PGS Press Archive 2002

On Friday, 4th January, forty-two Bunker Boys travelled the long road to Century Chonburi for their first taste of competition golf this year. This, coupled with the absence of the Transport Manager, John Preddy, made the task of moving the throng "oop north" almost insoluble until some baht buses were commandeered. The course was overwhelmed with players and there was great difficulty in securing enough caddies for the day and so the usual assortment of gardeners and drivers were press-ganged into service. The course played very tough with difficult pin positions and rock hard surfaces off the fairways but in division one Bill Hewitt came to the fore with his creditable 37 points, holding off the challenges of Keith Saunders. 34, and Michael Dige, 33. In division two young Tyrone Renggli powered his way to the front with 32 points, narrowly ahead of Sunny Ruthsip, 31, and the leprechaun Joe McKerr on 30 points. Once again Frank Neilsen shared the Bunker Super Sawng award, this time with Keith Saunders, both recording two's on their cards. The Bunker Banana Booby went to the jovial Mental Micky for his total of 15 points which included a splendid back nine total of 9 points! Altogether it was a difficult day in terms of logistics but a thoroughly enjoyable one nevertheless.

The Transport Manager Drives to the Front

After two weeks of inactivity on the golf course the Bunker's Transport Manager, John Preddy, returned to glory at Khao Kheow on Tuesday, 8th January. He began the day by successfully moving a huge field of forty-plus golfers to their favourite course, on a day when low scores were to be at a premium as a result of high winds, racing greens and tricky pin positions. The popular hero proceeded to surge to the front in division two with his low, searing drives and accurate putting. He carded a remarkable net 76, easily heading his nearest rivals Chris John and Fireman Danny Greer on net 79. In division one Colin Wilkes triumphed with net 80, with the inveterate trio of Dave Mather, Brian Bradley and Bill Hewitt following in his wake on net 82. The Transport Manager had not finished yet! He also had the only two of the day on his card but he was denied the Super Sawng Award because he chose not to enter the race for that prize. As a consolation he also won the "draw" and returned home substantially richer than when he left at breakfast time. In the running for the Bunker Banana Booby were Jon Wood for his 17 shots on the second hole - one which he claimed he played well! - and Neil Griffin for his 128 gross, but it was awarded to Dale Shier, playing of a handicap of seven, who declared at one point that "a man can only take so much, and I have now reached that stage!" Such is the challenge of Khao Kheow.

Yuzo Conquers Bangpra

On Tuesday, 15th January, the Bunker Boys travelled to beautiful Bangpra for their weekly medal competition. At the moment the course is a blaze of colour and it is a privilege to tread the lush fairways and lightning fast greens. It was an ominous sign for the Bunker Boys when they saw the golfing samurai, Yuzo Nishikawa, arrive at the Bunker on his bicycle, armed with nothing more than his driver, but this was a smokescreen designed to confuse everyone, including the returning Guru, Mick Jones. Yuzo proceeded to pedal his way to the top of the leaderboard, easily winning the division one race with net 69. In second place was Roy Mitchell on net 70 and one shot back in third came Michael Dige, playing of a handicap of six and who incredibly had sixteen birdie putts in his round! The division two winner was Wee Jon Wood with net 72, followed by Kevin Wilson and Chris John on 76. Nobody qualified for the Bunker Super Sawng award as the greens proved to be very difficult to master and therefore no two's were recorded. The Bunker Banana Booby went to "Skinny" Blair Newton for his gross 124. He also posed the question of the week:” Where do the Japanese come from?" Answers, please, on a postcard etc...

Mather and Meigh Fire Forty at Phoenix

On Friday, 18th January, another large group of Bunker Boys chased the weekly stableford prize at Phoenix Golf Club. The day was hot and the course was in good condition even if the greens were slower than those played at Bangpra and Eastern Star on the two previous days. The field was cut at 22 and under and in division one the scores were high. George Meigh and Dave Mather shared the honours with scores of 40, closely followed by Per Ascham on 38. The star of division two was Clive Harris who secured only his second victory in more than a year with the Bunker Boys and his level par 36, shared with Colin Morgan, was enough to see off the rest of the group. In third place was Jon Wood who shot 35 points. George Meigh and Colin Morgan shared the Bunker Super Sawng award with the first two's of the week and the Bunker was engulfed in mirth when the Banana Booby was presented to the Golfing Guru, Mick Jones, for his valiant efforts to break into his own locker at the clubhouse!

The previous day saw the inaugural monthly Bunker-Cheers/Sugar Shack Challenge at Eastern Star and the scores were absolutely tied at six points each at the end of the day. When individual net scores were tallied there were only three shots separating the teams after almost 1370 shots in all. Cheers took the trophy and have the honour of gloating for this month, but as winning captain Stan "The Man" Axon said afterwards, "I find it very difficult to boast of anything other than sharing a great day with fifteen good friends!" This is indeed what the Bunker Boys are all about.

Hard Work at Eastern Star!

Ten years ago there was an insignificant coconut plantation near the beach at Phala, Ban Chang, but that was before Robert Trent Jones Jr. set about transforming it into one of the most attractive and challenging golf courses on the Eastern Seaboard. The remnants of the plantation can be seen on every fairway at Eastern Star, flanked by man-made lakes, and this was the challenge facing the Bunker Boys on Tuesday, 22nd January, when they set about chasing the Bunker’s weekly medal competition. The large field was cut at 19 and under and in division one Michael Dige took the honours with a very neat 74, just nosing out Bill Hewitt and Norman Brooks on 75. In division two the only sub-par round of the day was recorded by Kevin Wilson, soon to return to the UK , and he was well ahead of the chasing group of George Meigh, Clive Harris and Fireman Danny Greer, all on net 76. Clive Harris and Colin Wilkes both recorded two’s on their cards, thus sharing the Bunker Super Sawng award and seven handicapper, Stan Goodwin, was an early favourite for the Bunker Banana Booby with his gross 92! This feat was soon eclipsed however when Per Aschan picked up after four futile putts at the first, not realising he was playing medal. Silly Billy! At the end of the day the true winner was Robert Trent Jones and the beauty of the former coconut plantation.

Michael Shows His Magic

On Friday, 25th January, another large contingent of Bunker Boys travelled to the testing Nick Faldo designed course at Century Ban Chang for their weekly stableford competition. Occasionally this course can be very frustrating with awkward lies on the links-type fairways and raised and undulating greens but it remains a stout challenge. In division one this challenge was met in fine style by Michael Dige who carded a gross level par 72, which included only twenty-six putts. This was a magnificent performance and one guaranteed to reduce his current handicap of 6. Michael’s stableford score of 42 points was more than enough to win the divisional award, with Stan “The Man” Axon holding on to second place with 35 points and Lee Grange third on 33 points. In division two there was welcome return to form for Len Jones. After six weeks of barren rounds and an injured back, Len took the honours with 35 points, two ahead of Jon Wood, with Blair Newton third on 31 points. Incidentally both Stan and Len had treatment this week from the same chiropractor, to obvious good effect. Unsurprisingly no-one recorded a two and the Bunker Banana Booby was awarded to birthday boy George “One Ball” Jackson. He was not part of the tournament but made the mistake of trying to pass Mr. Loy with some very erratic driving on the journey home!

Thrills for the Lills at Treasure Hill

Imagine the pleasure a golf course can give when it is free of the seasonal hordes of Asian golfers! The Bunker found such a course at Treasure Hill on Tuesday, 29th January when another group of thirty-plus Bunker Boys and Girls played their weekly medal competition. Among the field were Ken and Beth Lill and they were to show that their recent absence from the Bunker had only whetted their appetite for a successful return. Ken’s long hitting was the key to his division one victory on a course where length and accuracy are paramount. His net 72 was enough to see off the challenge of runner up Per Aschan on 73 with Michael Dige and Mr. Loy tying for third on 77. The girls were playing off the yellow tees and the division two victor was Beth Lill who scored net 73, pushing Blair Newton into second with 74 and Ed Trayling into third with 77. Both Bill Hewitt and the Guru, Mick Jones, secured birdies to give them a share of the Bunker Super Sawng award. There was a two also for Terry Phur, but sadly, Terry, you have to be in it to win it! Treasure Hills also provides ample opportunities for embarrassment and Sunny Ruthsip’s thirteen on the short par-three sixth, punctuated with fresh air shots, and his twelve on hole sixteen secured for him the Bunker Banana Booby. However, the lasting memory of Treasure Hill is the peace and tranquility that can be found on a secluded golf course, where even a bad day beats a good day at work!

