Author: Stuart Taylor

Passionate Photographer Lost in Asia.

Malacca Away – 22/23 March 2017 – Ayer Keroh & Tiara Melaka

On By Stuart TaylorIn Ayer Keroh, Loose Cannons, Malacca, Melaka, Tiara MalaccaLeave a comment

Here is the report as penned by our Convenor from the 2 day away golf trip to Malacca along with the results and some photos.

Phuu, I feels and looks like a lobster today after three days in the sun with Loose Cannons playing the ordinary Tuesday game at Kota Seriemas GCC located in Nilai. And the Malaka Away 2017 at Ayer Keroh CC Wednesday and Tiara Melaka GCC yesterday, both located in Ayer Keroh.

Melaka and these courses are familiar ground for the LC’s. Twelve of us made it for the two day competition namely; Andrew Robinson, Bernard Romahn, Brian Stubbs, Geoff Mclaws, Iain Wise, Martin Walsh, Mike Smith, Ray Funnel, Ricardo Castro, Roger MCGowan, Roger Surieux and my-selves.

We started off with Ayer Keros Govenor and Ghaffar nines on a hot and sunny day after various well selected restaurants and waterholes the evening before.

We were all pumped up but not a single of us beat the course, nearest came Andrew with 33 points followed by Mike, Geoff and Roger S on 32, one notch further down was Martin with 31. Unfortunately Ted Parslow could not stay for day two, otherwise his 34 would have been competitive the second day.  

As Ayer Keroh don’t serve beers until after 18.00 we went to Tiara Melaka for the lunch. After a well deserved M&M intake we went back to the Ramada Plaza for a rest and to get ourselves in the mood for the common dinner at Bistro 1673 at Jonker Street which we think, is the best restaurant for a group like us in Melaka. 

The following morning at the breakfast we were even more determined, this is the day we all have been waiting for.

Second day weather forecast were 61% precipitation of T-storms in the afternoon, we got nothing of that but sun all day long instead.

After registration at Tiara Melaka we got the bad news we are playing Lake and Medow nines, not that they are bad courses but we had hoped for Woodland as we thought we could stopped by at Mikes place for a cold lemonade or so in the shade of a tree, not to be lah.

So how did it go: Ray beat the course by one, Bernard played on his par, and he had the biggest improvements compare to first days scores.

– 67 points gave Geoff McLaws a well deserved third place

– Andrew Robinson managed to my surprise to improve on previous days score to clock 68 points for a second place

– and the winner is Martin Walsh with 70 points, he beat the course by three. Well played Loose Cannons Away 2017 Champion, Martin Walsh.

– I got the wooden-spoon, must have been the “convenor pressure”

Below you will find various pictures taken by the players, many thanks for that.

Being a Swede I could not stop myself from taking a picture of the H&M shop located across the street of Hard Rock. End of 2016 Hennes & Mauritz had 3962 shops worldwide.

Results

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Photos

Results – Kota Seriemas Golf & Country Club – 21st March 2017

On By Stuart TaylorIn golf, Kota Seriemas, Loose CannonsLeave a comment

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It’s not often that our group get the chance to play a new golf course as we have probably played all of the golf courses in and around KL and the Klang Valley over the many years that our group has been running. However a new golf course popped up on our radar having just been completed at the later part of last year – Kota Seriemas Golf & Country Club, a public course close to KLIA and Nilai.

Hans and Aftab had already checked out the course over a week ago and they gave it the thumbs up. So 24 players showed up today for our weekly game at this new venue, Mike Smith pitching up barely in time for the tee-off at 8:00am and well past the 7:30 check-in time – he was duly fine the usual RM20.

The clubhouse was impressive with beautiful changing rooms, a very nice pro shop and an open restaurant area overlooking the course.

Our 4 flights got off at just after 8:00am on the two 9’s, which are somewhat different from each other. The first 9 is fairly open and flat whereas the back 9 is much more hilly and undulating with some very highly elevated greens. The course has been designed and maintained very well and is very scenic with some great views from the elevated holes.

For a new course it was very well presented and very mature considering it is in its early days. Many water features were on the course and many large steep bunkers which appeared to me to be back-to-front around the greens with the high sloping faces directed towards the greens rather than the other way around ….. very strange.

It was a fairly tough course and very long … even from the whites tees.

We all got round by around 12:30 and had lunch at the clubhouse. Food and service was average but reasonably priced ….. a big thumbs down however was their no beer policy …. shame.

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Results

Scores were low today given that the course was pretty tough and the fact that it was very unfamiliar to us all. Our winner today was Mike Smith with 96 for 35. Runners up were Geoff McLaws (82 for 33) and Ted Parslow (88 for 33). Geoff McLaws had the best gross of the day with his 82. Full scores below:

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Photos

Photos below submitted by Ricardo Castro …..

Photos below submitted by Joe Lacy ….

 

 

 

 

Results – Bukit Kemuning – 14th March 2017

On By Stuart TaylorIn Bukit Kemuning, golf, Loose CannonsLeave a comment

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After a painless and efficient registration, due to Hans getting us pre-registered, 23 of us got off on the two 9’s at 8:00am. We had one casualty with Kevin Wiggins calling off this morning unfortunately. David Savage was late but managed to get to the tee before before his flight started. The course was in reasonable condition although a lot of people complained about the bumpy greens. Weather was reasonable and only in the last few holes did it get hot and steamy.

