Ronnie Coulson cooks up “Golf du Jour”

The recipe for a successful golf tournament is no secret to Ron Coulson, owner of Camel Pub and Restaurant in Ban Chang. He took one great idea, 65 golfers, one golf course designed by Nick Faldo, ten pinches of prizes and cooked up the "Golf du Jour".

The great idea was a golf tournament to benefit the Ban Chang Wat School Children’s Christmas Fund, the golfers came from Ban Chang, Pattaya and Bangkok; the golf course was Century, Ban Chang, the format was a four person team scramble, and the prizes came from all over with a cash and food and beverage flavor. Ron cooked all of this up and served it with a gigantic pig roast to please everyone’s palate.

The organizing committee (left to right, seated) Glyn Jenkins, Terry Tansley, (and standing) Dennis Willett and Ronnie Coulson.

It was truly an international dish. Golfers came from as far away as Japan and Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan? Yes, as Dennis Willett called Bill Thompson in Kazakhstan to get Bill recruited for their team.

While the true winners of the day’s outing were the Wat School Children of Ban Chang, the team of Bill Thompson, George Davis, Doug Powell and Dennis Willett scored a net 56.1 using a 5.9 handicap to walk off with the top trophies.

Second place went to the team of Steve Donovan, Ray Matti, Rick Sharp and Khun Bee with a net score of 59.7.

The winning team (left to right) Doug Powell, Bill Thompson, and Dennis Willett. Not pictured: George Davis.

The understatement of the day came from Dougie Powell who was heard to say after his team birdied the first five holes, "We’re not doing bad." All the way from Kazakhstan, Bill Thompson was heard saying, "We can win this thing."

While most teams played well and enjoyed the golf, Billy Fain and Bob Moberg were asked how they played and both answered "Lousy", while they ordered another cold beer. Fresh from winning the recent Shenanigan’s Funhill Cup Tournament, Ian Warwick and Larry Willett teamed up with Trevor Allen and Gerry Carpenter but this time they did not drink from the winner’s cup.

The Ban Chang ladies team comprised of Som, Ann, Ooh and Ouh were sponsored by Camel Pub and by Mammoet and fared better than some of the men’s teams. Congrats, ladies.

Ban Chang Ladies Team: Som, Ann, Ooh, Och.

Many golfers and sponsors dug deep into their pockets to add the cash flavor to the successful recipe. These cash sponsors were: Gerry Carpenter, George Davis, John Richardson, Peter Malhotra, Dean Masters, Profound Innovation, TSK, O Gas, Khun Chusak and Daeng, Thai Thoresen Shipping Lines and Mammoet.

Food and beverage vouchers were used to add spice to the "Golf du Jour"; these sponsors were: Shenanigans, Over The Rainbow Restaurant, Tequila Reef Cantina, Rosie O’Gradys, Britannia Restaurant, Ban Saray Restaurant, Green Bottle, Bourbon Street, The Harley Bar, Londoner Pub and Shakey Pete’s.

Free golf lessons were donated by Glyn Jenkins and Ray Caron, both local golf professionals in Ban Chang.

The "Golf du Jour" included a gigantic pig roast, BBQ chicken, chicken curry, potato salad, roasted potatoes and fresh pineapple pastries with fresh cream. What a feast!

Ronnie combined the services of the Ban Chang Sports and Social Club with the Pattaya Sports Club and marinated the organizing committee of himself, Terry Tansley, Glyn Jenkins, George Davis and Dennis Willett. Terry is the most famous non-golfer in Ban Chang.

Added to all of this was the excellent condition of Century Golf Course and the nice improvements in the locker room.

The pig roast and the presentation of trophies and prizes were held later at the Camel Pub and Restaurant and the announcement was made that the net proceeds to the charity were 85,000 baht. Everyone agreed the "Golf du Jour" was a five star event.

And there’s even more good news - this will become an annual event to help the Ban Chang school children.

The winners were:

1st Place: Bill Thompson, George Davis, Doug Powell and Dennis Willett, net 56.1

2nd Place: Steve Donovan, Ray Matti, Rick Sharp and Khun Bee, net 59.7

3rd Place: Peter Cheshire, Rod Carmicheal, Tony Hole House and Gavin Donovan, net 61.3

4th Place: John Richardson, Barry Soanes, John Kirkwood and Kevin McCoy, net 62.

Nearest pins: Trevor Allen, Adam Grimshaw and Martin Hoffie, twice.