February 2002

Mr. Loy Steals the Show

The beautiful hillside course at Sri Racha was the venue for a multi-national group of Bunker's finest when they travelled there for their weekly stableford competition on Friday, 1st February. The course was very dry and the fairways responded with a lot of "run", making those farang golfers, with experience on links courses in Europe , feel quite at home. In division one the consistent Mr. Loy headed the field with an excellent 39 points narrowly winning on countback from Swedish golfer Per Aschan with the great Dane, Michael Dige third on level par 36 points. In division two Wales' own George Meigh again triumphed at a course he loves, scoring 38 points, with Englishman Colin Morgan second on 37 points and Canadian Gordon McKnight winning on countback from Harald Gruber to finish in third place with 36 points. American Scott Haynes and John Hughes shared the Bunker Super Sawng award for recording two's on their cards. Bill Jones also had a two but was later reminded that "to win it, you have to be in it". The Bunker Banana Booby became a banana split when it was shared by Canadian Indian Frank Barker and the Nordic Kristian Josteinsson for their low score twenty -threes. The venue is referred to as Sri Racha International Golf Club and the Bunker Boys bore witness to that fact on this very enjoyable day.

Experience Wins at Treasure Hill

The picturesque and wickedly challenging course at Treasure Hill Golf Club was the venue for the Bunker Boys and Girls on the day of the Chinese New Year. Forty-two golfers picked up the gauntlet and took on the course, many without caddies, as the club had chosen to give them a holiday for the occasion! The course can be beaten by a thinking golfer with experience on the subtly changing greens and experience was to show when, in division one, Michael Dige produced the round of the day, gross 76, net 70, to net the top spot. He was a full six shots ahead of the runners-up, Bob Morrison and elder statesman Norman Brooks, on 76. In division two another wise man, George Meigh, produced a good round of net 73, just pipping Mam Trayling and Frank Neilsen, both on 75. Four two's were recorded, all on the very short sixth, and the winners were Stan Goodwin, Bob Morrison, Dave Spendley and John King. The Bunker Banana Booby went to Terry Phur for his appalling putting (no caddy of course!) but it could have gone to many others for the same reason. The wisest Bunker Boy was probably the Pathfinder, Chris John, who decided against playing there in the first place, instead enjoying a stress-free day at forgiving Phoenix .

The Likely Lads Win at Pattaya

On Tuesday, 19th February, thirty Bunker Boys made their way to local Pattaya Country Club to play their weekly medal tournament. The course was in good condition and the greens were faster than anyone could remember at this course. Older English readers will remember the antics of the “Likely Lads”, Bob and Terry and it was their namesakes who carried the day. In division one Terry Gill shot a fine net 69 to head off the challenge of Per Aschan, on 70 and Michael Dige who shot a net 72, gross 77. In division two Bob Bennett played the round of his life to register a net 65, a long way ahead of Chris John and David Johnson, both on 74. The Bunker Super Sawng award was shared by Bill Hewitt and Remy Guy who scored a two on the sixteenth and seventh holes respectively. The Bunker Banana Booby went to John Hughes, playing off twelve, who thought the course was a walk in the park, and he claimed he putted and chipped brilliantly all day. His score? Gross 91!

Michael Dige Does it Again

Eastern Star’s beauty was more than matched by its difficulty when the Bunker Boys played their weekly stableford competition there on Friday, 22nd February. The smaller than usual field played in the one division and it was the incredibly consistent Michael Dige who took the honours with a gross 76, netting him 37 points. In joint second place, with 35 points were Roy Mitchell and Bill Jones. Both are playing well at the moment and were not as affected by the strong breeze as the majority of the field. The Bunker Super Sawng award was held back as no-one registered a two on their card and at the end of the day the Bunker Banana Booby was awarded to newcomer Peter Neville for his meagre tally of seven points. Welcome to the Bunker, Peter!

Holiday Frolics at Century Ban Chang

The annual Buddhist "All Saints" festival was celebrated by the Bunker Boys and Girls when forty-three golfers travelled to Century Ban Chang for their weekly medal competition. The course is usually in very good condition but this time the greens were poorly presented, with week-old pin spots and a few days growth on the surface. In addition the fairways were showing fatigue after the long dry spell and these factors all conspired to make the day a tough one for the golfers. In division one John Hughes, Chris Davison, Bob Morrison and Harry Cowling all tied for the top place with two over par 74's, and in division two Mam Trayling won on net 75, with George Meigh second with 77 and Ed Trayling third with 78. Both Michael Dige and Ed Trayling shared the Bunker Super Sawng award for their two's on a course where the par threes are notoriously difficult. Well done, both! The Bunker Banana Booby went to John "Private Preddy" for his valiant twelve at the par three thirteenth.

March 2002

Unfinished Business at Sattahip

There was a time, a year or so ago, when the only disappointing feature of the Navy course at Sattahip was the cramped locker room. The course always was, and still is, in good playing condition. When the Bunker Boys went there for their weekly medal competition on Tuesday, 7th March, they were to be very disappointed. With the closure of the old building the locker room in the new clubhouse is complete and very spacious but the rest of the building was far from ready, with no restaurant facilities, lounge, shop or even water! The other major problem is that the scorecards have not been updated to allow for the course restructuring and consequently it is impossible to play a stableford format or make adjustments after the round in medal play. Having said that the results showed again what a class player Michael Dige is. He shot a gross 75, net 70, to share the division one prize, with ex-train driver Harry Cowling coming in like an express to join him. American Rick Schram came third with net 73. In division two Jean-Pierre Nadeau scored a creditable net 71 to take the top prize, with the Guru, Mick Jones, shooting 73 and the Bunker Banker, Chris John trailing in third on net 74. The Bunker Super Sawng award was shared by Michael Dige, "rabbit" Bryn Jones, and the Transport Manager, playing with a broken rib, John Preddy. Bryn Jones was also in the running for the Bunker Banana Booby, with his gross 138, but at the end of the day it was awarded to Michael Dige for dropping three shots to the course par. Tut, tut, Michael, start practicing! The Bunker welcomes golfers of all levels but we respectfully advise that in the case of a player holding two or more handicaps, the lowest handicap is the only one accepted. This is the world-wide standard and the one we wish to adhere to. "Standards" is what golf is all about, after all.

Mr. Loy Finds the Secret at Eastern Star

On Friday, 8th March the Bunker Boys roadshow visited picturesque Eastern Star Golf Resort for their weekly stableford competition. The day was heavy and overcast but the beautifully presented course did not disappoint. The large field was cut at 18 and under and in division one "Mr. Loy", Roy Mitchell proved at last he can master a course which has always been unkind to his sliced shots. He was to share the top spot with Khun John Hanley, both recording 39 points, with Per Aschan shooting 38 off his eight handicap in third place. In division two Lamud Hanley made it a family double by taking the day with 35 points, pipping Bill Jones, 34, and David Johnson and Colin Morgan with their 32's. Mikeal Andersson, Keith Hector and Mr. Loy all recorded two's on their cards to give them a share of the Bunker Super Sawng award and it was to the great delight of the assembled throng in Soi Chaiyapool that the Bunker Banana Booby was awarded to the Pathfinder, Chris John, for his dismal 20 point haul. It has long been Chris' proud boast that he has never been fingered for this honour, but, alas Chris, all things come to he who waits! Mr. Loy was later to reveal the secret of his success at Eastern Star - it was playing with the inspirational Guru, Mick Jones.

Mr. Loy Hangs on at Khao Kheow

On Tuesday, 12th March, another large group of the Bunker Boys and Girls made the trip to magnificent Khao Kheow for their weekly medal competition. The course was true to form and beautifully presented and scoring well is always difficult there off the yellow tees. In division one "Mr. Loy", Roy Mitchell, played a superb front nine only to be forced on to the back foot later in order to preserve a slender one shot lead. He held this until the end and won with net 73, from John Hughes on net 74 and Keith Hector on net 75. Division two saw the usual stack of blunders at the short par three "island" hole but Duncan Lee played some clinical golf to win with net 70, just edging out lady golfer, Lamun Hanley, with net 71 and Alan Alexander with net 73. There was a plethora of birdies with six people sharing the Bunker Super Sawng award. The winners were Bill Macey, Wilf Latham, John King, Mikael Andersson, Keith Hector and, uncannily, Mr. Loy again. But, how are the mighty fallen! Five-handicapper and self-styled "Superman", Michael Dige, managed to shoot seventeen on the difficult eighth hole on the "A" Course and finished with the "rabbits" on gross 99! It was even cruelly suggested he might have been trying to manipulate his handicap. His efforts won him the Bunker Banana Booby for the second Tuesday in succession.

