IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at The Links Bar
On Monday, 12th September the Pattaya Golf Society visited a very soggy Treasure Hill to play a stableford round under heavy skies and with little prospect of a completed competition. The rains were incessant and it drove one group off the course early, the rest manfully bluffing it out against Mother Nature. Mother knows best!
Of those who completed the round, Mike Firkin celebrated his final game this trip with a third place finish on 29 points, which included a monstrous putted birdie on the seventeenth. Jim Ferris went one shot better with his second placed 30 points but Mr. Seil, who fared better under the best of the weather, finished with 31 points for the win.
The damp squib of a day saw Bryan Barrell receive the non-winners’ consolation beer as golfers constantly tried to get comfortable on Pattaya’s first real full day of rain this low season. More to come yet, as we are reliably informed!
Morrison’s moment
The Pattaya Golf Society revisited Bangpra for the first time in six months on Wednesday, 14th September and witnessed a long-awaited improvement in the course after a tough few months at the start of the year. Fairways were lush and the current storm period has left them soft, with slowish greens also.
The large PGS group enjoyed the return and no more so than the two golfers sharing second place, Jim Ferris and Masa Takano. Both scored 33 points and for Masa it was a fitting way to draw the veil on his latest visit. In first place was Aussie Wayne Morrison who played his best golf with the PGS, returning 35 points without a wood in his bag and only a half set for company. Is that how you play Bangpra I wonder? Wayne’s delight was only tempered by the thought of a return to Oz later in the evening, but it was a fitting way to go.
Russell Exley recorded the only birdie ‘2’, on the picturesque eighth hole and the consolation beer was reserved for Jon Batty, only just missing out on a place but far enough away to be included in the non-winners’ draw.
It had been a joy returning to Bangpra and it will be a welcome regular on the future PGS schedules.
Flood dominates Emerald
The Pattaya Golf Society concluded an eventful week with a visit to Emerald on Friday, 16th September. The week had begun with an inundation at Treasure Hill and was to end with a ‘Flood’ in Ban Chang!
The course itself was in good condition with well grassed fairways which were a little soft after a week of rain and greens which were nevertheless still quite quick. Again the course was virtually empty.
For the record, Colin Service found a place on the podium for the first time with 30 points which gave him third place. Ahead was Chiang Mai’s favourite farmer, Wichai Tananusorn, his gross 84 giving him 31 points for second. The winner was Irish golfer Karl Flood who overcame a temporary blackout after a few holes to post a score of 34 points.
There were no birdie ‘2’s again and the non-winners’ beer was won by a delighted Greg Gawron.
Thus ended another fine week with the PGS and of course there is plenty more to come.