Longest putts: Paul Kraft and Bee

Longest drives: Adam Grimshaw, Llew Jenkins and Kim Harrech

New Zealand team wins PSC May fishing tournament

A fishing team from New Zealand took top honors in the Pattaya Sports Club May deep sea fishing tournament. Dave Leary from New Zealand topped the scales with a nice 48 lb. cobia for the "Fish of the Month".

Dave Leary, Hone Waipuna Kaka and Damien Renata York from New Zealand and Olga Akatieva from Russia landed a whole school of good fish to win the PSC monthly fishing tournament for May.

Hone Waipuna Kaka, a New Zealand Maori landed a fine 17 lb. barracuda. His partner Damien Renata York, also a New Zealand Maori finished with several good size pompano. Included on the team was Olga Akatieva from Russia who also finished the day with several nice fish.

The Pattaya Sports Club organizes a fishing tournament each month open to all who enjoy the sport of deep-sea fishing. For more information contact Carl Engel, PSC fishing chairman at phone 038-410228, fax 038-426121, or e-mail [email protected], or go by one of the PSC Fishing venues at the Local Fish & Trips, J & M Bar, and Bull Ring Bar, all on Soi Yodsak, Rosie O’ Grady’s on Soi 7, Wonderful Bar on Soi Yamoto, or Cafe Kronborg on Soi Diana Inn and talk some fishing.

Seaboard Sailor Morten Jakobsen set for Laser Worlds in Ireland

Story and photos by Peter Cummins

Eastern Seaboarder Morten Jakobsen, the ‘sleeping giant’ from the Royal Varuna Yacht Club’s Laser fleet at Pattaya, sailed into the region’s history books recently, when he went to India and brought back the Kingdom’s first Asia Pacific Laser Championship title. (Some excerpts of this story were published by the Mail in last week’s issue).

Furthermore, his newly acquired title gives him automatic entry to the Laser World Championships to be held in Ireland in August and, being a (comparative) ‘youngster’, he will also be eligible to compete in the Masters Worlds Apprentices Division for 35 to 44 year-olds.

Morten beaches after bringing the Asia Pacific Laser title to Pattaya - for the first time

In fact, Morten’s win registered the first time that an Asian country has managed to wrest the coveted crown from Antipodean dominance since the event was established in 1975, and in doing so, he acknowledged the coaching he has received from Royal Thai Navy’s Verasit Pougnak, five-time (including 2001) Laser Champion of Thailand and the wildcard Asian competitor at last year’s Sydney Olympiad. "Verasit’s advice has served me well, obviously," enthused Morten.

Added to this is the good news reported (at great length - AND in living colour, of course!) by the diligent Pattaya Mail correspondent in the 4 May, 2001 edition, that five young sailors (under 16-year-olds) from the Sattahip Naval Base will be proceeding to China next month to compete in the Optimist World Championships. This represents the first time in more than a decade that a Thai team will have challenged the world’s best junior sailors.

Thus, the Pattaya-Sattahip sailors will bring much credit to Thailand generally and the Eastern Seaboard particularly on the world’s yachting stages – East and West.

Morten certainly met his greatest challenge at the Asia Pacific Regatta, which was sailed on a lake, the Hussein Sagar, straddled by the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The tall, rangy Dane not only had to beat 30 top-class competitors but he also had to contend with the shifting, unreliable and generally light winds - a big disadvantage for his large frame which is ideally suited for stronger conditions.

The strongest challenge came from the sailors of the host nation who had the unquestionable advantage of home waters. But consistency paid and, although he did not win a single race, he finished with placings of 3-2-2-6-6-4-4, for a total of 21 penalty points for the six races counted out of the seven sailed, taking the title by a mere one point. In fact, it was so close that entering the last race, any of five sailors could have won the championship.

It was the "hard charging Indians," said Morten - the lightweights – Rajesh Chaudhary who won the last three races and compatriot D.P. Selvam – who finished equal-second on 22 points. The higher placing (second) was awarded to Rajesh who also won the Asian Pacific Laser Radial Division.

Fourth was Gautam Dutta (India), 26 and fifth was Australian yachting trainer Richard Scarr, 27. Royal Varuna’s Neil Semple, who accompanied Morten as the second Thai entry was, according to observers, "quite often at the head of the fleet, but the unfamiliar conditions wore him down".

Morten, a true sportsman, was quick to praise his competitors, especially the Indian hosts who, he said, were "gracious, friendly, generous and most helpful". As an attempt to repay this incredible hospitality, Morten and his Aussie counterpart, Richard Scarr voluntarily held a Laser workshop on the mid-regatta lay day - a session eagerly attended by all participants.