Visitors Victors at Treasure Hills

The demanding course at Treasure Hills was the venue for the largest group of Bunker Boys and Girls this year, when forty-three aspiring players, swelled by many first time visitors, descended on the peaceful club on Tuesday, 19th March. Medal play was the format and the field was cut at 17 and under. In division one the Bunker "rookies" were successful as Ian Priestly took victory with net 73, three shots ahead of Brian Maddox and Brian Beaupre, both shooting net 76. In division two regular Bunker Boy Bill Jones played his best ever round at the course to register net 77, three shots ahead of his nearest rivals, Alan Alexander, Bob Flynn and Chris John. For the first time ever there were enough ladies to have their own competition and this was won by tourist Natsuda Heitmann on net 77. The Bunker Super Sawng award was shared by Bill Jones and Michael Dige, who both recorded very good two's on their cards. The IPGC "Rabbits" Champion, 2001, David Johnson, has been taking lessons to improve his short game and this has obviously been money well spent. His embarrassing gross 120 easily earned him the Bunker Banana Booby and he left the Bunker jealously guarding his prize! On Tuesday, 2nd April the Bunker Boys are playing at the seldom visited but nevertheless enchanting course at Bang Plakong, between Chonburi and Bangkok , and all players are advised the party will leave the Bunker at nine o' clock that day, and not at ten as usual.

Happy Returns to Noble Place

On Friday, 22nd March, the Bunker Boys returned to Noble Place after an absence of more than two years, and how the course has improved! A comfortable new clubhouse and well-kept greens are among the nice surprises and it will certainly feature as a venue again in the near future. In division one visitor Ian Priestley concluded a good week at the Bunker by winning with 38 stableford points, edging out Norman Brooks on 36 and Harry Cowling on 33. Good scores were evident as well in division two with Mikael Andersson shooting the round of the day, with forty points, one ahead of Ralf Heitmann, on 39, and the third placed pair of Kerry Jonsson and Peter MacKay, both scoring level par 36 points. In the ladies competition Natsuda Heitmann again ran out winner with 37 points. Both Ian Priestley and Harry Cowling recorded two's on their cards thereby sharing the Bunker Super Sawng award and the famed Bunker Banana Booby went to John Hughes for claiming he was "the victim of his own success" when he hit the ball too far! Whatever will they say at his club in North Oxfordshire !

John Hughes and Alan Alexander win at Noble Place

On Tuesday, 26th March, the rejuvenated course at Noble Place was the perfect host for the Bunker Boys second visit there in the space of five days. The course is a typical example of Peter Thompson's design with a large number of pot bunkers subtly positioned to catch the wayward or extravagant drive and accuracy is at a premium. The large field was divided into two divisions with the cut at 18 and under. The inclusion of the tricky "C" course made scoring a little more difficult but in division one John Hughes showed his consistency in shooting a fine net 71, just edging out Colin Wilkes, on 72 and David Wilkinson and Keith Smithson on 75. In division two the canny Scot, Alan Alexander, fired the top score with his net 71, pipping the returning Dutch Dandy, Sander "Sunny" Ruthsip on level par 72. Third place was shared by Australian Colin Mathers and Bunker regular Bill Jones, both with 74. The Bunker Super Sawng award went to Keith Smithson for his two at the sixth hole on the "C" course. Thirty-six handicapper Bryn Jones, practices for four hours every day and has invested wisely in a one-iron. He was even spotted trying out a 7.5 degree driver! When his score reached 130 shots he sensibly tore up his card and proved to be a suitable recipient of the Bunker Banana Booby award.

A Good Friday for Wilf Latham and David Smith

The start of the Easter weekend saw the Bunker Boys travel to the always welcoming Century, Ban Chang course for their weekly stableford thrash. The day was overwhelmingly hot and it proved to be a Good Friday for the joint division one leaders, Wilf Latham and David Smith. They carded excellent scores of 39 points each, way ahead of third placed Hannu Kemila on 34. It was to be a day for Wilf to remember as he makes the weary flight home to England in a few days time. In division two the returning Derby player, Neil Griffin, posed a threat to his division with his 37 points and posted notice that he intends to make the others struggle for the honours over the next three months! Gordon McKnight and Duncan Lee were tied for runners-up with 35 points each. The Bunker Super Sawng award was shared by Neil Griffin, John McKeown and Wilf Latham and another two was recorded by Gordon McKnight but his fellow players all chorused "You have to be in it to win it!" when he received the consolation of the Bunker Banana Booby for his valiant effort. All in all it was another pleasant day at the often underestimated course at Ban Chang.

April 2002

Lifetime Best for Bill Jones at Bang Pakong

If one is prepared to set out earlier and travel just a bit further than usual in the search for a golfing paradise then the magnificently prepared Riverside Country Club at Bang Pakong, on the outskirts of Bangkok, is the answer. The Bunker Boys did just that on Tuesday, 2nd April, for their weekly medal competition. Everything about the course appeals, from the excellent caddies to the lushly manicured fairways and the result was some spectacular golf. Bill Jones, who has very generously sponsored the Bunker Boys' Summer Merit Table, shot straight to the top with a splendid lifetime best gross, winning with a net 65, a long way ahead of nearest rival Wilf Latham on 70 and Roy Mitchell, third, with 71. Scores in division two were even more impressive with Bangkok restaurateur, Nozaki Zaki shooting a tasty net 63! In second place was Brian Ellis with 69 and trailing in third place was Gordon McKnight on net 75. In addition the Bunker Super Sawng award was shared by Wilf Latham and Keith Hector, both of whom recorded excellent two's on their cards. After an absence of two years the returning Alan "Smiler" Rides won the Bunker Banana Booby for his gallant nine-off-the-tee, insisting all the while he would have parred the particular hole. Indeed, there were no losers on a day when everything was memorable at Bang Pakong.

Jonsson & Jones are Eastern Stars

A very dry and slightly fatigued Eastern Star was the host to the Bunker Boys on Friday, 5th April, for their weekly stableford tourney. The course is usually well prepared but on this occasion many of the greens were heavily sanded and unshaved and putting was something of a lottery. Winners of the lottery were two "forgotten" players at the Bunker, both without a win for many months. In division one the Icelandic Samurai, Kerry Jonsson, surged to the top with the day's best score of 38 points, just heading off the challenge of Bert "Remy" Guy, who is now able to concentrate on his golf again since his soulmate Wilf Latham has returned to England. Third was Bill Hewitt, shooting 36 points. In division two out-of-form web wizard Len Jones discovered how to win again and drove to victory with 36 points, two ahead of nearest challenger Alan Alexander. In third place was Kristjan Jorsteinsson with 33 points. The difficult greens prevented any player from recording a two but the Bunker Banana Booby was hotly contested by Alan Alexander, and his wayward drives, and "Smiler" Andy Rides with his dismal score of 17 points. Well done, Smiler, two wins in a row!

Old Hands Take Control at Sattahip

On Tuesday, 9th April, the Bunker Boys made the relatively short trip to the newly revamped Royal Thai Navy course at Sattahip for their weekly medal competition. Since their last visit a month ago the new clubhouse has been completed and the golfers were to enjoy the challenge of the tough North and West nines. In division one low handicappers Michael Dige and Per Aschan shared the podium with their excellent net 73's. This was the scene, after all, of Michael's splendid PSC Championship victory the week before! Sharing third place were Roy Mitchell and John Hughes, with net 74. In division two a couple of the original Bunker Boys showed their experience of the tough course by shooting level par. The canny Norman Brooks and George Meigh have been out of the frame for the last few weeks but they can never be overlooked in strokeplay. In third place was Neil Griffin with net 76. Ed Trayling chipped in for a two on the West 8th hole to secure for himself the Bunker Super Sawng award and celebrated by ringing the bell back at the Bunker. Cheers Ed! The leader of the last group on the course, Per Aschan, accepted responsibility for the group's tardy finish nearly two hours after the rest, claiming the conditions were too hot and tiring. He also had the good grace to share his Bunker Banana Booby award with the rest of his exhausted team!

First Win for Bryn Jones

The small and friendly Century Ban Chang club welcomed the Bunker Boys for their weekly stableford tournament on Friday, 12th April, with the overcast skies being a portent of the wet week ahead. A smaller than usual turnout at the Faldo designed course indicated that many of the regulars were taking a timeout from Pattaya and its annual obsession with Songkhran, aiming to stay as dry as possible elsewhere! There was no divisional split on this occasion and the Bunker's newest rookie, Bryn Jones, showed what four hours a day on the practice range can do, when he propelled himself to the top of the list with 38 points. In second place was canny Scot Alan Alexander shooting level par 36 and close behind was the Sandman, Gordon McKnight, firing 34 points. The Bunker Super Sawng award was shared by Bill Hewitt and John Hughes for their birdie two's whilst nine handicapper Mark Adair was also reminded that "you have to be in it to win it!" He was consoled with the Bunker Banana Booby! The day was also notable for some dismal performances, notably by Mr. Loy on his favourite course, but maybe three rounds in four days is a little too much for the genial host of the Bunker.

