IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society ended April with a visit to Phoenix to play a stableford competition over the Mountain and Lakes nines on the final day. It must be said that the course was not in good condition with greens coming out of coring and although fairways were quite good the course wore a distinctly “tired” look. However it is always a joy to play and a large field had assembled to give it a go, divided into two flights at seventeen and under.
In the top flight Alex Sala continued his consistent form with 32 points for third whilst Brian Talbot joined Seil Revels on 33 points for a share of the win. Seil’s efforts brought him the best gross figures of the day, eighty.
In the second flight John Mason took third with 35 points despite hating every putt he attempted on the “egg-box” greens. In second was Jean Morel after a long break with the group, showing he had lost none of his form in the meantime, with a fine 37 points. The winner was twenty handicapper James Smith whose form was so good his forty two points came from a round which was only six off the best gross figure of the day. He had been helped in part by a birdie ‘2’ on Mountain eight and he shared the pot with Dave Lehane who had accomplished a similar feat on Lakes two.
The Booby Bevy went to old friend Bob Boyle who managed to better most of his infrequent rounds with the group but always plays his golf with a broad smile. And that skill was the most essential one at Phoenix on a day when patience would be tested on the greens.
Bobby Dazzler
On Friday, 4th May, after an absence of many months the Pattaya Golf Society visited Green Valley with more than two dozen golfers, looking forward to a stableford competition on the fine course. The welcome was extremely feisty and an extra two hundred baht was demanded because we had exceeded our booked figure, on a relatively empty course!! Needless to say hasty negotiations took place and the insistence of the organiser, club member Mr Len, won the day but it was not the start the group had hoped for.
Thankfully the course was in better fettle than the staff and a close competition ensued. The cut was at fifteen and under and in the top flight Mark Stanley posted 35 points for third place. Ahead, sharing the win were Wichai Tananusorn and Jason Cole with 37 points. Jason took the best gross honours with 78, by virtue of his lower handicap but Wichai had the pleasure of sharing the ‘2’s pot with his peer as well as Stuart Thompson.
In the second flight Evan Millar put together a solid round of 33 points for third place with Pat Murphy posting 35 points for second on his recent return from Australia. The flight winner was Bobby Shirkey with 38 points on a day when everything seemingly went well. It was a rare honour for the diminutive Scot and one thoroughly well received by his colleagues.
At the end of the day the patience of the golfers had been rewarded by a good day’s golf but a cloud still remains after the attitude of the front desk staff.
