Thursday, February 19th: Dunlavy (+2) Edges out Johnson (+1)!!

Note:  NEW MEMBER:  Les Adams joined us on Tuesday.  Les is a new neighbor of Charlie Johnson and has moved back to Washington from Scottsdale Arizona.  He will become a full member beginning in March.

NOTE:   Closest to the holes for February are #3 & #14.

Individual Winners:  Curran & Dunlavy tie the front (€).  Dunlavy, Hall & Johnson ties the back (+2).  Dunlavy wins the total (+2).

Even/Plus Points Club: Dunlavy (+2), Johnson (+1) and Curran & Hall (€).

75 & Below Score Club:  None

Closest to the Hole:  Johnson won #3 and Dunlavy took #14.

Quota Increases:  All (+1):  Dunlavy & Hall

Quota Decreases:  All (-1):  Curran

Quotas: Adams 24 * Aholt 32 * Baer 29 * Blackwell 31 * Clark 36 * Christiansen 34 * Coleman 30 * Cozzo, Jeff 27 * Crow 33 * Curran 28 * Curtis 31 (White Tees) * Dister 29 * Dunlavy 28 * Eckelkamp 36 * Eggert 29 * Eichelberger 31 (White Tees) * Elcan 32 (White Tees) * Fortner 29 (White Tees) * Gildehaus 31 * Hall 31 * Herrick 24 * Johnson 26 * Kavanaugh 28 * Kossmann 27 * Marquart 27 * Miller 22 (Gold Tees) * Moosman 29 * Meyer 27 * Nealis 22 * Purschke 20 * Scheidegger 29 * Sharma, Ray 26 * Sharma, Raymond 21 * Stapp 33 * Voss, Chas 26 * Voss, Dean 34 * Weinhold 28 * Zastrow, Josh 34 * Zastrow, Owen 27 

Mike Clark in Thailand: Chapter 17

Black Mountain again on a blistering hot and humid day. 

I can only wish my play was as hot as the weather. I missed 6 greens and made 6 bogeys and not one birdie to offset the short-game disaster. Lack luster 78 carded after what was a pretty decent ball striking and edging burning lip out frenzy. Tomorrow, I’m getting picked up early to work strictly on the short-game and hopefully get back on track. 

“Noy” on the bag today and she did a fine job but offered more indecision on putts than help. As I mentioned in a previous post, once on the green these gals feel obligated to advise you. It’s all part of the experience. I teed it up today with three brothers from Australia here on holiday. Super nice fellows and great attitudes made for an enjoyable round. 

I was hesitant to mention this earlier but I’ve got a “Porn” addiction. You can’t make this stuff up but “Porn” is the name of my massage gal at the K-One Massage place across from the Standard Hotel where I’m staying. 

Many of you know I’ve got torn rotator cuff injuries in each shoulder from various accidents and prior to my trip I was having difficulty holding up and drinking a cup of coffee with my right arm. I’m not much of a massage guy and have not had many in my life. I had decided to try some while here…. Mind you these are first class places, not back alley happy ending affairs.

 

After my first 10 minutes with Porn, she knew I was a golfer and began grinding knots out of my shoulders and upper back. It was certainly painful to a point and she used a combination of forearms, elbows and fingers to get the job done. I can’t imagine how strong her fingers are but I can assure you given the opportunity she could crush an orange between her thumb and forefinger on either hand. She can feel what is out of place and what needs attention.

After an hour of stretching and pulling in assorted directions I walked of that place standing taller with shoulders back and with better posture than I’ve had in years. I’ve been 5 days in a row and each day there is improvement in flexibility and I’m absolutely pain free in either shoulder.

 

Thus it’s safe to say I’m a big fan of “Porn”

"Noy" gal of the day

Aussies on the tee with gals

The gals having fun with us

Gals getting the Aussies lined up

View of the course

K-One massage shop

If she was in the states, she'd make a fortune... she's that good!

Porn working on keeping those knees working

"Porn" the star of the show and my friend

Mike Clark in Thailand: Chapter 16

One of the best days yet of golf in Thailand, not because of the score mind you, I can’t get off the 73 number, but because of the two wonderful gentleman I had the pleasure of playing with today. Gerrod, now 83 was the two time senior amateur champion in Holland and still has game despite some arthritis that forces him to chip with his right hand only….  And he’s more than proficient. He had a golf equipment store in Amsterdam before retiring a few years back and was known as “Doctor Golf” in his home country. He was also proud to mention that his daughter was twice Holland’s women’s amateur champion. 

Our other playing partner is Lars. He’s 82 and hits it as well as the senior boys back home at FCCC with tight draws and greens in regulation. Lars’ wife recently passed but he’s been coming to Hua Hin to play golf for the last ten years in a row. 

It sounds like a plan that I’d be interested in following. 

Today we are at Majestic Creek. It’s 27 holes carved out of a stark and barren former pineapple plantation…. It’s dry and crispy everywhere except where the golf course weaves its way through. We agree it’s not much to look at on the surface but the holes are well designed, the turf is nice and the greens are as good as any I’ve played since being in Thailand. 

My caddie for the day is “Tou”. She’s been here 10 years and is just as nice as can be. No touching the clubs or ball unless she’s handing them over. She’s professional to a fault and takes great pride in her job. Pace of play was also great thanks to the many sharply struck shots of my partners and lack of hunting for balls.

At the end of the round Lars and Gerrod are eager to sit and share a beer together. 

I immediately offer to pay and Lars insists that he will buy. Gerrod says “Let him” and instructs me to ask him about his cars? This I do and spend the next 20 minutes exchanging the phone with Lars looking at pictures of the best 20 or so cars in the “Lars collection”displayed and personally driven all over the world. With names like Bugatti, Ferrari, Dusenberg, Shelby and others….. Lars can probably afford the 6 bucks for the beers. We met as strangers on the first tee and left as friends with numbers exchanged. Golf… what a game.

Miss "Tou" professional all the way

Lars & Gerrod and the gals

View of the course

View of the course

Gal from Myanmar selling water balls.  Her two kids were in the lake in front of the hole diving for balls whe we played.  I gave her the $$$ and told her to keep the balls.

View of the course

View of the course

"Tou" doing her thing

Darn tough finishing par 5

View from the clubhouse outward

Caprese salad by the ocean tonight... Not too bad!