Marshall in control at Eastern Star

0
706
Tommy Marshall (right) with ‘wig-wearer’ Paul Chesney.
Tommy Marshall (right) with ‘wig-wearer’ Paul Chesney.

PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society

Monday, April 30, Eastern Star – Stableford

1st Tommy Marshall (9) 36pts

2nd Stuart Thompson (17) 33pts

3rd Dave Stockman (7) 32pts

4th Terry Drier (15) 31pts

The final April fixture for the Pattaya Links Golf Society saw the group leave Soi Buakhao on Monday, in cool, grey and damp conditions to play a stableford competition on the course which had resisted the weekend storms well.

Fairways were a little damp and soft but were completely playable, bunkers were well raked and the greens were fair but a little inconsistent. Overhead a heavy curtain of rain clouds threatened but in the event it came to nothing.

With only a modicum of run and the humid conditions the course played long off the white tees and scores were average.  Terry Dreier beat Brian Talbot for fourth place on countback, 31 points securing the places.

In third was local resident Dave Stockman with 32 points, just one behind Stu Thompson’s fine round of 33 points.  The winner was Tommy Marshall, and he lived up to his name with a well ordered and controlled round of 36 points.

Near pins went to Derek Phillips (3), Tommy Marshall (6), Dave Stockman (17) whilst hole 13 surprisingly preserved its integrity.

Consolation best nines went to Brian Talbot (front, 17 pts) and Len Jones (back, 16pts).

Friday, May 4, Pattana – Stableford

A Flight

1st Peter Bailey (15) 41pts

2nd Nakano (15) 39pts

3rd Lee Rodman (11) 37pts

B Flight

1st Peter Henshaw (30) 37pts

2nd Dave LeHane (18) 33pts

3rd Ken Ishikawa (16) 33pts

Peter Bailey (left) and Phil Davies.
Peter Bailey (left) and Phil Davies.

Many excited golfers gathered at Links Bar early to ready themselves for a long awaited trip to the beautiful Pattana Golf Course.

The green fee price at this course during the High Season was quite prohibitive, but now with Low Season kicking in, it was at last time to get back there.

This course is always presented in immaculate condition and today it lived up to that high standard and, as a bonus, the weather was looking fine. But oh! How things can change.

We played B and C courses in that order.  Fairways are cut to near perfection, rough still gets hold of the club at times, and the greens are in very good order.

Twenty six starters (but only 24 finished) as a wild electrical thunderstorm rolled in, prompting management to sound the warning siren to clear the course, much to the relief of some petrified caddies.

Everyone was under shelter, and since we were rained off from Treasure Hill two days earlier, we were determined to wait this one out. 45 minutes passed and just as we moved towards our carts, the all clear siren sounded

We had enough players to pay two flights, and this time it was the “A” flight players with the better scores.

Peter Bailey has been building up to it this trip and today beat a strong field to score an impressive 41 points from his 15 handicap, ignoring the fact that for the second half of his round the course was little soggy.

Right in behind Peter was Nakano with 39 points, which, on another day might have been a winning score, and Lee Rodman found that elusive form to take third spot with 37 points.

Peter Henshaw, when he visits us, is more often than not finding a place on the podium. Today it was top of the “B” flight with an excellent 37 points.

Dave LeHane has just returned and snuck into “B” flight so, with 33 points took second on count-back ahead of newcomer Ken Ishikawa.

Near pins went to Nakano (B3), Tommy Marshall (B7), John Coetzee (C2), Paul Smith (C7).

The best scores on the front and back nines (for anyone who had not yet won anything) went to Dave Edwards (front, 19pts) and Derek Phillips (back, 17pts).