Dige Dominates at Chonburi

On Tuesday, 16th April, the excesses of Songkhran forced the Bunker Boys out of Pattaya for their weekly medal competition and the always welcoming Century course at Chonburi proved to be the perfect host. On this occasion the course was very dry and hard and the untrimmed greens showed signs of wear after the heavy weekend of competitions. Undaunted, the PSC Champion, Michael Dige, set about his task and produced a flawless net 69 off his six handicap. The strength of his game is his forceful iron play and his impeccable putting In second place came the ever improving Alan Alexander with net 70 and, once again in the frame, Roy MItchell with net 73. Other fine performances came from Fireman Danny Greer, Bill Hewitt and Neil Griffin. The fluffy greens prevented anyone from scoring a two but the two former IPGC "Rabbit" Champions in the field, Len Jones and David Johnson, suffered the most and were duly awarded the Bunker Banana Booby prize for their worst gross figures of the day. Oh dear, how are the mighty fallen!

Songkhran Success for Michael Dige

On the eve of Songkhran the Bunker Boys sought relief at the always testing course at Treasure Hill. The course was very dry and there was a lot of run on the fairways, as is common at this time of year. For the second round in succession the Danish dynamo Michael Dige showed how good his game really is when he triumphed with a score of 37 stableford points. After a long time in the wilderness the Bunker's Transport Manager, John Preddy, managed to tie for second place, shooting a very respectable score of 34 points. He left the course wondering what might have been because his final three holes saw a tally of 7, 8, and 10 for a total of 1 point! Nevertheless, the Bunker's favourite son rounded off the week in fine style. He later put his success down to his regular playing partner, Len Jones, taking a timeout in Chantaburi! In joint second place, with 34 points, was Alan Alexander who also had a very fruitful week on the course. There were surprisingly no two's recorded. John Hughes boasted on the fifth tee that "Too much has been said about this course being a monster!" and proceeded to amass only one point on the next three holes. Head down, dejected and despondent he then headed for Don Muang airport bearing the Bunker Banana Booby and a wealth of golfing memories for his colleagues at his North Oxfordshire club, a man beaten by the course at Treasure Hill.

Michael Delivers a hat-trick at Khao Kheow

Tuesday, 23rd April, proved to be the hottest day of the year so far when the Bunker Boys took on the challenge of Khao Kheow's A and B courses in their weekly medal competition. The abnormally uncomfortable conditions were the prelude to a savage thunderstorm which caught every group, except one, towards the end of their tiring rounds. As the thunder crashed around the course Pattaya's most consistent competitor, Danish lorry driver Michael Dige, blew into the lead in division one to deliver the goods with a net 71. It was his third consecutive victory at the Bunker and his gross score of 76 even included a six at the last. Almost unnoticed, however, as the clouds gathered John McKeow had caught Michael and registered a similar net 71 score to share the victory. In third place was Frank Sinclair who shot a solid net 73. In division two French visitor Jean-Claude L'Hoste went straight to the top in his first Bunker visit and registered a score of net 73, two ahead of an improving David Johnson, on 75 and the consistent Neil Griffin with 77. Neil and Michael were in the same group and both recorded two's, as did playing mate, Keith Saunders, and the Bunker Super Sawng award was shared. An extremely uncomfortable Transport Manager, John Preddy, had abandoned his round after five holes and was belatedly awarded the Bunker Banana Booby for his exhausted efforts, but all competitors shared his feelings after a very tiring day at Khao Kheow.

Alexander the Great Conquers Siam!

A small group of Bunker Boys went to local Siam Country Club on Friday, 26th April to play an "unofficial" stableford competition, as it conflicted with one of Pattaya's major events, the Shenanagan's Funhill Cup. The heavily laden skies were later to bear witness to one of the Bunker's rounds of the year. Once in a while a golfer produces an earth shattering round that will live in his memory for many years. This is what makes golf so fascinating to the amateur. Friday saw such a round by canny Scot Alan Alexander. Alan has only been playing golf for six months but, like most Scots, the national pastime is in his blood. He roared to a first nine gross of 39, seven under par, and then proceeded to coast the rest of the way, firing monstrous drives and accurate pin shots. Putting on Siam's notoriously slow greens posed no problem as Alan recorded a score of 47 points, equal to a net 61! No-one came near him and when Mr. Loy entered the clubhouse with his score of 39 points he was more than a little confident of victory, unaware of the drama that had unfolded elsewhere. In joint runner-up place was the ever improving Bryn Jones who shot a fine 39 points also. Imagine the comments back at the Bunker afterwards as a sweep was taken on the new handicap! To add to the splendour of the day Alan also recorded a two, as did Bryn, and they shared the Bunker Super Sawng award. No Bunker Banana Booby was awarded but many claimed Alan should have had that as well having initially handed in an incorrect card. It must have been the excitement of the moment! Well done Mr. Alexander, and welcome to division one.

Griffin and Dige Weather the Storm

Green Valley, at the end of April, can be a very pleasant experience. Gone are the hordes of visiting holidaymakers and the course is generally at its finest and most colourful. So it was on 29th April when the course played host to the Bunker Boys for their weekly medal tourney but the round was to be punctuated by a fierce storm which sent the golfers scurrying for cover. There was a large enough field to allow two divisions and in division two the competition was particularly tight with Duncan Lee and Neil Griffin tying at the top with net 74. Neil has shown good form since his return from work and his fellow competitors are waiting for him to leave for Japan in June so they can get a chance at the goodies! Fireman Danny Greer came third with his net 76. In division one, inevitably, the Danish dynamo, Michael Dige, headed the field with another fine round of 74. Four shots behind came Bill Hewitt, firing a very respectable 78, and third place saw the returning samurai, Yuzo Nishikawa, fire a net 79. Norman Brooks mastered the difficult twelfth green to register a two and received the Bunker Super Sawng award for his effort whilst "Sunny" Sander Ruthsip's attempt to play his third shot from behind the eighth tee more than merited the Bunker Banana Booby.

May 2002

Saunders Saunters to Victory at Sattahip

On Tuesday, 7th May, the Navy course at Sattahip proved to be the perfect host once again for the Bunker Boys when they played their weekly medal competition. The large field was split into the usual two divisions, with the cut at nineteen and under. The day was warm and sultry and the unseasonal rain which punctuated the round failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the golfers. In division one steady George Meigh topped the list with his level par 72 on a course where he always seems to do well. In second place came the predictable "Mr. Loy", Roy Mitchell, and Norman Brooks, both firing net 76. The round of the day was played in division two where Keith Saunders shot a net 68, easily keeping the consistent Neil Griffin at bay on 73. In third place came lady golfer Lamun Hanley, who shot net 77. No-one managed to shoot a two and so Bunker Super Sawng award was not awarded. The same could not be said of the Banana Booby and the net 93's of "Sunny" Sander Ruthsip and John Preddy more than merited the fruity consolation.

Ed Leaves Them Trayling in the Rain

On Friday, 10th May, the Bunker Boys braved the unseasonal monsoon weather to play their weekly stableford competition at Phoenix. By noon the heavens had opened and created almost farcical conditions which drove all except the hardy Bunker group off the course. Private Preddy's inspired comments about never giving in to adversity struck the right chord and upon the restart, more than an hour later, the sombre and saturated conditions witnessed some excellent golf from the higher handicappers with the veteran Ed Trayling heading division two with level par 36 points. In second place came a soggy but resurgent Len Jones who fired 35 points. Only one point behind came a dripping Keith Saunders. In division one the lower scores were headed by John King on 33 points, George Meigh on 32 and Roy Mitchell on a meagre 28 points. Obviously the greens did not allow for any two's but the opportunities for the Bunker Banana Booby were many. In the end they were awarded to Mr. Loy for his futile challenge against the ladies, Mam Trayling and Lamun Hanley, in a subplot which saw the ladies successful on all the par threes. In the view of many the storm which struck was the heaviest they had witnessed on the golf course but it made the day very interesting nevertheless.

