on course.
