The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at the Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society travelled to Bangpra on Monday, 9th June to play a stableford competition on the popular course which had suffered a pounding with almost two hours of incessant rain just hours before the group got there, making the fairways soft and wet, with some minor flooding still evident.
Serious golfers will always accept the challenge and the group started on time. As expected the scores were not high, as Akifumi Tate and Wichai Tananusorn showed as they tied for second place with 31 points. One of the group’s most consistent golfers currently is Swede Tomas Nilsson and he got to grips with the task well returning with 35 points for an excellent and convincing win.
Brian Beaupre and Tomas Nilsson.
Akifumi Tate recorded the day’s only 2, on the picturesque eighth hole and David Thomas received the accolade of “non-winner of the day” as his card was drawn for the bar’s consolation beer. The Booby Bevy went to Peter Sanderson whose suffered cartilage damage after seven holes but bravely continued to accompany his group through to the end. Stout stuff Peter, well done mate!
One notable absentee at the presentation was Khun Wichai and the group were as one in wishing him “bon voyage” as he sets off on his annual European “tour”.
Big guns face off at Burapha
On Wednesday, 11th June the Pattaya Golf Society visited the exquisite course at Burapha to play a stableford competition on the C and D nines and found a course in very good condition and relatively empty. Given the course setup and the nature of the field it was anticipated that a tight affair would be on the cards and so it was to be. Whilst many in the field were negotiating the course, especially the scenic D nine, for the first time, others were enjoying pitting their skills against a course often used for major Thai events.
Low handicappers would have a field day and in third place was the consistent Swedish golfer Tomas Nilsson with 34 points. At the head of the field were current PGS Champion Chris Smith and Canadian golfer Brian Beaupre, both offering quality golf to the event. Individually they went head to head from the start and issues were not resolved until the final hole when Brian completed a round of gross 73 to give him 40 points to Chris’s gross 71 and 39 points. The difference was basically Brian’s birdie 2 on C5 and with this he shared the 2’s pot with Akifumi Tate who had accomplished the feat on C8.
The Booby Bevy went to Larry Slattery after his feeble excuse involving a caddy and a fairway sprinkler did not persuade his playing partners that an “incontinent” moment had not occurred on the ninth hole! If Pattaya golfers had shared a better day than PGS it must have been very good indeed.
A rare win for the boss
The Pattaya Golf Society ended a fine week with a visit to Khao Kheow on Friday, 13th June to play a stableford competition on the A and B nines which were soft and damp after daily drenchings. The greens were good but those on the B nine were quite a bit quicker and golfers were caught out after the turn and had to adjust.
As a result scores were on the low side and highlights of the front nine were the birdie 2’s recorded by Jesper Hansen and Mr Len on A5. Larry Slattery finished in third place on 30 points whilst David Thomas went one better for the runner up slot with 31. The day’s winner, still nursing a broken toe, was Mr Len whose nerve held for a rare win with 33 points.
Akifumi took the bar’s consolation beer and the Booby Bevy went to John Tallett who visited sand five times on the final hole, eventually putting out from the greenside bunker on B9.
Khao Kheow makes great demands from golfers but there are very few who can deny its charms.