A Noble Victory for Ken

On Tuesday, 14th May, the Bunker Boys braved the elements yet again and took the long road to the beautifully presented Noble Place Golf Club, near Chonburi. The foreboding skies remained with them all day but the imminent rain somehow kept itself at bay as the players got to grips with Peter Thompson's bunker-strewn fairways and undulating greens. The day was to be successful for Ken Ince, who usually plays out of the Sugar Shack. His sweet drives and honey-smooth putting helped him to his first victory when he shot a net 67 to easily head division two. Joint second, a long way behind, were Bryn Jones, Sunny Ruthsip and Norman Brooks, all firing net 78's. Division one saw a closer contest with Alan Alexander, net 74, just heading off the challenge of Per Aschan on net 75 and Roy Mitchell with net 77. Bill Jones and John King both managed to birdie the short par-three sixth on the A course and thus shared the Bunker Super Sawng award, whilst the hapless Len Jones suffered the indignity of the Bunker Banana Booby when he tore up his card after another of his strokeplay disasters. But for King Ken it was a day to remember at Noble Place, his first Bunker victory.

Ladies' Day at Khao Kheow

Khao Kheow has a magnetic charm for all golfers. Perhaps it is the challenge of the difficult "A" course, the ample inclusion of water, the characteristic signature hole at B 8, or even the splendid clubhouse facilities, but, for whatever reason, it drew another large field of Bunker Boys (and girls!) for their weekly medal tourney on 21st May. A very hot and sticky day saw the ladies excel in their own competition and, overall, the five ladies finished in the top six places, with all of them shooting par or better! Topping the list for the ladies was Toy Ryser, who shot an amazing net 65 off her 27 handicap. Sadly she will not have that advantage again! In second place came Lamun Hanley with net 69 and in third place came the ever improving Lamud Chaidara with net 70. In the men's competition Stefan Ryser emulated the success of his wife with an excellent net 67, five shots ahead of the veteran Ed Trayling with the returning Charlie Chen chasing on net 73. Charlie shared the Bunker Super Sawng award with Mam Trayling and Dale Shier, recording two's on their cards also. The Transport Manager, John Preddy, was so burdened with the whole organisation of the day, his net 103 was absolutely excusable and so the Bunker Banana Booby went to rookie American visitor "John" Wayne for his net 96. However, the day will long be remembered for the performance of the ladies and Khao Kheow will continue to draw passionate golfers to its venue.

Toy Tops at Ban Chang

The politically correct Bunker Boys will have to think of a new title as more and more ladies are joining them for their weekly golf! The very welcome participation of Thai ladies has added a new dimension to the Bunker's tournaments and may well inspire the "Boys" to better things. At an uncharacteristically unkempt Century, Ban Chang, on Friday, 24th May, seven ladies formed their own division in the stableford competition and showed the gentlemen the way home with some excellent scores. Topping the field was Toy Ryser who shot her second big sub par round of the week, this time winning with a score of 40 points. Chasing her hard was Lamun Hanley who fired a very creditable 39 points. In the sub plot which was the men's division Alan Alexander headed the field with his 38 points, well ahead of Bunker rookie Martin Davis, who shot 34, and Roy Mitchell on 32 points. Surprisingly, on a day when so much good golf was evident, there were no two's and the Bunker Super Sawng prize was not awarded. But pity poor Dale Shier! Dale plays off an English handicap of 8 and struggles to match his ranking every time he walks onto a golf course. Nevertheless he always plays his golf with a smile. He was to leave for England after the competition clutching the dreaded Bunker Banana Booby award, presented for his meagre 20 points. And he will be back, as will the ladies!

Big Ian Plunders Huge Win

The Bunker Boys are becoming depleted as a result of overseas visits, visa runs, and injuries but it did not stop thirteen hardy souls from tackling one of the toughest courses in the area on Tuesday, 28th May. Treasure Hill Golf Club has a reputation for being a "man-eater" and proved to be as tough as its tradition. In the one division of medal play only Big Ian Phillips managed to stick in the throat of the beast whilst all others were being consumed. Ian returned an admirable score of net 71, easily enough to beat Roy Mitchell and Charlie Chen, his nearest rivals, with net 81. Elsewhere players were recording double figures on their cards, bemoaning their misfortunes and Alan Alexander huffed and puffed around the course, picking his ball up on the last when he missed a simple par putt, unaware that his score would still have been good enough for second place. The "silly billy" was rewarded with the Bunker Banana Booby for this slip. No player recorded a two on their cards and so the treasured Super Sawng award was kept back. Imagine the relief back at the Bunker when the returning combatants were greeted by a surprise visit from the Guru, Mick Jones. "There is a Buddha!" one was heard to mutter as, one by one, spirits rose after such a tough experience.

Tight at the Top at Siam

On Friday, 31st May, the "duchess" amongst local courses, Siam Country Club, played host to the Bunker Boys and ladies in their weekly stableford competition. More than two dozen golfers competed in three divisions, one of which was exclusively for the ladies. The very dry and dusty course was undergoing some extensive maintenance work and the notoriously slow greens were virtually unplayable as a result of heavy spiking and sanding. Putts bounced en route to the holes, skidded into aeration holes and generally added to the frustrations of the day! In division two Les Winch and Bryn Jones overcame these problems to fire 38 points each and carry the day, whilst in division one Roy Mitchell and John Hanley tied with 35 points each to take the prize. The exclusive ladies' division saw Lamud Chaidara and Lamun Hanley share the honours with 38 points each also. Unsurprisingly, for the third competition in succession, no two was recorded and all eyes will be on Pattaya Country Club in the next tournament to see if the Bunker Super Sawng award can be won. The course itself was a contender for the Bunker Banana Booby but after discounting John Hanley for his very late return to the Bunker with eight scorecards it was awarded to Prasan Boonsiri, of Khun John's restaurant, for his last place score of 24 points. It is hoped that the "duchess" will recover soon and be restored to her former glory.

June 2002

Veteran Ed in Inspiring Form at Pattaya

On Tuesday, 4th June, the Bunker Boys and Ladies made a long overdue return to Pattaya Country Club to play their weekly medal competition. The day was fine and hot, the fairways dry and dusty and the greens showed a lot of pace. The field was large enough to accommodate three divisions with the ladies' division being dominated by Mam Trayling with net 70, one ahead of nearest challenger Usa Chaiyaosit. In the men's division one Alan Alexander showed his continuing improvement with a net 69, one shot ahead of John King and a further five shots ahead of Roy Mitchell. The round of the day was seen in division two where veteran septuagenarian Ed Trayling threw off the shackles of anno domini to fire a scintillating net 63! This was far too much for runner up Len Jones, returning from injury with a creditable net 70 and Kevin Wilson on 71. The shot of the day must have been the 30-foot downhill birdie putt which Bill Jones sank on the par-three twelfth to give him a share of the Bunker Super Sawng award, with Alan Alexander, Lamun Hanley and Kevin Wilson also recording two's on their cards. High handicapper Bryn Jones takes his golf very seriously and he makes every effort to seek professional help to hone his game. This he did after a disastrous round at Green Valley the previous day and it helped his driving and iron play so much that he managed to fire a gross 112. Five hundred baht is a lot to pay for a bunch of bananas!

Lamun Leads the Boys at Century

The friendly yet testing course at Century Ban Chang has long been one of the Bunker Boys' favourite venues and so it was again on Friday, 7th June, when twenty-six golfers challenged in three divisions for the weekly stableford prize. Once again the ladies' division threw up the leading score of the day when Lamun Hanley carded an excellent 39 points to head Lamud Chaidara by two points. In division one the ever consistent Mr. Loy sliced and putted his way to a level par 36, four points ahead of Prasan Boonsiri on 32, with Neil Hughes in third place, shooting 30 points. In division two golf lessons are working for Bryn Jones who shot 37 points to win the division, with Len Jones second on 35 and Kevin Wilson just behind with 34. PJ Redmond and Lamun Hanley showed their accuracy on the par-threes and shared the Bunker Super Sawng award and on his return from New Jersey Paul Quodomine managed to pick up the prize he always wanted, the Bunker Banana Booby, for his low score of nineteen points. The day ended at the Bunker with the euphoria of an England World Cup victory over Argentina but in golf the Thai ladies had also made their point!

Fireman One, Firebird Nil!

On Tuesday, 11th June, the Bunker Boys made the short trip to Phoenix Country Club for their weekly strokeplay competition. Only one division competed on the Mountain and Ocean nines and it was a couple of returning Bunker Boys who were to steal the show. The round of the day was scored by "Fireman" Danny Greer, a member at Phoenix, and he produced a round of the highest quality when he shot net 65. At the weekend he will surely come rocketing down the fireman's pole in the handicap lists! Chasing him very hard was returning Scot Jon Wood who ironed out the kinks in his game to score net 66. In third place was the ever consistent Roy Mitchell who had an amazing thirteen birdie opportunities in his round of net 68 on a course which he claims to hate! Surprisingly he did not register a two, and neither did anyone else, thus keeping the Bunker Super Sawng under wraps for a day or two longer. Bryn Jones was an early candidate for the Bunker Banana Booby when he played the wrong ball on the Mountain second, thus incurring a two shot penalty but it was eventually awarded to Keith Saunders for his highest net score of 89, which included at least six balls in the water on the last three Mountain nine holes. But at the end of the day the honours went to the Fireman who had thoroughly extinguished the Firebird in Ban Amphoe.

