The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
Easter Monday, bright blue sky and cooling breezes all the way as the Pattaya Golf Society visited Royal Lakeside on 1st April to play a stableford competition on the immaculately prepared course. What a prospect lay ahead for the group. An empty course added to the attraction of the day and the days are well gone when a golfer needed forty points just to get into the frame by the banks of the Bangpakong River.
Sharing third place were late entrant Dave Edwards and Norwegian golfer Bent Saeverud on 33 points and they just missed out on the top spot of 34 points which was shared by “Big Phil” Mitchell and Peter Ditz.
Alan Flynn and Dave Edwards shared the ‘2’s pot after their birdies on the twelfth and fifteenth holes respectively and John Mason, who started out like the proverbial train, found his only consolation was the Booby Bevy after his implosion on the back nine gave him split figures of 22 – 6 for his round. Rabbi’s free beer draw was won by Gubbi Innvaer.
Later at the presentation, Mr Len thanked John Mason for his excellent stewardship on the day and the whole group were unanimous in their praise for the condition of the course, which will be well patronised over the coming months by the PGS.
The Rabbi has arrived
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Bangpra on Wednesday, 3rd April to play a stableford competition on the quality course, which unusually disappointed with inconsistent, unrolled and uncut greens. It seems like a prelude to some regular greens maintenance. However, the rest of the course was in excellent condition and the two flights, divided at fourteen and under, left the tee on time.
The top flight struggled on the greens and Mike Ensor managed to take third place with 32 points, which included a birdie ‘2’ on the twelfth hole. In second with the best gross figures of the day, seventy-nine, was Martin Grimoldby with 33 points. The winner was Scotsman Neil McIntosh with 37 points.
The second flight was a tighter affair with John Chelo finishing third with 31 points, a couple behind Bento Saeverud whose 34 points showed his consistency this trip. The flight winner was none other than the “Rabbi”, Jeff Cohen, with 35 points, his best result in over four years giving him his maiden PGS win. The Rabbi has indeed arrived and to celebrate he duly rang the bell and the presentation party was a jolly good affair.
“Big Phil” Mitchell took the Booby Bevy for his “hero-to-zero” round in which he plummeted from first on his last round to last on this and Wichai Tananusorn took the boss’s free beer draw in his stride. Greens apart Bangpra still gave good value on the day.
Forty plus again
On Friday, 5th April the Pattaya Golf Society made the short trip to Crystal Bay to play a stableford competition on the B and C nines. As normal, the course was in excellent condition with greens running at a deliciously fast-medium pace and well prepared fairways. Golfers on top of their game could look forward to another high scoring day and so it was to be.
In fourth place with 37 points was Aussie Robbie Taylor, playing as solidly as ever. In its sixth visit this year the PGS racked up three more forty-plus rounds as Dave Edwards tied with Wichai Tananusorn for second place with 40 points; Wichai also recording the best gross of the day, 75. The winner was Dave Lehane with his best round for a long while, 41 points. The retired dentist was certainly not looking down in the mouth after this performance!
Incredibly there were no birdie ‘2’s and the Booby Bevy was reserved for Bento Saeverud after some amazingly athletic emergency “evacuation” en route to the course. Mike Ensor, just out of the frame, enjoyed the boss’s free beer draw and the week ended on another high in Soi Buakhao for the PGS golfers.
