IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
On “All Saints Day”, Monday, 1st November, the IPGC Pattaya Golf Society began a new chapter in its fifteen year history by moving to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for its competition golf and it was fitting that the excellent course at Khao Kheow was chosen as the historic venue. The C and A nines were well presented and the drying wind of the recent few days had quickened the greens considerably and given more run on the fairways.
The cool overcast conditions made life comfortable for the golfers and a close competition was in prospect as the round began.
So it was with Masa Takano, “Banjo” Bannister and Jim McNeil all sharing third place with 33 points. Greens running at ten are a rarity and this helped to keep scores in check. In second place was a delighted Len Jones with 34 points, always an achievement for a high handicapper on this tough course, demanding both accuracy and control. The winner was Wichai Tananusorn and his game was all about accuracy, nailing fairway after fairway and managing the putts when they were required.
The only highlight of Pete Sumner’s sad round was his birdie ‘2’ on A3 following an amazing four hole burst of negative scores and the Booby Bevy went to a returning Roy Mann, as always, after having the temerity to post a back nine score of seventeen points, thus breaking the mould of his normal performance at the club.
The day had been a very enjoyable one and everyone at the presentation heralded the move as a success.
No pennies for the guys
Following the IPGC Monthly Medal event at St Andrews, the Pattaya Golf Society turned out a good field at Bangpra for stableford competition on Friday 5th November. The course was well presented as usual but the greens were out of character, being on the slower side and a little inconsistent. This caught out many of the participants.
The day was being celebrated in UK as Guy Fawkes Day but there were no fireworks on display at Bangpra as scores were restricted to a few damp squibs with only a couple of crackers.
Sharing third place was a quartet of hopefuls on 34 points as Tim Lazecki joined Dave Wilkinson, Peter Ditz and Paul McNally in the frame, Paul recording the day’s best gross of 79. In second place a resurgent Masa Takano posted a sub-par 37 to bring a little respectability to the proceedings whilst the sole lady, Margaret Wilkinson had her best round for many a day recording 39 points for a fine win. It included the day’s only birdie ‘2’, an excellent effort on the seventeenth.
Margaret’s high handicap game was all about simplicity – hit the fairway, put the next in position to reach the green and don’t waste the putt. Simple but very effective and there’s a lesson there for all of us.
At the presentation later in Soi Buakhao Tony Thorne was awarded the October “Player of the Month” award and also received the Booby Bevy for his “hero to zero” performance on a day when he posted his poorest score of the year, his putting touch deserting him completely.
At Bangpra the lady had the final word at last.