Thailand, through Morten and Neil, certainly gained stature on the Sub-Continent, vis-a-vis yacht racing, at least. Remarking on Morten’s performance - on and off the water - Colonel Kulbir Sing Saini, a member of the International Jury and a former Indian Laser National Champion said, "Jakobsen sailed clean and fair and epitomized the best of the sport, one example of which was the workshop the Dane conducted here."

The America’s Cup Example

"One did not need a compass to race on the lake: rather, a crystal ball would have been more appropriate, such were the wildly varying conditions of the venue," Morten joked last week. Yet, in spite of a weight disadvantage compared to his smaller Asian competitors, his tall Danish physique was to pay dividends.

In the America’s Cup, for example, a crewmember is sent up the mast to look for wind patterns on a flat sea and then call in the co-ordinates to the tactician below. That is a little difficult on a Laser dinghy, Morten rightly surmised: so instead, every now and then, he stood up and from the height advantage, could see emerging wind patterns around the course. It obviously paid off.

The Royal Varuna Yacht Club was the host to the highly successful 1999 Asian Pacific Championships, sponsored by our own Pattaya Mail. Now, with Royal Varuna’s triumph in India, Morten’s bid for the Laser title in Ireland and a junior team from Sattahip set to represent the Kingdom at the International Optimist Dinghy Association World Championships in China next month, it augurs well for the Eastern Seaboard’s increasing role on the world’s yacht-racing stage.

Meantime, club racing progresses as the Southwest Monsoon storms blow in, occasionally battering the coast and making launching off the Royal Varuna beach into the onshore wind quite an exciting challenge.

Mike’s Shopping Mall Futsal Cup underway

Futsal, or 5-man indoor soccer, got underway on May 26 on the 5th floor of Mike’s Shopping Mall. Games will be played every Saturday and Sunday starting at 1.30 in the afternoon and continuing through to 8.30 p.m. until August 25, with teams competing for the Mike’s Shopping Mall Futsal Cup.

The competition has been divided into different age groups, starting at the 12-year old level and continuing on up to teams open to the general public.

The Minister of Science, Technology and Environment, Sonthaya Khunpluem, seen here presenting plaques to players representing teams opening the Futsal Cup competition at Mikes Shopping Mall, presided over the opening of the games.

To get things rolling on May 26, a team of players from the local media lined up against the Siam Athletic team for a demonstration game. Since the outcome of the game was not submitted to Pattaya Mail, we can only assume the media team lost.

A game between a VIP team led by city mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat playing against a team made up of notable figures in show business followed, and afterwards the opening games competing for the Mikes Shopping Mall Futsal Cup began.

PBTA president Surat Mekawarakul chairs the committee organizing the athletic event, which is made up of members of the Pattaya business community who sponsor the futsal competition, including support from Sophon Cable TV, Banglamung Cable TV, Pattaya Mail and Mike’s Shopping Mall.

The pathfinder shows the transport manager the way

Doctor splits ladies at The Haven

IPGC TAGGS golf from The Haven

Monday 28th May - Sriracha (Bogey)

1st: Bob Morrison, 6 up
2nd: Jimmy Little, 1 up
3rd: Stephen Beard, 2 down (cb9 all square)
4th: Klaus Schackt, 2 down (cb9 2 down)

Bob Morrison easily won the TAGGS bogey competition May 28 on a day that saw many ups and downs from the field playing a course in excellent condition at a very reasonable price.

Jimmy Little was once again the runner up, with Stephen Beard fading badly on the back nine.

Richard welcomed new members Desmond Reagan from New Zealand and Dale Shier from the UK. Also welcomed back were Kenny Carr from the USA and John Taylor from NZ. Farewell to big Wilf who returns to the UK for a rest.

Wednesday 30th May - Bangpra (Stableford)

1st: Bob Morrison, 41 pts
2nd: Michel Vogeler, 37 pts
3rd: John Taylor, 30 pts (cb9 14 pts)
4th: Stephen Beard, 30 pts (cb9 12 pts)

Bob Morrison won for the second time in succession and now looks forward to a heavy reduction in his handicap, while Michel Vogeler continues to steadily improve, and Stephen Beard misses out on count back, this time to John Taylor, the old fiddler from NZ.

Friday 1st June - Phoenix (Stableford)

1st: Banjob Franklin, 44 pts
2nd: Stephen Beard, 39 pts
3rd: Oradee Kaesavane, 38 pts

A beautiful day for golf saw Dr Stephen, who recently completed his PhD, bisex (sic) the two lady competitors.

