Travellers Rest Golf Group
Monday, March 17, Khao Kheow – Stableford
We started off last week on Monday with St Patrick’s Day, so I was expecting a large turnout of men from the Emerald Isle as for the last couple of months Pattaya has been awash with them. Instead in a field of twenty six golfers just five were Irish so I can only assume that all the rest have returned home to tend to their gardens of Lucky Heather and Four Leaf Clover and to feed their Leprachauns. Still, the ones that were left were full of the old blarney about why they hadn’t won the competition that day at Khao Kheow.
Khao Kheow (B & C) is indeed a tough golf course and most golfers, including myself, struggle to keep a good round going, normally failing miserably. So when I tell you that the winners of the two divisions on the day recorded winning scores of 40 and 42 points respectively, you will probably agree with me that they are both either Superman or complete bandits. Next time I see Mike Rushant and Bill Chur I expect them to be either wearing masks or their underpants outside their shorts.
Mike Rushant and Any Rich.
Mike Rushant won Division 1 by five clear shots from Gerry Fernandez in second place and Terry Worth finished in third. Gerry Fernandez was obviously so shocked at being so far behind the leader he immediately went down with a terrible affliction called shanking. By the end of the week everybody was calling him Ravi (Ravi Shankar) and he was seriously thinking of giving up golf and taking up sitar lessons.
In Division 2 Bill Chur did even better by winning his flight by seven clear shots from Gary Bennett in second and Glen Kananoa in third. Bill was last seen riding off into the sunset on his trusty steed laughing heartily.
Div. 1 (0-14)
1st Mike Rushant (12) 40pts
2nd Gerry Fernandez (12) 35pts
3rd Terry Worth (13) 33pts
Div. 2 (15+)
1st Bill Chur (15) 42pts
2nd Gary Bennett (17) 35pts
3rd Glen Kananoa (15) 33pts
Tuesday, March 18, Green Valley – Stableford
On Tuesday it was off to Green Valley and the Irish contingent was down to three hardy souls who had recovered enough from the shenanigans of the night before to take to the golf course. A few of the other nationalities also failed to show and we were down to just one division on the day.
Bill Chur had a change of mind and decided to turn his horse around, adjusted his stetson and return for another helping of rich pickings back in Pattaya. Despite being docked two shots to his handicap for his remarkable effort the day before at Khao Kheow, he romped off with the first prize yet again leaving the townsfolk mumbling in their beers. Ged Higgins and Jim Cleaver did their best to throw a lasso over Bill and haul him back to the pack but just failed.
1st Bill Chur (13) 37pts
2nd Ged Higgins (19) 36pts
3rd Jim Cleaver (10) 36 pts
Thursday, March 20, Bangpakong – Stableford
Thursday was a trip to one of my favourite courses – Bangpakong. Always in immaculate condition and a little more forgiving than a lot of other golf courses around Pattaya, everybody seems to come away from here feeling good about their game, except of course if your name is Gerry Fernandez.
On the day the best looking man in Pattaya certainly had a good day, yes you guessed it, I won. Playing like I used to many moons ago it all came together and I held off the opposition to walk away with the first prize. Dave Palmer in second and Phil Battah in third made it an extremely tight finish but I managed to keep my nose in front, and so I should, it is large enough.
1st Andy Rich (22) 39pts
2nd Dave Palmer (7) 38pts
3rd Phil Battah (12) 37pts
Saturday, March 22, Eastern Star – Stableford
On Saturday the TRGG brought the week to a close by heading off to Eastern Star, another course that can give you a nasty kick in the butt when all seems to be going well.
Jim Cleaver invited an American mate along called Craig Matthews and he very impolitely took advantage of the TRGG’s renowned hospitality by walking off with first place. The genial giant that is Louis Flanagan at last won something for the Irish by taking second place and my playing partner John Baxter showed some good form to take third.
1st Craig Matthews (15) 36pts
2nd Louis Flanagan (12) 35pts
3rd John Baxter (15) 35pts
Good luck to all you golfers for the coming week and if you would like to play a round of golf with the TRGG, please phone Fergus Brennan on 086 056 7019 or pop into the Ned Kelly Bar in Soi Lengkee and add your name to the weekly lists which are posted on the notice board.
