Pattaya Sports Club Bunker Boys Golf Report Monday, August 29

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Robby Watts, golfer of the month of August (left) A sprightly Gordon Melia winner at Pattavia Golf Course (right).

Silky Oak Golf Course
1st Robby Watts (9) 38 points
2nd Kob Glover (19) 36 points
3rd Michael Brett (15) 34 points
Near pins Mike Smith, & Kob Glover X 3.

We live in Amazing Thailand where anything is possible and surprises are everywhere. On Saturday the Bunker Boys committee held a two-hour meeting where a number of issues of concern were discussed and conclusions reached, by Monday it was as though nothing had happened and normal service was resumed, I guess that was two hours in the life of those concerned that they will never get back.



Golf for the week kicked off with a game at Silky Oak Golf Course where we had a surprisingly low turnout, for some reason this course polarises opinion with people either liking it or loathing it and refusing to play. This is surprising as it’s usually in decent condition as it was again today other than some of the greens which were a bit bumpy in places.

We were extremely lucky today weather-wise as it threatened to rain several times, luckily the weather gods were on our side, and despite black heavy clouds hanging around we managed to finish dry.


A couple of decent scores were returned, none better than Robby Watts who took first place with thirty-eight points having rediscovered his short game, and despite having to borrow a putter as he got a bout of Alzheimer’s and left his putter at the bar. Kob Glover took second with thirty-six points. A poor finishing hole with only one point saw Michael Brett take third with only thirty-four. Four out of five of the near pins were taken with Mike Smith getting his first win of any kind since joining the Bunker Boys taking one and Kob Glover taking three.



Wednesday, August 31st
Burapha C & D Golf Course
1st Michael Brett (15) 37 points
2nd Robby Watts (8) 36 points
3rd Gary Smith (10) 35 points
4th Jay Babin (21) 35 points
Near pins Jay Babin, Niall Glover, Kob Glover & Paul Smith.

The last game of August was scheduled to be played at Bangpakong Riverside Golf Course but due to an unreasonable price hike, we changed venue and played Burapha C & D nines. This turned out to be one of the most frightening rounds of golf that anyone can remember for a long time. By mid-back nine, the caddies were encouraging us to hasten as the rain was coming. Before the rain came we found ourselves in the eye of a ferocious thunder and lightning storm, some of the lightning strikes were so close it was a miracle that nobody got hit, there was nowhere to shelter on that part of the course.



By the time we reached the eighteenth tee, the sky was black, the light was very dim, and the rain was pelting down in torrents flooding fairways and greens. This proved to be a cruel blow to Robby Watts who was playing himself into a winning position in the race for the golfer of the month only to lose his ball in the middle of the fairway and end up wiping the hole thereby thinking that was the end of his challenge.

Despite another round that ended in a one pointer Michael Brett had done enough to take first place with thirty-seven points, taking it from Robby who had thirty-six despite a wipe on the last. Gary Smith who considers himself lucky to be alive having survived a lightning strike no more than a meter away took third place with thirty-five beating Jay Babin on countback into fourth place. All the near pins were taken with one each to the Glovers, Niall & Kob, Paul Smith & Jay Babin took the remaining two.

In the race for the golfer of the month at least three were in with a realistic chance of taking it out. Gary Smith lead going into the last round and looked favourite having played consistently good golf all month. Robby Watts and Niall Glover were hot on his heels so it was all to play for. In the end, Gary didn’t add to his total and Robby added four points to his tally thereby passing Gary by one point to be crowned golfer of the month of August



Friday, September 2nd
Pattavia Golf Course
1st Gordon Melia (23) 37 points
2nd Geoff Boyle (24) 36 points
3rd Mike Smith (21) 35 points
Near pins Robert Oldham, Jay Mitchell, Niall Glover X 2.

The Pattavia golf course was in sparkling condition in preparation for a Junior’s competition this weekend so no complaints on that score. A heavy shower prior to leaving the bar was an ominous sign, however, that was the end of the rain. A decent field was on hand to start a new month of golf.

A real trip down memory lane for today’s winner, Gordon Melia who at the end of his third week amongst us recaptured his former glory to take first place with a very fine thirty-seven despite a poor start. Newcomer Geoff Boyle took second place with a handicap equalling thirty-six. Having gotten his name on the score sheet for the first time on Monday with a near pin Mike Smith went one better today taking third place with a very respectable thirty-five points, are we seeing an emerging star in our midst?. Newcomer Robert Oldham and Jay Mitchell took a near pin each with Niall Glover taking two.