Banjob Franklin, who shot a career best gross 40 on the back nine, said she had never felt better even playing with her husband Mike, whilst Oradee commented that she was usually under Klaus and it was very nice to finish over him for a change.

Banjob is currently playing off 26, but after carding 44 points in this competition, she is expecting to go down over the weekend.

Oradee also had a very good front nine of 22 pts, on the Mountain but was unable to keep it up on the back.

Shot of the day was Jimmy Little’s 125 yard pitch in from the trees on the 3rd Ocean after hitting three tree clubs.

Rob Brown drinks from the coveted mug

Pattaya Sports Club Golf from the Cafe Kronborg

Monday, May 28 - Century Chonburi (stroke play)

The tough Century Chonburi layout provided a day of stroke play for ten golfers.

Ebrahim won with a net 78. Rob Brown and Fred Marshall tied with net 80s, with Rob winning on count back.

Thursday, May 31 - Phoenix Country Club (stroke play)

Eighteen golfers competed for the coveted Kronborg Mug on the mountain and ocean layouts at Phoenix Country Club.

Rob Brown took the mug on a count back from Pete Galle, both with a net 68.

Steady Fred Marshall took third on a count back from John Swanson with a net 69.

Near pins: M8 Pete Galle, O5 Rob Brown, and O7 Bengt Vinterssen

The Square Ring

by Howie Reed

Kinda interesting take on how the WBC (World Boxing Council) came to choose Pattaya for their annual convention. The original host for this year’s event was going to be Jakarta Indonesia. Following the announcement of he convention many delegates said, "Yea right. Not in this lifetime." Goodbye Jakarta, hello Pattaya.

Just when most though that the heavyweight division couldn’t get any goofier, it did. Brain Nelson (63-0) is out as the first opponent of Hasim Rahman. As Nelson exits stage left, on stage comes David Izon. Well maybe he’ll be the opponent in China this August. Don King, a man who usually doesn’t let details get in the way of his grand schemes (which is fancying talk for "lying"), sprinkled a disclaimer into his speech several times. "Rahman will be fighting in Beijing, God willing and with the court’s approval." As Rahman is a devout Muslim maybe Mr. King should have asked Allah to intervene. Nelson was 86’d, in the words of a Rahman advisor, because Rahman "wanted a more difficult fight". Actually, the Nigerian born Izon, with a record of 27-3 with 23 KO’s, could be a poster person for the word "journeyman". He’s lost to David Tua and Michael Grant via the KO route and then a decision to the ever popular Maurice Harris (5-6-2). A fine kettle of fish this is.

The now ex opponent put his own spin on what happened. "He (Rahman) says that I’m not a real opponent - and that I would only last a round or two. Who is he kidding? I kicked his a** and knocked him down several times in sparring four years ago," Nelson told the Danish paper Ekstra Bladet. "Rahman is obviously afraid of looking bad against me - because the American public considers me a nobody."

Word is that very popular Wayne McCullough (23-0-3, 14 KO’s) will retire for the ring when he returns to the USA from his native Belfast. McCullough, the Pocket Rocket, has finally gotten approval to fight in the USA but the British Board of Control has stood by their decision to refuse the popular Irishman a license. Prior to his last scheduled fight a "brain scan" detected a spot in the area of the brain. He fought as a superbantam and featherweight facing the best in both divisions. His three losses came from his last 6 fights against three greats. Never knocked out, he lost 12 round decisions to Erik Moralas (37-0-0), Prince Naseem (34-1-0) and Daniel Zaragoza (53-7-3). One of McCullough’s option is to train young fighters in his adopted Las Vegas.

During my last trip to Pattaya, while enjoying a "tall cold one" and a fine cigar at a local dance emporium on the Second Road a Kojak look alike approached with "evil intent". "So you think you know something about boxing. I had 70 amateur fights," he said while bobbing and weaving to emphasize his point. "The Prince will kill that Indian next time. I heard him say, ‘He had a bad night’. Next time he’ll kill that Indian." With that he was on this way. Not to be confused with "being off" although he qualified for that also. My pal will have to wait awhile. First Mr. Barerra is of Mexican decent not "Indian". Naseem, Prince Elephant Ears, had 41 days after the fight to ask for a rematch. He didn’t, although according to his brother "he wanted to." Barerra? He’ll try and reverse the recorded loss to Eric Morlaes in either November or December in Las Vegas.

Updated every Friday
Copyright 2001  Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]

Updated by Chinnaporn Sungwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri Suansuk.
E-Mail: [email protected]