Klaus called in sick so fourteen of us played Bkt Beruntung GCR yesterday and as a surprise we got to play the West instead of the East which we tested last week. The West was a different animal in comparison is it was more open, less soggy ie more run, more water and some patches of bare soil on the second nine fairways although the first nine had some very nice charming holes. In general though it could do with some grass cutting here and there as well as more sand in some of the bunkers. In comparison to all other courses we are playing it's not a bad course at all, it's more a matter of getting used to how to play it I think.
The food at the Garden Terrace was very good but it took a bit long to get it, but that's how it may be when one order individual dishes.
This time Alan's guest Chee Wah Tsang could come he claimed 24hcp which we accept, next time you play at 25, please feel welcome Chee Wah Tsang.
So how did it go, John had the highest and the lowest score 42 points (with four bonus points) respective 88 gross closely followed by me, John is cut 4, sorry no monthly trophy at hand lah. Second came Andre also 42 but with less points on the second nine, cut 1. Most golf was played by Alan H at 120 closely followed by Allan M. For the matter of stats only four players had below 30 points.
Finances
- Intake; kitty from last 126 (not 86 as stated in KGSAAS report), 12 x 110 non-member, 2 x 60 member, 50 extras from Glenn & Vincent = 1616
Next week's game will be at Bukit Beruntung Golf & Country Club and will be the monthly trophy game. Names to Hans Berger please to confirm your attendance. Usual arrangement - be there by 7:30am.
Fourteen of us assembled at KGSAAS this lovely cool morning for the usual Tuesday play. The course played as one could expect after the heavy rain on Sunday a bit soggy and wet here and there, but greens were as good as we have known them to be during the dry season.
At the top of the ladder with 42pts was Hans Berger and cut 6, closely followed by Aftab on same points but with one point less on the back-nine, Aftab cut 1.
John Laidley as expected had the lowest gross with 79 (41 pts) and the most golf had Allan McNicoll with 123.
Hans Berger commented "Being a member I should perhaps not comment but I reckon the food at the restaurant has improved and by observing what presently happens at the course, the President nine is subject for green resurfacing, one would think the three nines will stay."
Finances
- Intake; 12 x 160 non-member + 2 x 100 member + 12 x 20 extras = 2360
Hans Berger, pro tem Convenor, tees off on the Sultan's Nine
Barry, Tony and Ted chit chat before tee off
Ray Funnell's nose fits exactly into Allan McNicoll's neck profile ... very strange!
Andre and Alan from "Red Cap Team" look serious
Klaus looking quietly confident
Alan Holgate tees off on the 1st
The Sultan's Nine has a few holes with carefully concealed water hazards such as this one on the 2nd hole
Looking back down the par 5 2nd hole on the Sultan's Nine
Aftab with his local knowledge of the course puts on the undulating green of the 2nd hole
The course is well maintained and the greens were in excellent condition - fast but true
Another water hazard transverses the 7th hole fairway
The last 3 holes on the Sultan's Nine were a little challenging
A view up the fairway on the 1st hole of the Alam Shah's Nine
Klaus preparing to putt - his putting was excellent today with many long putts dropping
Caddies were compulsory - our caddies were pretty good but I heard some mixed views from some other players about their caddies
Ted Parslow blasts one away
The Shah Alam mosque can be seen in the background here looking back down our 16th hole on the Alam Shah's Nine
Our 4-ball comprised Aftab Ahmad, Ted Parslow, Klaus Kretzschmar and Stuart Taylor
Ted looking pleased with himself after a birdie on the 2nd last hole
... and sharing his joy with his caddy
Aftab deciding on club selection for the final hole
Arriving at the 18th hole green with the clubhouse in the background
A happy bunch of LCs at their lunch
Alan Holgate pours himself a much needed refill of the amber nectar
Andre tucks into his chicken curry. The chicken curry was a popular dish for lunch ... so much so that we thought they had run out given the time Mike Smith had to wait on his order
Allan McNicoll describing each of his 123 shots in detail to Ted Parslow who looks on in awe!
