IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society opened its 2011 account with a public holiday appearance at Rayong CC on Monday 3rd January for a stableford competition. The course was very hard underfoot, whilst some fairway watering was taking place, but the irrigation system is the original one and is not truly effective.
Good iron striking was essential and the PGS’s current in-form golfer, Wichai Tananusorn, found few problems in accumulating 35 points for fourth place. New member John Chelo struck all the right notes in his 36 point return for third place. However Chelo was forced to play second fiddle to an Aussie duo, seldom seen in the rankings, who played splendidly to share the win with 37 points each. Full marks to Les Burns and Brendan Gilsenan for mastering the track and for the latter it was his second successive victory. Aussies winning in testing conditions? Unheard of in recent times, according to the Poms in the field!
Wichai also recorded a brace of birdie ‘2’s, on the seventh and twelfth holes, to end a profitable day and the Booby Bevy was reserved for newest member Mukesh Thakkar after declining the opportunity to enter his first competition and coming up with the best score.
It had been a pleasant way to enter the New Year and more fine days lie ahead for the Soi Buakhao based group.
Thakkar tames Treasure Hill
On Friday, 7th January, the Pattaya Golf Society revisited Treasure Hill after a long absence and found the course to be in perfect condition, by far the best prepared course in the area currently, with lush fairways and exquisitely consistent and quick greens. The legendary tough challenge attracted a large field and the cut came at sixteen and under with play from the yellow tees.
As usual the golfers struggled to come to terms with the accuracy and subtlety demanded by the course and scores seemed to be heading for the usual above par average. In the second flight Len Jones, Masashi Iizumi, Pat Murphy and Jim Ferris shared third place with hard earned scores of 28 points whilst Canadian Gordon Everingham managed some respectability with a second placed 34 points. Old French warhorse Jean Morel drew on all his Treasure Hill experience to tease out a score of 35 points and take the flight win.
In the top flight Ray Banks and Wichai Tananusorn shared third place with 32 points, one behind an in-form Marc Jensen who finished as runner-up on 33 points. The winner was debutant member Mukesh Thakkar and he defied golfing logic and history with a score of 41 points for an emphatic victory. It represented the best PGS winning score at the course in more than fifty attempts with only four other golfers managing to break par there in competitions since the club opened its doors to non members some ten years ago.
Ray Banks and Mukesh shared the ‘2’s pot with their fine efforts on hole thirteen and Rod Stevens received the Booby Bevy as an attempt to boost his immunity to hornet stings after an unfortunate incident mid round.
In the opinion of all the golfers Treasure Hill represents outstanding value for money at the moment and a regular monthly visit is assured.
