The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
Green Valley was the venue for the Pattaya Golf Society on Monday, 31st March as the Soi Buakhao based group finished its high season with a stableford competition.
The course was in good condition but the greens were slower than many could remember. A fresh breeze, tees set back and compacted bunkers all added to the cocktail of skill and luck which is needed to play a course well.
Reinforced by the return of old friends Tony Thorne, Tim Dale and Rabbi, the group set off in one flight and saw Masashi Iizumi draw a successful visit to an end with a fourth place finish with 30 points. Sharing second were Robbie Taylor and Tim Dale with 34 points and Larry Ang was the only player to make par, therefore winning the day with 36 points.
Robbie Taylor shared the ‘2’s pot with Murray Edwards and Billy Hill received the consolation beer on his final round this trip. The Booby Bevy went to “Rabbi” Cohen after his split figures of six and twenty.
The day had begun with the presentation of a hole-in-one certificate to Wichai Tananusorn after his memorable moment at the course two weeks previously and the presentation was again splendidly hosted by Shane and Peter back at the Elephant Bar in Soi Buakhao.
Plaiter again on track
On Tuesday, 2nd April the Pattaya Golf Society travelled to Pattavia to try the revamped course on a day when it would be empty. So it was except for greens staff trying to extend the area of sanding on the greens. The result was seven heavily sanded greens and eleven in their normal testing state.
The course was otherwise in good condition with green fairways and excellent tee boxes. The bunkers however were of coarse river sand, heavily compressed and from which escape was difficult. The group put on a brave face and did their best.
Sharing third place were Leigh Abbey, Peter Ditz and Ken Grimes, all on 32 points, whilst the winner was one point better. Dave Plaiter had survived a very recent four shot cut in handicap to post the winning score of 33 points.
Robbie Taylor recorded the only birdie ‘2’ on the thirteenth and John Chelo’s day was marked with the Booby Bevy after an uncharacteristic round with a 15-11 split. Finally, the non winner’s consolation beer was drawn in favour of Mr Len but a redraw saw Pat Murphy enjoy the cool beer.
Hopefully greens will be in better order when the group travels to Pattavia next month.
Close call at Crystal Bay
On Friday, 4th April the Pattaya Golf Society visited Crystal Bay to play a stableford event on the B and C nines, which were in reasonable condition but the unkempt bunkers and bobbly, slow greens detracted from what should have been an otherwise excellent day.
The result was a close contest, with David Thomas firing the best gross of the day in recording 35 points for third place. One point to the better were Leigh Abbey and John Mason on 36 points and for Leigh it closed a very short visit which saw him perform very well in two out of three competitions.
There were no birdie ‘2’s, Larry Ang took the bar’s consolation beer for the non winners and Joe Dourley was rewarded with the Booby Bevy as a farewell gesture from the organiser David Thomas.
