IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
Monday, 28th March was the coolest day for a long while and the Pattaya Golf Society visited Green Valley for a taste of “winter” golf in the form of the group’s monthly medal event.
With the domestic return of a dozen friends only three days previously, the group found itself shorn to a single flight and the concession was made to start from the original white tees on the first hole, hoping a par to start would warm the spirit and bodies of the golfers, but Green Valley management chose to start the competition of the tenth.
So much for good intentions but a feast of good golf still was produced as “Banjo” Bannister and Wichai Tananusorn both recorded net 71 for a share of third place. New Yorker Dave Moriarty has proved himself more than capable in the last month and he excelled himself on this his final round to produce net 68, his gross 81 just failing by one to be the best of the day. Sharing top spot with Dave was Peter Talbot.
The only birdie ‘2’ was recorded by Steve Durey on the twelfth on his first round with the lads whilst the Booby Bevy went to new member John O’Sullivan, a ten handicapper who chose to perform like a newcomer to the game with the highest score of the day.
It may have been a cold day but the scores at the top certainly warmed the spirits of the PGS at Green Valley.
That’ll do nicely Larry
The cold snap continued but so did the golf as the Pattaya Golf Society visited Phoenix on Wednesday, 30th March to play a stableford competition over the Lakes and Ocean nines. Once again the field was limited to a single flight as the hint of a repeat of last year’s low season began to appear but those involved found the weather may have been cool but the golf as always was warm and friendly.
Sharing third place were Brian Beaupre and Wichai Tananusorn, both on 33 points and Brian achieving he best gross of eighty. Ahead in second was new member Mal Russell, seemingly playing out of his skin with 35 points whilst Larry Slattery came good at last with 36 points for the win.
There were no birdie ‘2’s on the firm unreceptive greens and the Booby Bevy went to “Boss for the Day” John Mason after boasting that Ocean six was a beautiful hole and then saw his tee shot ricochet off a tree, thereby preserving the safety of the house bordering the dogleg. An air-shot which followed compounded the issue but promoted a worthy discussion on why the warning signs are only in English, not Thai, Japanese or Korean. Enthusiastic and speculative but not as enjoyable as Larry’s fine efforts at Phoenix.
Emerald Isle Winner
On Friday 1st April the Pattaya Golf Society chose Emerald as the venue for its stableford competition to start the new month and found the course full of Pattaya golfers. The weather was better than for recent rounds and the course was quite well presented.
The single flight was to see some excellent golf and Chris Smith, playing off scratch, recorded the day’s best gross of 76 to share third place on 32 points with Patrick Russell. The joint winners were Alan Duckett, taking a rare break from his Windmill Bar in Jomtien, and Larry Slattery, both on 37 points. For Larry, the golfer from the Emerald Isle, it was the second consecutive round at the top of the leaderboard and he also scored the day’s only birdie ‘2’ on the thirteenth.
Mal Russell was the recipient of the Booby Bevy after his hero-to-zero performance saw him total nineteen points less than his previous appearance while he wilted in the excessive humidity.
The day was capably marshalled by John Mason but even he could do nothing about a slow round behind holiday golfers.