Firemen at the Double

The deliciously challenging course at Khao Kheow played a very welcome host to a depleted field of Bunker Boys on Friday, 14th June, some others obviously relishing their favourite teams performance in the World Cup! The course was in fine form but everyone was taken aback by the pace of the greens. Nobody could remember seeing faster greens in Thailand and even those at Bangpra would have been slow by comparison. The format was stableford and the day was to be remarkable for the coincidence of the winners. Fireman Danny Greer won the second division with his score of 32 points to complete a winning double for the week and in division one ex-NYFD officer, John Biangazzo topped the list with his 34 points. He obviously liked the pace of the greens and his clinical putt on the C3 hole also assured him of the Bunker Super Sawng award. But, how have the mighty fallen! Jon Wood, a hero with net 66 two days previously, struggled to score 19 points and was rewarded with the Bunker Banana Booby for his dismal efforts. For the few who took part in the event it was another fine day on one of the Bunker Boys favourite courses.

Mathers the Master at Noble Place

On Tuesday, 18th June, the Bunker Boys undertook the long journey to Noble Place for their weekly medal event. The journey is always worth it however as the course is relatively quiet, in particularly fine condition and it ranks as competitive as any other in the province. There were the usual two divisions and in division one Alan Alexander again topped the list with his net 71, closely chased by the returning John Hughes (73) and John King (75). The day's star performer was Aussie Colin Mathers who shot the best round of the day to take the division two honours with his net 68, a long way ahead of Bryn Jones (75) and Kevin Wilson (76). Alan Alexander was one of a group of seven golfers, led by Terry Phur, who just could not find the course, missing the 100 feet high entrance sign, and they eventually teed off an hour and a half after the rest! The smell of bananas pervaded their nostrils all day but in the end the Bunker Banana Booby went to a dejected "Skinny" Blair Newton for his back-to-back thirteens on B7 and B8. Full marks again to the Master, Colin Mathers, for his fine round at a pleasant Noble Place golf course. But, be warned, do not book your golf tour with Terry's Travel and Tour Company!

Fabulous Forties at Phoenix

The Bunker Boys brought forward their weekly stableford fixture to avoid clashing with the minor distraction of an England-Brazil World Cup fixture and travelled to play at Phoenix Golf Club on Thursday, 20th June. In the ladies competition the long hitting Usa "Noi" Chaiyosit took advantage of the forward tees to score a commendable 41 points, and was one of three golfers to hit the magic figure that day. In division one John King caressed the ball through the Mountain and Ocean nines to take his first Bunker victory with an excellent 39 points, sharing the honours with Alan Alexander. The highest scores of the day came in division two where Bryn Jones fired 43 points off his soon-to-be-forgotten handicap of 33, just holding off American Paul Quodomine whose 42 points included 28 on the Ocean nine! The only two of the day was registered by lady golfer Lamun Hanley and she was duly awarded the Bunker Super Sawng prize. "Skinny" Blair Newton managed to shoot 26 points and this was easily enough to merit the Bunker Banana Booby for the second time in succession. Make it three Skinny and we'll buy you a plantation!

Double Scotch at Treasure Hill

The tranquil and eternally testing course at Treasure Hill was the venue for the Bunker Boys' weekly strokeplay competition on Tuesday, 25th June. It has always been a course for the Bravehearts of the golfing fraternity and this time it held all the aces, as no-one managed to break par on a day when the course proved extra long off the white tees, pushed back to their furthest extent. In division one the ever consistent ex-Royal Marine, Alan Alexander, pocketed a Tam-o-Shanter of victories with his third in as many outings. He hails from the country that gave us this wonderful game and his canny net 74 was more than enough to Rob Roy and the other competitors of victory. Following in his wake, with net 77, was North Oxford's favourite son, John Hughes, who yet again failed to tame the course that has become his "bete noir". In division two another bundle of Caledonian joviality, Jon Wood, headed the field with his net 75, showing a clean pair of heels to Colin Mathers (77) and Kevin Wilson (79). Ashley Archibald managed to secure the only two of the day and was presented with the Bunker Super Sawng award for his effort on the par-three sixth hole. For the second time in as many weeks Paul Quodomine picked up the Bunker Banana Booby for his twenty-five shots on the seventh hole! This now stands as a Bunker record but he was not to be outdone by Blair Newton (18), and Big "Two Ronnies" Millward (15) on hole number one. Treasure Hill won again but, as always, at the Bunker, the game is about "fun". The day's victor, Alan Alexander, may have walked away from the Bunker with a bulging sporran, but he is the epitome of a Scottish gentleman - he knows how to play the bagpipes, but doesn't!

Andersson's Fairy Tale at Sattahip

The Royal Thai Navy course at Sattahip is one which golfers either love or hate, depending on their previous experience of the choice of fairway grasses. Some twenty-eight Bunker Boys ignored the potential for frustration and went there for the Bunker's weekly stableford competition on Friday, 28th June. The choice of courses were the North and difficult West nines and at the end of the day only one golfer managed to fire a sub par round. As the story of the day unfolded it became clear that the happy ending would belong to Sweden's Mikael Andersson who put his World Cup frustration behind him and easily topped division two with his score of 41 points. In second place was Friday's Man, Kevin Wilson, who fired a very steady 35 points, whilst Patrick Bonnevier took third spot on countback with a score of 32. The tale of division one was a tighter affair and saw John King's current consistent form reward him with the score of 35 points, one ahead of George Meigh with 34 and last week's hero Alan Alexander, who fired 33. Both winners also took a share of the Bunker Super Sawng award for their accuracy in firing a two, as did Colin Morgan, but pity the wayward long-hitting of Dale Shier, for his reward, as the villain of the piece with a meagre total of twenty-one points, was the legendary Bunker Banana Booby. All in all the course did not disappoint and when the same venue is next chosen the Guru, Mick Jones, has promised to lead the way and show us all how to do it successfully... and we'll all live happily ever after!

July 2002

It's Turned Out Nice Again for Mr. Loy

Once in a while the Bunker Boys are drawn to the immaculate course at Laem Chabang, and such was the case on Tuesday, 2nd July, when Jack Niklaus' masterpiece had the honour of welcoming the lads for their weekly strokeplay event. Having heard the Bunker was on its way all hands were summoned to the course to make sure not one blade of grass was out of place, and at Mr. Loy's request the greens were prepared at 8 on the stimpmeter. All leaves were painstakingly swept from the A and B nines and the bunkers were groomed to perfection. As the allotted start time approached even the birds were silent in deference to the events that were about to unfold. The Ladies' competition was won by Lamun Hanley and her round of net 70 was but one highlight of the day. Division two threw up its heroes and the amiable Swede, Robert Knutsson, showed the progress he has made when he shot net 70 on his first visit to the course. George Meigh (net 72) chased him all the way and only lost out when he went astray on the seventeenth hole. In third place was Len Jones (net 75) who played his best ever fifteen holes to overcome the nightmare of the ten over par he shot on the first two holes. In division one early starter Harry Riley sat in the clubhouse anxiously waiting to see if his net 74 would be beaten and when the final group returned his fears were realised, as first Alan Alexander returned a card of net 72 and then Mr. Loy bashfully signed for his net 67. He later declared it his best ever round in which he hit all fairways, was never in trouble and had more than a dozen birdie opportunities. Other victors on the day were Danny Greer, Harry Riley and Mark Wood who all shared the Bunker Super Sawng award and Dale Shier who merited the Bunker Banana Booby once again for his net 91. But when memories start to blur Mr. Loy's breathtaking round will remain sharply in focus on the day the Bunker Boys graced Laem Chabang with their presence.

