The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at the Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Eastern Star on Monday, 26th May, for the first time in three months and found a course in good shape with fairways giving some run and greens which were no longer the butt of bar jokes. It remained a tough challenge however, as scores would show.
The large field played strokeplay and saw Alan Duckett and Jonh Chelo share third place with net 77. In second was Wichai Tananusorn, registering the best gross of the day, 82, which gave him net 75. It was fitting that the winner was Jim Ferris, finishing his long holiday with some of his best golf and his net 74 was worth far more than it seemed. We must now wait and see what the English summer does to his game before his return in a few months.
Mike King recorded the only birdie ‘2’ of the day, on the teasing thirteenth, and was one of the four near-pin winners in the technical competition sponsored by Garry Hookey. The other winners were David Thomas (holes 3 and 6), and Ken Page (13).
Akifumi Tate took the bar’s consolation beer whilst Willie Barbour enjoyed the Booby Bevy after another challenging day with an injured shoulder. At the end of a challenging and very hot day I think Ferris enjoyed a final fling at Eastern Star.
Thomas wins maiden visit
The Pattaya Golf Society made a rare visit to Wangjuntr on Wednesday, 28th May to play a stableford competition on the unusual and technically tough course with its huge variations in elevation and magnificent views of East Thailand.
The course was in excellent condition with lush fairways and consistent yet quirky greens, peppered with flowerbeds, ponds and huge slopes. A challenge indeed and the group made an good fist of things which resulted in moderate scores, except for one.
Many were playing there for the first time but Andrew Purdie has the experience and it helped the long hitting Aussie as he recorded 31 points for third place. In second, on his Wangjuntr debut, was John Chelo and his 32 point second place gave him enjoyable memories of his long stay on the eve of his departure back to Canada. The winner was David Thomas, another course “newbie”, and his front nine of only one over par for the course held promise of something special but a rain stop and some loss of rhythm on the back nine denied him the pleasure of a massive win, leaving him on 38 points.
There were no birdie ‘2’s and the Booby Bevy went to John O’Sullivan after a round that challenged his patience and sense of humour. Wangjuntr is not for the faint hearted and some of the golfers on parade probably hailed it as their final trip to the course, but no one can deny the challenge that is on offer in “them thar hills.”
Tananusorn back in the zone
On Friday, 30th May the Pattaya Golf Society visited a woeful Emerald to play a stableford competition on a course devoid of water and suffering badly from fairway renovation, which has left large tracts of fairway patchy and sand covered. The price which challenges that at Khao Kheow and Bangpra does no justice to the homely club and golfers are voting with their feet.
After PGS had checked in at 10am they were as many as twenty people in all who had chosen the course for their day’s golf. However the fun went ahead, with Andrew Purdie and Robbie Taylor sharing third place with 36 points whilst Wichai Tananusorn played an excellent round of 77 shots, giving him 38 points for an emphatic win. It included a birdie ‘2’ on the fifth to give him sole bragging rights for the ‘2’s pot.
Ken Grimes took the bar’s consolation beer and the Booby Bevy was held back as the favoured recipient was still relaxing in a darkened room with a cold towel on his brow at the time of the presentation.
Another hot week had concluded with the Pattaya Golf Society looking forward to more and on finer courses in the next week.
