IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
On Valentine’s Day the Pattaya Golf Society paid a visit to Bangpra, which occupies a warm place in the hearts of many golfers. This day the course was full and as it was also the run-up to a major competition the course was not in the best of conditions with unusually slow and inconsistent greens. However the large field enjoyed the challenge of a stableford event with the field divided into two flights at sixteen and under.
In the second flight John Chelo returned a score of 33 points for third place but found he was some way behind the joint winners Yvonne Earley and, making his debut as a winner, Alan Walker. They both recorded 37 points on a tough day.
In the top flight scores were a mirror image with Mike Early making it a family double with his 33 points earning a share of third place with Dave Moriarty. The winner, with the best gross score of the day, eighty, was Rick Schramm whose golf is assured and confident these days and his 37 points came as a result of a sparkling back nine of 21 points, just one over the card.
Birdie ‘2’s were recorded by Mike Earley, Alan Walker and new member Gerry Kendrick and PJ Mitchell thought his day was looking good after his front nine of eighteen points but then proceeded to throw the round away with a lacklustre ten over on the back nine. The Booby Bevy lay in wait for him back at Rabbi’s in Soi Buakhao.
The best feature of the day was the return to his golfing home of David Thomas, finding time during his short stay to forget the ardours of the Western Australian sheep farm which has been his home for many months now. But just being on the golf course again was its own reward regardless of the rusty nature of his game.
Canadian doubles up
Eastern Star was the venue for the Pattaya Golf Society on Wednesday, 16th February, when the group called to play a stableford event over the well prepared course, with the field divided into two flights at thirteen and under. The course was relatively empty and the day was hot and humid.
In the second flight Harry Riley cruised around the course scoring 33 points which gave him third place, one behind the 34s of the joint leaders Mike Earley and the “Medal Man” John Mason, whose incredible round took off with two outrageous putts from off the greens on fourteen and fifteen, giving him eight points and almost doubling his score at that juncture.
In the top flight Wichai Tananusorn and Brian Beaupre shared second place with 32 points each whilst Rick Schramm took his second successive victory with 35 points and the best gross figures of the day. His form is irreproachable at present after a slow start to his tour of duty.
The ‘2’os pot was shared by Masa Takano (6) and “Banjo” Bannister (17) and the Booby Bevy went to Jim Ferris for his low score of the day. Paul Sturgeon shared the same low score but had the honour of teeing off the sixteen-thousandth round of golf with the PGS since the “reinvention” of the group back in May 2005. Here’s to the next sixteen!
Maestro Morel
On Friday, 18th February, “Makka Bucha Day” to those of the faith, the Pattaya Golf Society played a stableford competition at Rayong C.C. on a day when the course was full and the management tried unsuccessfully to accommodate all with a lack of caddies, forethought and respect for a three months in advance booking.
The insertion of a Korean six-ball and then a five-ball at the group’s start-time guaranteed a five-hour plus round and the inevitable final opportunity to tread the fairways on the course was stoically accepted by the PGS.
The field was divided into two flights at sixteen and under and in the top flight Mike Ensor, returning after an absence of a couple of years, posted 34 points for third place, just one behind the joint leaders Mike Earley and Brian Beaupre, the latter recording excellent gross figures of 78 for the round.
In the second flight late entrant Alan Duckett came good after a round of 35 points gave him third place. Runner-up was John Mason, fortified by the intake of copious draughts of Sambucca the evening before, and his 37 points represented his first sub-par round this trip. The flight winner was Jean Morel who conjured up forty points from his final group start-time to complete an excellent day.
Mike Ensor generously sponsored near pins on hole five and twelve and these were won by Dave Moriarty and John Mason whilst David Thomas and Mike Earley shared the ‘2’s pot after their efforts on the twelfth hole.
In deference to the good Lord Buddha the Booby Bevy was not presented, which saved the blushes of organiser Mr Len after his 20-5 split set an unwanted record for the group. The adrenalin created by doing the caddy marshall’s job for an hour before tee off had obviously drained completely after a three hour front nine! Bye Rayong C.C., see you when you’re in a better fettle.