Winch Hoists Himself to the Top

The Bunker Boy's second home, Century Ban Chang, played friendly host yet again on Friday, 5th July, when the squad met for their weekly stableford competition. It was the end of a busy week for many of the players, and some of the regulars chose a day off after their round in the Independence Day event the previous day. There were the usual two divisions and in the top flight John King showed that he has finally found some consistency by topping the list with 38 points. In runner-up spot both Andy Spence and Mr. Loy fired 35 points, the latter after taking a voluntary cut of one shot - how kind! In division two Les Winch put his game together for a whole round and shot a lifetime best of 44 points. He has belied his 30 handicap for such a long time and at last the adjustment will be made. Kevin Wilson showed his Friday form again to fire 39 points, closely followed by Bryn Jones on 37. The Bunker Super Sawng award was not awarded but the Bunker Banana Booby certainly was. Lowest scorer Blair "Skinny" Newton and Jon Wood shared the banana split, the latter closing the Bunker's World Cup "forum" with his classic rhetorical question "Who does the Turkish goalie play for?"

Robert Breezes through Banpakong

The Riverside golf course at Banpakong must be one of the finest courses in the region. The immaculate fairways and consistently smooth greens are a joy to play and so it was on Tuesday, 9th July, when the Bunker Boys visited for their weekly strokeplay event. In the opinion of all the participants the day would prove to be one of the most pleasant golfing experiences imaginable. A steady strong breeze blew all day, and the golfers who could control the ball benefited immensely. In division one the Bunker's most consistent golfer at present, Alan Alexander, powered his way to the top with a fine level par round, matching the control of Japanese golfer Yasuo Suzuki to share the top prize. One shot behind was the ever steady George Meigh, on net 73. The best scores of the day were recorded in division two where Sweden's Robert Knutsson belied his handicap with an impressive three-under par net 69, pursued all the way by Kevin Wilson. Kevin should have been five miles high at the time but his lost passport gave him the opportunity to fly around the course in one under par instead. Third place was shared between Mikael Andersson, Gordon McKnight and Bryn Jones, all firing net 77's. John Hughes and Michael Welsh both recorded birdies to earn a share of the Bunker Super Sawng award and Mr. Loy found that his game had deserted him completely, so that even driving beyond the ladies' tees was a challenge and his woeful performance earned him the Bunker Banana Booby for the worst score of the day. The enduring memories of the day will not be the duffed shots, the missed putts or the wind-driven slices and hooks, but the beauty of the course on the riverside at Banpakong.

Friday, 12th July, was a big day for Bunker golfers. They were involved in three events, with the Bunker playing at Siam Country Club, the inaugural Emergency A Go-Go Classic at Green Valley and Shenanigan's Ladies Summer Open at Pattaya Country Club.

Stableford at Siam:

Fifteen Bunker Boys took to Siam's notoriously slow greens for their weekly stableford competition with Harry Riley coming out on top with 37 points, followed by Clive Harris (35), Neil Griffin (34) and Hardy Holst (33). Many thanks to Neil Griffin for the organisation of the day in the absence of Mr. Loy, John Preddy and Len Jones, who were in action elsewhere.

The inaugural Emergency A Go-Go Classic at Green Valley:

This new event was organised by Stan Fry and the lads at Lewiinski's/ Orchid and was held at the magnificent Green Valley complex. Conditions were good, the breeze held up all day and the slower than usual greens caught everyone out. As the event coincided with the Shenanigan's Ladies Summer Event it was limited to male golfers (tut, tut!) and all were given the treat of being welcomed by the lovely "nurses" of the Emergency Ward! The enema of the day was awarded to Michael Welsh for his meagre 12 points whilst Alex Allan, Len Jones and Mr. Loy all played "pass the bedpan" in their attempts to reach thirty points. John Hughes responded well to treatment and came runner up in the A flight with 35 points, despite a threatening relapse on the last two holes. The day's star patient proved to be Sweden's Mikael Andersson who dazzled with his 42 points to become overall Champion, subject to the usual blood and urine tests of course. Mikael will soon have to learn a new skill for one of his prizes was a new putter and, as he is left-handed, he must learn to putt the conventional way in order to use it!

The Shenanigan's Ladies' Summer Open at Pattaya Country Club:

Many of the Bunker Belles took the opportunity of this head-to-head event to compete for the title of Ladies' Champion. One year ago Lamud Chaidara had not even held a golf club in her hands but her progress has been startling since then. Having set a personal best to win at the Independence Day event the previous week she proceeded to fire another gross 77, amassing a huge 42 points, to win the title. In addition she won Long Drive, Longest Putt, and two Near Pin prizes to add to her tally. She must now rate as the finest lady golfer in Pattaya and the Bunker is proud of her achievement. Well done. Lamud!

Swede Taste of Success!

Tuesday, 16th July, saw the Bunker Boys travel the well worn path to the tough Treasure Hill course for a competition where the field was cut at 20 and under, division one playing medal and division two playing stableford. A close competition in division one saw the Scottish golfer Alexander Allan head the field with a fine level par net 72. One shot behind came the "Emergency A Go-Go Classic" winner, Swede Mikael Andersson, making his debut in the big league. In third place, with 78, was Colin Wilkes, hitting form so soon after his return from Europe. In division two the story was much the same with another Swede, Robert Knutsson, sharing the lead with returning David Johnson, both firing an admirable 37 points. In third place was John Rehm with 33 points. There was a three way split of the Bunker Super Sawng award with lady golfer Saranya Chaiyanont and Smart Alex scoring birdies on the short par three sixth, whilst a third share went to Bill Jones for his astounding two on the very long second hole. Bill actually took a driver into the wind to hit the green 220 yards from the tee and sank an eight foot putt to the delight of his playing partners. Icelander Brynjolfur Josteinsson, "Benny" to his friends, took sole charge of the Bunker Banana Booby for his meagre tally of 11 points! Another trip to tackle the beast at Treasure Hill had been successfully negotiated, but this time the Bunker Boys had retrieved some of their prestige after the mauling the course had given them the previous month.

Glory for Griffin and Glavinia

Green Valley at present is the most beautifully presented course in the area and it proved to be the perfect host for the Bunker Boys on Friday, 19th July, when they travelled there for their weekly stableford outing. The large field was cut at nineteen and under and in division one the pride of Scotland, Alexander Allan, jostled with the effervescence of Italy and Australia in the shape of Ciano Glavinia. At the end of the round they were still tied with 36 points, three ahead of a resurgent Bill Jones. Division two saw the best scores of the day with Neil Griffin playing his last round for a few months and shooting a fine 40 points to head Sweden's Robert Knutsson on 39 and Bryn Jones on 34 points. At the other end of the scale Khun John from Iceland managed to perplex his playing partners with his first round of golf and his lone point secured for him the Bunker Banana Booby. The Bunker Super Sawng award was held over as many tried, but no-one managed, to secure the elusive birdie two. Ciano returns to Australia soon with happy memories of his first Bunker victory and Neil goes back to work knowing his return at the end of the year will see him on a lower handicap. "About time too" some were heard to mutter!

Ken and Suzuki Drive to the Front

The Royal Thai Navy course at Plutaluang is one which golfers either love or hate, with its attractive new clubhouse, teasing expanses of water and frustrating combination of fairway grasses. The course management must be congratulated for seamlessly integrating three competitions simultaneously on Tuesday, 23rd July, when, amongst others, it hosted a large field of Bunker Boys for their weekly strokeplay competition. Thirty-plus golfers were placed into two flights with the cut at eighteen and under and the North and West courses provided the challenge. Division one saw a tense struggle from the start and it took six consecutive pars at the end of his round to secure the victory for the ever smiling Japanese golfer, Yasuo Suzuki. His net 71 proved too much for the chasing group headed by Ciano Glavinia on 73, with Bill Jones and Alexander Allan on 74. In division two Ken Ince soon slipped into gear and cruised to the front firing net 73, just heading John Rehm on 74 and Keith Saunders on 75. The Bunker Super Sawng award was shared by Ken Ince, Alan Jones, Duncan Lee and Alexander Allan, their two's being the highlights of their day, whilst lady golfer Saranya Chaiyanont made the mistake of attending the presentation at the Bunker after a succession of high scores. You cannot hide from Mr. Loy and his bananas!

New Fixture Opens with a Song

The Bunker chose Century Ban Chang as the venue for its newest fixture, Thursday golf. The occasion was also a public holiday marking the opening of the Buddhist Lent, making local courses popular with Thai sextets. A large ensemble, including a quartet of ladies, travelled to Mr. Loy's favourite course in high spirits and the ladies competition proved to be particularly tight with Amphiw Rimngam edging it on net 70 from Usa Chaiyosit, 73, with Lamun Hanley and Lamud Chaidara on 74. The gentlemen formed one division and saw visiting Korean golfer Toy Song in tune with his game, firing net 68. Leading the chorus in second place was Alexander Allan with 69, closely followed by John Rehm on 70. Sweden's Mogens Lindeheim and Toy Song also hit the high notes with their birdies winning the Bunker Super Sawng award but out-of-tune Icelander, Brynjolfur "Benny" Josteinsson, failed the audition and picked up the Bunker Banana Booby for his high gross 121. Music lovers may know that Alexander Allan's musical pedigree can be traced back to his uncles, Scotland's Alexander Brothers, who penned the once popular hit "Nobody's Child". It was a successful beginning to the Bunker's new venture and in future formats will include team events and more "fun" golf.

