IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at the Links Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society travelled to the picturesque course at Royal Lakeside on Monday, 9th March to play a stableford competition. Many of those in the field had not had the opportunity to play the course before and for them it would be a tasty treat. The course was in splendid condition with grassed fairways, compacted bunkers and those contoured greens were running at 9 on the stimpmeter. Tasty indeed!
The field was divided into two flights at seventeen and under and golfers on top of their game enjoyed the challenge of pursuing a high score, and many in fact did, with the whole field average being a creditable 32 points.
The impressive looking clubhouse at Royal Lakeside.
In the second flight, Larry Gibb posted a score of 37 points for third place whilst Murray Edwards and John Tallett shared the win with 39 points each and for John it was his PB in Thailand.
In the top flight three golfers shared the win with 39 points each; Dave Edwards, Masa Takano and Alan Flynn. Alan also took a share of the ‘2’s pot with a fine effort on the third and the pot was further depleted with the birdies of Ken Page, Mike Wilsher and Richard Dobson.
Jim Ferris enjoyed the bar’s beer for the non-winners draw and newly arrived Pete Dunsmore played the round having temporarily lost his broad brimmed hat and suffered in the heat. The Booby Bevy inevitably cooled him down a little.
Gawron tops at Eastern Star
On Wednesday 11 March the Pattaya Golf Society took seven groups to Eastern Star, to play a stableford competition from the white tees. The two flights – split at 15 and under – teed off 15 minutes early on a course that was well presented and offered run. Whilst the fairways were cut close, giving many tight lies, the putting surfaces were as good as has been experienced at Eastern Star for many a year – fast and true. With greens like this, Eastern Star’s high-season green-fee rate of 800 baht is one of the best VFM propositions around.
The course gave up four ‘2’s; in A Flight Huw Phillips on 17, and Peter Dunsmore at the 3rd while B Flight’s Kevin McConnell scored his on the 3rd and Greg Gawron birdied the 6th.
Scoring was tight in A Flight with the three podium placers separated by just the one shot. Peter Ditz, who won the flight with 34 points, wouldn’t have made the podium in B Flight, such was the difference. Third place in B Flight required 35 points whilst the runner-up – Michael McGuigan – broke par with a 37-point haul. The flight winner – Greg Gawron – returned an impressive 41 point score; an excellent result on this tough test of golf.
Back at the Links Bar, we welcomed back Kevin Cumming from Australia before going on to announce today’s winners. Mr Len won his first-ever lucky beer draw, and today’s organiser – David Thomas – awarded himself the booby bevy on two counts: having a 21-11 point split and being pulled over on the return journey and fined 400 baht for a back-seat passenger not wearing a seat-belt!
A Flight
1st Peter Ditz (10) 34pts
T2nd Dave Moriarty (14) 33pts
T2nd Huw Phillips (15) 33pts
B Flight
1st Greg Gawron (17) 41pts
2nd Michael McGuigan (27) 37pts
3rd Larry Gibb (21) 35pts
Canadian quality
The PGS took a moderately sized group to Silky Oak on Friday, 13th March to play a stableford competition on the rarely visited course. The layout was in excellent condition with well grassed fairways, good bunkers and consistent if a little slow greens. And of course it was empty! At the all-inclusive rate Green Valley charged it represented outstanding VFM.
An empty course meant an earlier than booked start time and excellent progress throughout. Many of the field were playing the course for the first time and all comments were favourable afterwards. Scores as usual here were moderately good and third place was taken by Richard Dobson on his final round this trip, with a score of 35 points. Ahead was Masaaki Sugara, making his return with 37 points, and the winner was Canadian golfer Kevin McConnell with an excellent 38 points.
Kevin’s score was aided by a birdie ‘2’ on the “postage stamp” fifth and he was joined in a share of the ‘2’s pot by Wichai Tananusorn, on the same hole, and Masaaki on the seventh.
Syd Harrison was declared the winner in the free beer draw and Mr Len and Huw Phillips shared the Booby Bevy after their fourth place finish of 33 points would normally have lined their pockets slightly, had it not been for the number of ‘2’s.
The presentation saw PGS bid their goodbyes to Richard Dobson and Jeff Hunt, long time old friends, and welcomed Luke Abbey making the visit before his father this time. Sensible lad!
