This month's golf news and features

Winners At The Palm Hills Open

HUA HIN RETAILS THE RYDER SHIELD
At Phuket on 20th and 21st of August, our team beat the Expatriate Golf Society 11 matches to 10, to enable us to bring back the trophy won in the inaugral tournament last year. Seven 2 ball better ball games ended 4-3 in Hua Hin's favour and the fourteen single games on Tuesday were halved.
DAN STUART
We are very sad to announce that one of our longest serving members, Mr Dan Stuart passed away on 10th September after a long illness.
HUA HIN LOSES AGAIN TO THE BRITISH CLUB
For the 3rd time we were beaten, this time at Lake View 5 and a half to 4 and a half, on 14th September, the format was 2 ball aggregate Stableford. The only possible consolation was that the last three flights were all from Hua Hin as several opponents failed to appear!
Recent results: 23rd August Lake View A grp 15 players 1st Jason Withe (guest) 65 net 11 hcp, 2nd Stephen Withe (guest) 69 net 16 hcp, B grp 14 players, 1st Chris Davidson 39 pts, 24 hcp, 2nd Peter Glynn 36 pts, 24 hcp.
27th August Majestic Creek, A grp 15 players 1st Doug East, 40 pts 18 hcp, 2nd Berny 36 pts 15 hcp, B grp 1st Pete Newman, 44 pts, 40 hcp, 2nd Tip 39 pts 21 hcp.
30th August Milford, 2 ball scramble 13 pairs, 1st Larry English / Peter Harrison 56.4 net, 2nd Wolfgang / Gerry Wright 58.1 net. Handicaps were calculated: Combined hcps x 7/8.
3rd September, Lake View A grp 1st Larry English 69 net 8 hcp, 2nd Peter Gouldby 69 net 8 hcp, B grp 15 players 1st Luciano 69 net, 26 hcp, 2nd Bertil 70 net 22 hcp.
6th September Majestic Creek, 24 players one group, 1st Kevin Milke, 41 pts 13 hcp, 2nd John Mc Harris 39 pts, 20 hcp, 3rd Tip 39 pts 20 hcp.
10th September, Springfield A grp 1st Peter Withe (guest) 68 net 9 hcp, 2nd Pawn 70 net 12 hcp, B grp 1st John Haughey (guest) 36 net 23 hcp, 2nd Fred Kroll 33 pts, 25 hcp.
13 thSeptember Milford one grp 19 players, 1st John McMorris 37 pts 19 hcp, 2nd David Buchan 33 pts, 33 hcp, 3rd Han Hackvoort 33 pts 19 hcp.
17th September Majestic Creek A grp 1st Lyndon (guest) 66 net 15 hcp, 2nd Arch (guest) 68 net 10 hcp, B grp 1st Fred Kroll 48 pts, 24 hcp, 2nd Terry Burge 43 pts 29 hcp.
COMING EVENTS AND FIXTURES
Annual matchplay championship 2002, for members only has been organised for the months of October / November. Preliminary round by 4th Oct at Palm Hills. 1st round by 11th Oct (last 32) at Springfield. 2ns Round by 18th Oct (last 16) at Lake View. 3rd Round by 25th Oct (last 8) at Majestic. Semi Finals by 1st Nov (last 4) at Lake View. Final - date to be announced.
The draw was made on 29th Sept, but too late for publication in this issue of the Observer.
Each match must be played at the designated course. Preferably on a society match day, failing which it can be arranged within the 6 days before each round is completed. A "no show" is a forfeit.
In the event the match is all square after 18 holes extra holes on a sudden death basis will be played.
ANNUAL STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
will be played on two of the following courses Palm Hills, Lake View, Springfield or Majestic. 1st round Tuesday 3rd December 2002, 2nd round Friday 6th December 2002.
ANNUAL CHARITY CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT AND DINNER
will be held on Tuesday 17th December. The evening is again at the Dusit, where we will have the traditional buffet laid on by John Gill and his staff, with musical entertainment, prize giving and lucky draw.
The two ball scramble tournament will be at Palm Hills on the same day. First tee off at 08.40

