Shuichi doubles up

0
791

IPGC Golf from The Haven

Monday, Oct. 31, Crystal Bay – Stableford

CSS 74

1st Markku Tynell (20) 37pts

2nd Paul Hubbard (10) 33pts

3rd Howard Jeglum (15) 33pts

4th John Carlin (18) 33pts

5th Dick Heaney (15) 32pts

Shuichi Kodaka.
Shuichi Kodaka.

The course is now playing much better than during earlier visits by the group although as the CSS for the day attested, that did not translate into generally good scores.  But the players mostly left the last green in a reasonably happy frame of mind about the general condition overall.

Markku Tynell continued with his fine run of form, taking the top step of the podium by four clear shots ahead of a three-way count back for second place.  That was won by Paul Hubbard with 12 on the back six, which left Howard Jeglum in third after he had scored 11 and John Carlin in fourth with a lowly 9 after they had all tied the last nine on 14 each.

Markku Tynell.
Markku Tynell.

Dich Heaney found himself in a lonely fifth place but well ahead of the rest of the day’s hopefuls.

Howard Jeglum finally cleaned out the first division 2s pool with his solo effort, whilst Markku Tynell added to his takings with a similar effort in the second division.

Wednesday, Nov. 2, Pattana A & C – Stableford

Division 1 (0-15)

White tees

CSS 73

1st Neil Skilton (4) 39pts

2nd Peter Skinner (10) 37pts

3rd Yasuo Suzuki (14) 36pts

4th Paul Hubbard (10) 31pts

Division 2 (16+)

Yellow tees

CSS 72

1st Shuichi Kodaka (19) 39pts

2nd Grant Tillett (19) 36pts

3rd Markku Tynell (20) 34pts

4th John Sutcliffe (17) 34pts

The day started out badly for the group when, on arrival at the course, they found that a local bar had taken their booked tee times.  Absolutely no fault of the course management here but an unbelievable stunt by the perpetrators who jumped in on a booking that had been made some six months earlier than theirs.  Fortunately the management sorted the problem with speed and the group set off from another starting tee and all was well in the end, but memories will be sure to continue into the future.

As always, whichever two nines from the three are in play, the course was found to be in tip top condition, one of the reasons that the group play the course every two weeks throughout the year.

Two divisions were required with the first playing from the white and the second from the yellow tees and a local ‘lift and place’ in the fairway rule in play.

Neil Skilton always seems to save his best for his appearances with the group and did so once again, winning the first division with an outstanding round at one over gross and netting himself yet another win and another cut in handicap to 3.  Neil has now received six cuts to his handicap in his last eleven rounds with The Haven, a truly remarkable achievement.

Peter Skinner took second place a couple of strokes adrift and one ahead of Yasuo Suzuki, who also looked in good form on his return to Thailand.  Paul Hubbard was five further back in fourth place.

The second division was led in by Shuichi Kodaka who is also experiencing a good run of form, notching up the first of his two wins in the week after a three under handicap return which was good enough by three to see off the challenge of Grant Tillett in second.

Markku Tynell could not quite reproduce his form from two days earlier but did enough to win a count back for third over John Sutcliffe with a better 17 to 14.

Even Neil could not slip in a 2 in the first division but Markku Tynell scored another two although this time he had to share the spoils with Paul Hutley who also had one in the second division.

Friday, Nov. 4, Pattaya C.C. – Stable ford

CSS 71

1st Shuichi Kodaka (19) 40pts

2nd Mike Hill (20) 40pts

3rd Geoff Tothan (20) 39pts

4th John Carlin (18) 38pts

5th Darryl Kellett (14) 34pts

6th Markku Tynell (20) 34pts

Pattaya Country Club is another course that is improving seemingly every time the group visits following the extensive renovation of the back nine to go with the previous improvements to the front nine.

Once again the scores were good enough to see the CSS for the day reduce to 71 as most of the field enjoyed a good day under slightly overcast skies and perfect weather for golf in Pattaya.

Neil Skilton.
Neil Skilton.

Shuichi Kodaka took his second win of the week but needed to win a count back over Mike Hill, who had recorded his best score for over eighteen months.  Shuichi scored a better 21 to Mike’s 20 over the inward nine as they both reveled in the course that was allowing plenty of run on the fairways and also offering good control on the greens even though some of them suffered from a little too much sanding following recent dressing by the greens staff.

Geoff Tothan claimed third place, also with a good score at three under handicap, and one ahead of John Carlin in fourth place.

Darryl Kellett almost returned to form when winning a count back for 5th over Markku Tynell, reversing the front nine with a 20 to 14 return and actually hitting a few greens in regulation on the way.

Once again there were no 2s in the first division but Paul Hutley score another one to take the second division, without having to share it on this occasion.