IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at The Links Bar
A serious public holiday, potentially a full and expensive golf course? The Pattaya Golf Society would have nothing of it and so fulfilled a booking at nearby Rayong Country Club on 7th December. The course was almost empty, the “all-in” rate gave change from a thousand baht and the well prepared course provided an excellent test for the large field, cut at sixteen and under.
In the second flight a four-way tie for third place saw Alan Duckett, Mr Len, John Tallett and John O’Sullivan, all with 29 points, walk away with the price of a beer whilst new club Captain Mike King took second place with 31 points. The currently very consistent Irish golfer, Larry Slattery, stole the show with an excellent 35 points for the flight win.
Lovely Burapha – a tough test from the blue tees.
In the top flight Peter Wilson recorded 32 points for third place, one behind “Banjo” Bannister on 33, leaving George Robinson at the top of the leaderboard with 35 points.
There were no ‘2’s and the non-winners’ beer went to Brian Talbot whilst Mike Wilsher took another Booby Bevy for an insignificant round.
Golf on a public holiday in Pattaya? A piece of cake!
Burapha blues
On Wednesday, 9th December the Pattaya Golf Society visited the quality course at Burapha to play a stableford competition over the A and B nines from the blue tees. On a good day the blue tees offer a stern challenge even when there is run but on this day the soft fairways and set back tees meant the 6780 yard length felt more like 6900 yards. Consequently the long hitters and low handicappers would have an enormous say in where the prizes went. To prove the point the top half of the leaderboard showed an average handicap of 13 whilst the bottom half averaged sixteen.
The field consisted of a single flight and sharing second place were Paul Hubbard and Mark Lang with 34 points, Mark recording the best gross of the day, a very accomplished 80 shots. The winner was Andrew Purdie with a prodigious 35 points.
Both ‘2’s were recorded on the sixth hole and the pot was shared by Robert Moses and Tony Kvedaras, both new members, and it was a fine way to celebrate their first PGS competition.
The non-winners beer went to the aforementioned Tony whilst Larry Slattery, a winner on Monday, took the Booby Bevy for his “hero-to-zero” round which saw his score almost at the bottom of a large pile.
Burapha is clearly one of the region’s premier courses but its challenge matches the best efforts of most golfers most of the time.
A tale of two flights
The Pattaya Golf Society ended its golfing week with a visit to Mountain Shadow to play a stableford competition from the blue tees. A large field turned out and the cut was made at 15.3 and under. The course was well presented as usual but a lack of bunker rakes meant many traps were pocked with heel prints and scuffs. It does not cost a fortune to provide rakes for each rank of bunkers, after all.
Scores were puzzling with the top ten golfers all representing the top flight. The second flight had third place winner, Mike King, recording only 29 points, one behind runner up John Chelo with 30. The flight winner was Jim Ferris with 31 points.
In the top flight Canadian Rick Schramm made third place with a fine 37 points. In second was Richard “Banjo” Bannister with 38 points and Finnish golfer Erik Anttonen took the flight with an excellent score of 40 points. It represented the fortieth round of forty points or more recorded by PGS golfers this year. Quite a feat indeed!
There were five birdie ‘2’s including a superb eagle two on the thirteenth by David Thomas. The non-winners’ beer draw was won by Helene Lindberg and husband Michael recorded a unique double by taking the Booby Bevy for his first round since returning from a chilly Sweden. Here’s to more Michael!