Staffield Country Resort was in super condition for today's game and with dry weather throughout, (the first spots of rain started to fall as the last flight walked off the 18th) it was a real pleasure to play this wonderful track again.
We were 16 until 10:30 last night when Geoff Parslow pulled out.....some emergency that Ted would explain to me. More on this later. Then at 6 o'clock this morning Barry Cousins called me to say he had twisted his knee putting his clubs in the car. Old age is the pits isn't it? So 14 LC's teed it up promptly at 8 o'clock behind what appeared to be a rather slow 4 ball with Andrew muttering that this had the makings of a 5 hour job.
Berjaya; the owners of Staffield, continue to carry out long overdue major maintenance of this once lovely course and the playing surface was excellent, particularly the greens which were quick and true and a real pleasure to put on. After so much rain in recent days the drainage improvements that they have undertaken are clearly working as no soft patches were encountered. The bunkers are currently undergoing a complete work over; those that are completed were good but there were several that were in progress and not in play.
We played the Northern and Southern 9's and with two 3 balls leading the way we were all round in just over 4 hours so not the protracted game that Andrew had feared. There was a small competition competing for space but they didn't affect our game at all. Good management by the starter.
The winner was Mike Smith with 42 points OCB from runner-up was Aftab Ahmad.
The lowest gross was 79 by Geoff McLaws who also had the longest drive, (see below) and the most golf was played by Allan McNicoll, Glen Wombwell and Stuart Taylor all with 109.
Mike Smith is cut 6 strokes and Aftab 1 stroke.
10 of us drove the 5 mins to Mantin for lunch at the usual place and excellent it was too. We would have been 11 but Geoff McLaws missed the place, drove 11km past, turned around and missed it coming back having said he 'knew' where the place was, then found himself on the way to Nilai Springs, turned around and started back before declaring himself "completely f....g lost" and abandoning the expedition, heading home with the aid of his GPS. For this Geoff picks up the coveted honour of "Longest Drive". Editor's note: Barry Cousins should get an award for the "shortest drive" of the day!
While Allan, Glen and Stuart all racked up 109 strokes on the course this pales into insignificance with the 110 clocked up by Geoff Parslow........days that is, over stayed on his visa! Hence his late withdrawal since he had more pressing matters to attend to with Immigration this morning. Ted will let us know if the deportation holding cells allow visitors.
It's also worth mentioning that John Laidley couldn't remember whether he had played Staffield before or not!!! Oh dear. What with Barry's knee and Johns memory what are we coming to?
Photos
1st tee on the Northern Course
Julien tees off on the 1st
Ted Parslow and John Laidley smiling as they head off up the 1st fairway
John Laidley "The Big Easy"on the short par 3 2nd
Ted Parslow hits on into the bunker on the 2nd
The 3rd hole on the Northern Course with a large sand trap next to the green
The 4th hole on the Northern Course narrows through a small neck of the fairway guarded by two large trees to the green
Ted hits one from the tee on the 7th hole on the Northern Course
The 7th green is backed by a large pond and also guarded well by bunkers
Ted putting on the 9th hole on the Northern Course
John Laidley set up nicely on the tee of the 2nd hole on the Southern Course
A beautiful view over the green of the 2nd hole of the Southern Course
The large structure behind the tee on the 5th hole of the Southern Course is apparently a swallow house where the birds nest .... no doubt to end up in some soup at our favourite restaurant in Mantin later!
Looking back from the 5th fairway of the Southern Course to the 3rd fairway
The 6th hole on the Southern Course has a large water lateral water hazard down the left side
There were a few local fishermen out trying to catch some fish from the water hazard on the 6th hole
John Laidley lining up to tee off on the 8th hole of the Southern Course
Vincent heading back to fairway from the rough on the 8th hole
