The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society made its first ever visit to Wangjuntr Highlands on Wednesday, 18th April, in an attempt to get as far away as possible from manic Pattaya during Songkhran week and we were treated to an empty course of stunning panoramas, great changes in elevation and huge, contrived quirky greens. What a challenge for the lads!
Teeing off late after the group leader had managed to miss the entrance by some 25 kilometres – his driving on the back nine followed the same pattern! – the cart path restriction, the oppressive humidity and the steep “alpine” fairways made for a five hour round, but at every turn the course was spectacular with deer and ostriches watching with casual amusement.
Sharing second place were Wichai Tananusorn and Tony Thorne with 30 points, both having played the course before, but the winner was John Mason on “terra incognita” with 32 points after playing bogey golf for most of the holes. The group had to wait until the seventeenth to record the only birdie ‘2’ of the day, a fine effort by Tony Thorne.
What an experience the day had been, with magnificent value for money and John Mason recording another PGS “first” after recording the group’s first Emerald hole-in-one almost a year ago to the day.
Top performance from Thorne
At the end of a Songkhran week there were few golfers left in town but quite a strong field turned out at Emerald on Friday, 20th April to play a Pattaya Golf Society stableford event. The course was reasonably presented with greens running at a moderate pace and the lack of customers saw everyone finish within four hours.
In third place Wichai Tananusorn returned a score of 35 points after an uncharacteristic blemish on the second hole. In second was Stuart Thompson who performed manfully despite a painful back condition to put together a round of 37 points. The best round of the day was recorded by Tony Thorne and three fine birdies combined with a clutch of strong pars to give him 40 points, his best performance with the group in many months. Hopefully he is on the way back after a testing year of struggles with form.
There were no birdie ‘2’s and the Booby Bevy went to Dave Lehane by way of a welcome back after his first tentative round after surgery. Stick with it Dave, good to have you back!
