Day 13: MIke Clark in Thailand

After a quick breakfast and strong coffee, my driver, in his Golf Asia uniform, greets me with a smile and nod in front of the Hilton at 9:00 am sharp.  He hardly speaks any English but he’s always where he’s supposed to be both coming and going and I appreciate that.  I am a big fan of “On Time”.

We’ve got a 20 minute drive to Springfield Village Golf Club designed by Nicklaus.  I’m watching, on the phone, the replay of the Wyndham Clark putt on the 18th of the Players Championship that my friend RC sent me and can’t believe the power lip out that keeps him out of a playoff with Scotty Scheffler and the history books.  Then I realize we have the same last name and it all makes sense. We Clarks are at best streaky putters.

As we pull up to the entrance to the golf club, it looks quite nice but the exterior is a little dated. The foyer area is very elegant and I’m assuming this course and facility was built in the 90s. It’s still spotlessly clean and everything appears to be nicely organized with a multitude of Jack Nicklaus pictures to greet you as you enter.

I am ushered downstairs to where I greet my caddie Pincky among an ant hill of activity and other caddies all wearing pink.  Each is finding their respective player and making sure all is in order.  Pincky is in her late 50s, I guess, and has been caddying at this place for a long time.

After a brief warm up at the clubs decent range, I’m off to the first tee to join 3 more folks from Sweden.  Introductions are made and I can’t begin to pronounce their names.  They address me in pretty good English and speak it most of the day which is ever so humbling.  I would imagine well over 80% of the population of the United States does not speak a second language.

 

These folks can hit the ball, and they move along nicely. Of special note is the female player who is the Swede-ish equivalent of Laura Davies. She’s got good fundamentals, and she can flat out generate some clubhead speed. Her solid contact is rewarded with a satisfying crack and can Send IT.  She would make a hell of a scramble partner for certain.

Of course, my day starts off with a drive right down the middle and a wedge to 7 feet….. and once again another missed birdie putt.  Pincky wants to set the line on the ball aimed at the intended line of the putt but she’s no where even close.  After I adjust the line several times I finally have to insist that I don’t need her to line up. “Just tell me whether you think it breaks to the right or the left and I’ll make the decision.”  I can definitely see the relief on her face. She says she has “long eye” which is probably some sort of translation meaning “She’s blind as a bat”.

The course is in decent condition but the greens are very very firm. Today I probably hit 12 or 13 of them but only managed to stay on perhaps six.  Now I know how Dave Dister feels when he hits it right at the pin and watches it roll off the back at good ol FCCC. I spent the majority of my day over the green and scrambling for par which thanks to my extended practice session yesterday….. saves my ass.

Pincky gets a C- as a caddie but she gets an A for snacks. She’s come loaded down with ripe mango slices, chilled pineapple and a sack of brown balls that look like snake eggs. I don’t know what the hell it is but she helps me get the skin off of one to reveal some type of extra juicy fleshy fruit inside.  All of which is refreshing and welcomed as it’s roasting hot in the sun.
Well done Pincky…. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.

The day goes quite well and the odyssey and I have managed 3 birdies and a bunch of 1 putt par saves for a 73. I’m ever so happy to have some red numbers on the card and had my golf ball not been bounding over most of the greens I could have been a couple under.