IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at the Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society travelled to a sunny and bright Eastern Star on Monday, 10th November to play a stableford competition on a presentable course with some inconsistent and lightly sanded greens.
The course has toughened up over the years and high scores are at a premium there especially as water and OB threatens the unwary golfer on so many holes. This day was no exception with the field average being 28 points from a group with more than its share of quality golfers.
In third place was Garry Hookey whose round had somehow sneaked under the radar as he does not always feature in the frame on tough courses but today was his day and 33 points was testimony to the accuracy of his game. Sharing first place were the expected candidates, Jon Batty and Tony Campbell and their scores of 35 points matched the average winning score at the course for the group. It really is that competitive.
Mark Lang recorded the only birdie ‘2’ of the day, on the sixth, whilst Larry Gibb enjoyed his luck as recipient of the bar’s free beer draw, with Mark Cooper taking the Booby Bevy for a split of 13 -19 points which ultimately fell one short of the podium.
Eastern Star was a tough start to the new week with the Pattaya Golf Society.
Beauty & the Beast
Bangpra was the venue for the Pattaya Golf Society’s stableford competition on Wednesday, 12th November. The day dawned brightly and a hot and humid day on a beautiful track lay ahead of the large group, divided into two divisions cut at 13 and under.
Bangpra greens were back to their wicked best, with endless “roll” from the softest touch and only those with initial uphill putts would stand a chance of scoring well.
In the second flight Willie Barbour made the podium for the first time with 27 points, proving length is not everything on a golf course, whilst Dave Lehane took second place with 32 points. The flight winner was Danish golfer Jesper Hansen with 33 points.
The top flight inevitably saw better scores with Andrew Purdie recording 32 points for third whilst marginally ahead on 33 was Brian Beaupre. The winner was Jon Batty and his 38 points was constructed with only twenty-six putts in the whole round. Phew!
The only birdie ‘2’s were in the second flight as Dave Lehane (2) shared the pot with Tatsumi Noguchi (12) of Japan. The bar’s consolation beer went to the returning Dave Heyes and big Tony Campbell gleefully accepted the Booby Bevy after his hero-to-zero round which saw one of Monday’s heroes plunge to an all time low with PGS with his own version of “military” golf and erratic putting.
Bangpra in this condition will be a test for even the best of golfers but there will be many wanting to give it a try during the next few months.
Invincible Batty
A week’s tough golf ended for the Pattaya Golf Society with a trip to Mountain Shadow to play a stableford competition on a well presented course with run and medium paced greens, which were really in need of a cut. Two flights contested with the cut coming at 12.3 and under and it saw some notables playing in the second flight for the first time in many a month.
The second flight saw a very competitive event with four golfers sharing third place as Garry Hookey, Mike King, Dave Lehane and Murray Edwards all managed 30 points. One point ahead was Dave Edwards in second and the flight winner was steady Aussie Bryan Brown, rarely off the fairway and enjoying his best round for a while.
In the top flight the competition was just as tight with Mark Cooper and a returning Rick Schramm both posting 35 points for third. Brian Beaupre took second with 36 points and his golf was the best gross of the day,77 shots. The winner hit a hat-trick of wins this week as another impeccable performance by Jon Batty emphasised his current form with 37 points. His swing may be unorthodox but all the evidence shows it is very effective and this week’s three wins will find no doubters.
Jon also recorded a brace of ‘2’s to share the pot with Peter Wilson, Rick Schramm and Mark Lang whilst in the second flight Dave Lehane enjoyed the spoils for the sole birdie on the seventeenth. Congratulations on a fine week Jon but there are golfers out there “marking your card!. Any thoughts on next week?