The 3 flights that went off the 1st tee were held up by a slow flight ahead of them causing a rather slow round for them.

After the game we took lunch at the O&S Seafood Restaurant in Kota Kemuning with plenty of cold beers to wash away any thoughts of any bad golf. Martin Walsh was celebrating his birthday so he kindly pitched in Rm200 to the pot for drinks – Happy Birthday Martin and cheers!

Results

Today’s winner with 39 points and a gross of 89 was Tony Morris. Runner up was Hans Berger with 94 for 37 points. Best gross of the day was carded by Geoff McLaws with an 82. Full results below:

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Photos

 

Results – Bukit Unggul Country Club – 7th March 2017

On By Stuart TaylorIn Bukit Unggul, golf, Loose CannonsLeave a comment

 

IMG_2899It was a wet and rainy start to our round at Bukit Unggul today with 4 flights heading out from 2 tee boxes before 8:00am. For the first 2 holes it rained steadily but then luckily eased up to make it more pleasant for the rest of the game.

The course has improved with most improvements seen on the greens. Even some areas that had been damaged by wild boar seemed to be better now. In many locations around the course we saw a number of stuffed toy tigers strategically placed in areas where a lot of monkeys had been a nuisance … however the monkeys have just moved elsewhere now.

At the turn we noticed a large group of golfers on the next nine …. a total of 6 players plus caddies … it looked like a large convention! Apparently Bukit Unggul are now allowing “Jumbo Flights” during the week with 6-balls …… not good if you get landed behind this rabble. Luckily though they did not hold us up on the back nine.

After the game we had lunch at Restoran East of Highway with 16 of us attending.

Results

The winner today was Tony Morris with 88 for 39 points on countback from Graham Cadman also on 39 points. Tony did not make lunch so his winnings were kindly donated to the pot … thank you Tony! Best gross of the day was Mike Williams with an 81. It was interesting to note that the Bukit Unggul members playing today with their superior local knowledge of the course were all placed high in the score table today. Full scores below:

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Photos

 

Proposed Changes to the Rules of Golf

On By Stuart TaylorIn Loose CannonsLeave a comment

Pic Kenny Smith, Kenny Smith Photography Tel 07809 450119The R&A and the USGA have announced a major set of proposed changes to the Rules of Golf. These changes result from our Rules Modernisation initiative that began five years ago in an effort to bring the Rules up to date to fit the needs of the game today globally.

You can see the details of the proposed changes here 

A summary of the rules to be changed is shown below.

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All players should read these proposed changes and be ready for when thye come into effect in 2019. It is interesting to note the focus on speeding up the game with less time to look for a lost ball and a new rule on the pace of play …. many of our members will need to pay attention to this one!

Results -Palm Garden Golf Club – 28th February 2017

On By Stuart TaylorIn golf, Loose Cannons, Palm GardenLeave a comment

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The monthly trophy game for February was held at the prestigious Palm Garden Golf Club, IOI. This was Mike Smith’s last game as Convenor and we had a bumper turn out for this event with 32 players (8 full flights). The organistaion at the club was excellent with all of us starting on a shot-gun start from numerous tees meaning we were all back at the club within a fairly short time of each other.

The course was excellent with beautiful fairways, terrific greens and fluffy bunkers. Weather was very good unlike the day before where it rained down all day. We were all back in the club where we had lunch by 12:30 – 1:00pm.

After lunch we had the usual prize giving then a presentation to Mike Smith of a few gifts bought with contributions from all members – many thanks to all who contributed. Mike was presented with a golf bag, a golf shirt (embroidered with his favourite catch phrase “Listen Up!”) and a golf cap.

Hans Berger , who is taking over as the next Convenor, made a brief presentation highlighting that our next game would be at Bukit Unggul and that from now we would be playing all games strictly to USGA handicaps.

Results

The clear winner of the monthly trophy was Dave Evans with an excellent round of 91 for 44 points – well done Dave. He misses the obligatory 8 cut as we now move onto the new USGA handicap on a weekly basis but I’m sure Hans will come up with a suitable penalty for anyone winning back to back games. There were 3 players as runners up on 38 points, Geoff McLaws, Stuart taylor and Martin Belderink. Best gross of the day was Geoff McLaws with a 77. Full results below.

It was also noted that Bernard Romahn played the entire round with 15 clubs in his bag resulting in a penalty of 2 strokes per hole …… this has happened before with Bernard so perhaps worthy of him taking note for future games.

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Photos

Results – Staffield Country Resort – 21st February 2017

On By Stuart TaylorIn golf, Loose Cannons, StaffieldLeave a comment

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Today was slightly overcast as 5 flights set off from 2 tee boxes on the Western and Northern nines at Staffield Country Resort. Later in the morning we had a brief shower of rain but this did not interrupt play.

The course was in good condition as it usually is and we were all finished by about 12:30, taking lunch at the club post game.

Welcome to David Savage playing his first game with us.

Results

The winner today was Paul Geddes with an excellent 79 (also the best gross of the day) for 43 points (cut 7). Runner up was ReinLi Tan with 93 for 39. Full results below:

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Photos