Two Share Honours at Chonburi

A smaller than usual group of Bunker Boys travelled to the homely course at Century Chonburi on Friday, 26th July, for their weekly stableford tourney. Numbers were down because of the attraction of the PSC monthly medal at Laem Chabang but those who took part thoroughly enjoyed the day. Australian (spelt I-t-a-l-i-a-n) Ciano Glavinia enjoyed another good day, sharing the victory with Bunker rookie, Julian Hickery, both scoring 32 points. In third place was Belgium's Bob van Mol, only one point behind. Sadly the strong wind at the start of the round prevented any two's being scored but the highlight of the day was "Benny" Josteinsson's smile when he managed to avoid the Bunker Banana Booby.

The Flying Scotsman Arrives at Phoenix

If ever there was a course designed to be friendly and forgiving to its golfers it must be Phoenix. So it was to be on Tuesday, 30th July, when the Bunker Boys pulled in for their weekly medal competition on the Mountain and Lake nines. There were two divisions, with the cut at eighteen and under and steaming in at the head of the top flight was the Flying Scotsman, Alexander Allan, seemingly not pausing for breath after his victory in the recent PSC tournament at Laem Chabang. His net 65 drew gasps from his competitors, especially Wilf Latham on net 68 and Bob van Mol with net 69, the latter only dropping three shots all day! Similar scores were found in division two where John Rehm and Bryn Jones returned net 68's, just heading Gordon McKnight on 69. Surprisingly no two's were recorded but the same cannot be said of the Bunker Banana Booby. Belgian Bob van Mol carelessly dropped three shots to the course off his handicap of six and left the Bunker, shortly to return to work, with a very fruity reward. One final thought, where else would you find a fourball comprising an Aussie, a Korean, a German and a Swede, not to mention elsewhere in the field a Japanese, a Thai, an Icelander and two from Burnley? At the Bunker, of course.

August 2002

Scramble at Siam C.C.

Winners on Thursday, 1st August, were Alexander Allan, Wilf Latham and Roy Mitchell, scoring 63.9 with Harry Riley, Keith Fortt and Paul Hartley second scoring 65.8 In third place were the team comprising Len Jones, Keith Saunders and Des Pearson, firing 70.7. With Mr. Loy choosing the teams the result was inevitable!

Triumphant Trio at Green Valley

On Friday, 2nd August, a smaller than usual group of Bunker Boys took on the beautifully presented course at Green Valley in their weekly stableford competition. There was only one division and at the end of the day there was a three-way split at the top. PJ Redmond’s wicked Irish smile signalled his first Bunker victory in a long while. His 38 points was matched by George Meigh and Bill Jones, who suffered problems with his driving after five holes and piloted his buggy into a ditch. He was more accurate with his driving afterwards and fired his best round for a long time! PJ also secured the Bunker Super Sawng award with his birdie on the short par-three twelfth. The day was remarkable because the ever charitable Mr. Loy decided to have a banana free day, or was it maybe because his paltry 27 points would have been a serious contender? We shall never know.

George Meigh Leads the Way

Treasure Hill Golf course may only be six years old but it has already established its reputation as one of the most difficult courses in the region to master. It played generous host once again to the Bunker Boys on Tuesday, 6th August, when the large group met there to challenge for the Bunker's weekly strokeplay competition. The field was divided into two groups with the cut being at eighteen and under. In division one the Bunker's most in-form player, Alexander Allan, once again dominated with his net 75, a country mile ahead of Harry Riley, on net 81 and Terry Phur who fired net 82. Division two saw the best scores of the day with steady George Meigh setting the pace with his net 72, which was just good enough to keep the chasing Duncan Lee (73) and Bryn Jones (77) at bay. There were no two's and so the Super Sawng award was kept aside until the next round. As always, at Treasure Hill, there were a number of candidates for the Bunker Banana Booby but never tell Mr. Loy beforehand how you intend to play the course! David Johnson made this mistake and his gross 113 served as a timely reminder to the others to exercise discretion. It pays to be discrete at Treasure Hill.

Thursday Fun Day

Results of the two man better ball team event at Banprakong Riverside Course on Thursday, 8th August, saw Alan Cole and Saranya Chaiyanont withstand the challenges from Mr. Loy and Len Jones and Andy Spence and Brian McNichol to win the very enjoyable competition on this immaculately presented course. Thursday is always "fun day" at the Bunker.

Rookie McNichol Tops at Green Valley

Green Valley is one of the most well presented courses in the area and one which is always very popular with the Bunker Boys. Once again they turned out in force on Friday, 9th August to pit their wits against Robert Trent Jones' tough creation. There were two divisions as usual, with the cut at nineteen and under and in division one the Icelandic Samurai, Kerry Jonsson, played some disciplined golf for sixteen holes to win with 35 stableford points. This was just one ahead of Chia-Lung "Charlie" Chen, with smiling Harry Riley shooting 33 points to take third place. In division two Bunker rookie, Brian McNichol, fired the day's only par round to secure the win with 36 points, a long way ahead of runners-up Len Jones and Bill Cook, somewhat at sea with their 28's. For the second round in succession there were no two's but another award - the Bunker Banana Booby - was certainly presented. Mr. Loy, on the morning after his birthday celebration, chose to stay in bed and he was an early candidate but when Neil Cameron left a three foot putt, for a birdie two, half the distance away there could only be one winner!

Saranya Enjoys the Life of Riley

Local favourite, Phoenix Golf & Country Club, threw open its doors to a large group of Bunker Boys and girls on Tuesday, 13th August, on the occasion of their weekly strokeplay competition. It was also memorable for being the birthday of Harry Riley and the bubbly Bunker Boy from Burnley generously sponsored four near pin and two long putt awards to mark the occasion. Some of the scores on the day were remarkable, none more so than in the ladies division where Harry's lovely partner, Saranya Chaiyanont, fired a lifetime best of net 57 to easily clinch victory. Former caddy Saranya usually plays off the men's tees and this helped her to power her way off the easier ladies tees at Phoenix . Running in second place was Lamun Hanley firing a superb net 65. In division one the birthday boy celebrated in style shooting net 66, comfortably heading Charlie Chen (68) and Colin Wilkes (70). Division two saw the resurgence of David Johnson who threw off a few weeks bad form to win with a delightful net 68, just pipping Bryn Jones and the evergreen Jal "Andy" Anderson who both shot 69. The windy conditions prevented anyone from recording a two although Dale Shier had four birdie opportunities. Two of them were good enough to win the near-pin awards on the Lakes threes, whilst Harry and Mr. Loy were rewarded for their accuracy on the Mountain threes. Domestic harmony prevailed again with Harry and Saranya winning the long putts challenge! Pity, though, poor John Hanley, whose frustrations with life on the Mountain prevented him from completing his card and his only consolation was the Bunker Banana Booby. Thank you for a memorable day Harry and Happy Birthday!

Harry is Just Champion!

The Bunker Boys are always up for a challenge and tackled the awesome prospect of a 36 hole strokeplay tournament at Green Valley, on 15-16th August, to decide the Club Champion for 2002. The magnificent trophy was donated by Dale Shier and the first player to drive off on the first hole was to become the eventual winner. Scores were high on a windy first day and the leader, with a comfortable net 71, was Alexander Allan, the Bunker's "Mr. Consistency". Just a little way back were Harry Riley (73) and Bryn Jones (74). The challenge of the four ladies in the field had been all but blown away but Lamun Hanley was still in with a shout for the second day with net 80, as was Saranya Chaiyanont. At the other end of the field the usual stragglers were to be seen, huffing and puffing their way around the course, including the sadly out-of-touch trio of Dale Shier, Terry Phur and Len Jones. The second day began in a calmer fashion but the heavens were to open at a crucial time in the round. The strong wind which was to be the harbinger of a heavy storm, blew away the chances of Alex Allan with a two hole horror of 19 shots and Harry Riley took advantage of the errors to post a score of net 74. The clubhouse leader at that stage was Lamun Hanley, with her second day net 69. But, at the end of two hard days, the overall winner was Harry Riley, with a 36 hole total of 147, runner-up was Lamun with 149 and in third place was Bunker "Rabbit" Brian McNichol with his net 150. Individual daily winners were:

Day One: 1. George Meigh 67, 2. Alexander Allan 71, 3. Harry Riley 73