IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at the Links Hotel
The Pattaya Golf Society held its Annual Strokeplay Championships at Khao Kheow on Tuesday and Thursday, 17th and 19th January. The course was in excellent condition on both days with B & C being the course for Day 1 and A & B chosen for the second and decisive day. Conditions were comfortable with a cooling breeze in evidence throughout.
Thirty-six holes of highly focused strokeplay is a big “ask” but, in the absence of current champion, Chris Smith, who has loftier golf ambitions now, a quality field of golfers were up for the challenge.
At the end of the first day the Net Championship saw Jon Batty and Billy Shelley tying for second whilst the only sub-par round of the tournament was recorded by Alan Thomas, his net 70 (gross 76) held the lead. The second day was a tougher affair and the low handicappers from the newly established Access Golf group, who had qualified for this event, used their knowledge of the tough A & B track to joust it out to the end. Favoured golfers like Seil Pete, Peter Wilson and Jon Batty led their standards slip a little and that gave Dave Moriarty and Ray Banks an opportunity to join the fray but another consistent round from Billy Shepley saw him dominate with net scores of 73 and 74.
After the maths had been done Alan Thomas (144) had won the Net Championship, with Billy Shepley (147) second, with positions reversed for the Gross Championship as Billy took the major honours with 155 shots to Alan’s 156. Third in both divisions was Jon Batty, giving the Access golfers all three podium places.
It had been another highly enjoyable Championship and at the presentation later in The Links, Mr Len thanked all who had helped to make the day another success, including the staff at the bar whose fine efforts on the final day provided a splendid presentation buffet. However, the main thanks were reserved for the PGS golfers who had contributed so much to the golf group throughout 2016, thereby qualifying for the fifteenth PGS Annual Championship.
