This month's golf news and features

CHAIRMAN RESIGNS
Annual General Meeting
Our A.G.M. will have been held on 24th January, a full reportwill appear in next months Observer. However we must announce that two members will be leaving the committee, Martin Furzer our chairman due to continuing ill health, and our treasurer Wolfgang for personal reasons.
Both of them are to be thanked for their support and committment.
CHARITY DINNER
Final figures show we raised just over 140,000 Baht, which in due course will be allocated to a worthy cause, it will be handed over in kind not cash.
DIFFERENT FORMAT COMPETITIONS
Due to popular demand, during the last 30 days we have had three very successful events.
On Christmas Eve there was a 4 club Stableford tournament at Royal Hua HIn, won by Tuk Godfrey 40 pts 36 hcp. 2nd Jean Claude 36 pts 23 hcp, 3rd Mike Anderson 36 pts 13 hcp, 4th Steve de Mille (visitor from Bangkok) with 36 pts, 12 hcp.
On 10th January a 2 ball Scramble at Milford was attended by 60 players, winning pair were Walter Sroka and Bill Battell with 52.3 net, 2nd Fritz and Moira 56.1 net and 3rd Rolf Reitz and Soloman 57.2 net.
On 14th January there was a two ball Greensome at Lake View with 20 teams won by the Dream Team (Solomans words), Mick Evans and our man from Mogadishu with 46 pts, 2nd Morgan and Tomas E, 42 pts, 3rd, Al Reed and Berny 41 pts.
Other results: 20th December at Sawang, 30 players one group. 1st Soloman 43 pts 20 hcp, 2nd Tip 43 pts 17 hcp, 3rd Mick Evns 42 pts, 11 hcp.
27th December at Royal Ratchaburi, 43 players, A group 1st Tip 72 net 15 hcp, 2nd Peter (guest from Switzerland) 73 net 20 hcp, 3rd Mick Evans 75 net, 10 hcp, B group 1st Mike Godfrey 36 pts, 22 hcp, 2nd Morgan Wallengren 34 pts 22 hcp, 3rd Herta 34 pts 28 hcp.
3rd Jan 2003 at Dragon Hills, 42 players A grp 1st Peter Korn, 35 pts 14 hcp, 2nd John Walker 34 pts, 4 hcp, 3rd Wit 34 hcp 14 hcp. B group 1st Borit Wallengren 39 pts 27 hcp, 2nd Dannie (guest) 38 pts, 28 hcp, 3rd James Barber 36 pts, 18 hcp.
17th January at Majestic Creek. 42 players A group 1st Herbie 68 net 14 chp, 2nd Berny 70 net, 17 hcp, 3rd Peter Gouldby 71 net, 6 hcp. B group 1st Helmut 40 pts, 24 hcp, 2nd Morgan 38 pts, 22 hcp, 3rd Steffen (guest) 38 pts 36 hcp.

FIXTURES FOR FEBRUARY
Tues 4th Majestic Creek
tee off 11.04
Fri 7th T.B.A.
Tues 11th Panwrangsi (Ratchaburi Military Course)
Bus 8 am
Fri 14th Milford Tee off 9 am
Tues 18th Springfield
Tee off 11.20
Fri 21st Palm Hills
Tee off 10.40
Tuesday 25th Lake View (Desert course) Tee off 10 am
Fri 28th Royal Ratchaburi
bus 8 am

Get out of trouble

Always think shots through and try to work out what is the percentage shot. A sideways or backwards chip from under the trees or the lip of a bunker can save more wasted shots. It is always amazing to see amateur golfers play shots that even the best professionals wouldn't attempt. The reason they do this is often down to fear. The feeling is that having got into the bunker, rough, woods or water they have lost a shot and now must make it up.
Recovery Shots
The sensible approach is to mentally 'write off' the lost shot and work out how to minimise the damage by getting down in the least possible shots from there on in. If in doubt about a bunker shot then pick a spot 1 or 2 inches behind the ball and hit into the sand hard.
Make sure you swing the club through the shot and the ball will come out. It may not be pretty, it may blast sand all over the place and it may not necessarily be near the pin but at least it is out of the bunker.
A lot of amateur players try to be too cute with bunker shots and play little soft lobs or if they hit the sand behind the ball they quit on the shot. The main problem is that they rarely, if ever, practice these delicate shots and so are often doomed to failure before they start.
Either practice bunker shots or play safe and thump it out. When playing on a new course always check the back of the card for the local rules. We all play within the rules of golf but each course has its' own local rules and sometimes you may get relief from flower beds on one course but not at another. It pays to check this before you play.

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