October Fixtures
Tuesday 1st Royal Hua Hin Tee off 8.40
Friday 4th Palm Hills Tee off 9.00
Tuesday 8th Majestic Creek Tee off 9.04
Friday 11th Springfield Tee off 9.04
Tuesday 15th Sawang Bus 8 am
Friday 18th Lake View Tee off 9.04
Tuesday 22nd Milford Tee off 9.04
Friday 25th Majestic Creek Tee off 9.04
Tuesday 29th Springfield Tee off 8.24
Fri 1st Nov Lake View Tee off 8.36

Pro Tips - Bad Rounds

Sometimes you play a round of golf and midway through it, you realize it’s not gonna be your day. Your mind and your body are out of synch. The score you had been hoping to shoot goes out the window. You get a twinge of pain in your back. You just can’t seem to do anything right. Instead of taking it, that’s when you have to use the adversity and try to do something worthwhile to help your game, to somehow get better. There is opportunity in adversity. Here are some ideas on dealing with bad rounds.
REALISE THAT BAD ROUNDS SOMETIMES HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.
Let’s face it. Even the pros have bad rounds. Spanish sensation Sergio Garcia shot an 89 at the British Open. Everyone is capable of having a bad day. So, if you have one of those days, try to put it into perspective. We all have days when nothing seems to go right, so accept that it’s happening, and try to do something to fix it. DON’T LET ANGER AND FRUSTRATION SPOIL THE FUN OF GOLFING.
Too often, you start playing poorly, and then lose it. You get frustrated that you can’t hit those same good drives you were hitting on the practice range. You’re off the fairways. You miss greens. Then you miss a few putts. Then you stub a chip that should have been easy. Steam built up in your brain comes pouring out of your ears like a locomotive. You’re so angry, you feel like throwing that club five hundred yards. Well, don’t do it. It’s not worth it. Clubs cost too much. You might throw out your back. And try not to curse, because a) it makes you look juvenile, b) it makes you look like you’re spoiled, and c) it might get you tossed off the course.
Why not live up to the fact that you hit that bad shot. You’re not perfect. You make mistakes. And move on to the next shot. Or laugh about it. Screwing up can be really funny sometimes. Remember, it’s only a round of golf.
FIND SOMETHING POSITIVE IN YOUR GAME THAT DAY, AND FOCUS ON THE GOOD.
Usually, when you’re having that bad day, you’re doing something pretty good. Maybe you’re driving bad, and missing putts like crazy, but maybe that day, you’re hitting wedges well. Or chipping well. You should try to build upon the good chipping or wedge play, so that you can be really good at it next time out. And maybe if the driving and putting are good (the next time) you can remember the good thoughts you had with your wedges and really put together a round. But try to come out of the round with good thoughts about something. Because during your next round, you’ll never know when you might want to draw back on some positive thoughts.
TRY TO REVERT BACK TO THE SMOOTHEST, MOST EFFORTLESS GOLFER YOU CAN BE.
Most times when you screw up during a round,it’s because of excessive tension. The golfer who can stop the downward spiral of bad shots, tension, more bad shots, etc., is the one who can sometimes rescue a bad round. One way is to pull out extra club on a shot and slow down/smooth out your swing. You’ll be amazed how extra club can help reverse the downward spiral. Next time you’re hacking the ball all over the course, due to excessive tension, try using a smooth six iron instead of that hard seven. Or even go down to a 3/4 swing on a five iron. But rescue yourself from excessive tension with a club selection that allows you to swing more easily.
DON’T GIVE UP.
You never know what good things might happen if you keep trying to do something positive. Think about hitting good shots. Forget about the fact that your score is going to hell and try to get satisfaction from hitting it well. Years later, after some of the worst rounds of your life, you’re more likely to remember that one hole you chipped in than the fact you were slicing that day. There are tons of negative thoughts that day to bombard you during a round. Try to ward off the negative with positive thoughts. If you can’t muster up positive thoughts about golf, you CAN think positively about life.
We all know bad rounds can happen, but the important thing is to not let the negative aspects of golf get to you. Sometimes the going gets tough and you tend to react with anger and frustration. I’ve played with people who got so angry at their poor play, they quit. I think they’re missing out on a great sport.
I implore any of you who take it so seriously that you cuss, throw clubs, or become angry enough to consider quitting - CALM DOWN. Bad shots happen. Bad rounds happen. You’re playing a game that, when approached properly, is a fun thing to do. It beats the heck out of being at a 9 to 5 job. But playing golf is, after all, just a game.

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