IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at the Links Bar
Monday, Sept. 8, Greenwood – Medal
Monday was the Order of Merit monthly medal round at Greenwood, an event keenly anticipated by many. After being allocated the C & B nines, we got underway at 10:30 under skies that looked grey and gloomy. The weather gods were making noises and sending lightning strikes in the distance, but not close enough to cause concern.
Fairways were lush and wet, bunkers were OK and the putting surfaces were fine. Although there was minimal run, it looked like a day for good scoring, provided the weather stayed fine. Even though carts were permitted on fairways, we decided to implement preferred lies, a decision justified by the frequency with which balls plugged on landing.
Frank Harrington & Stu Thompson.
By the time we had gone six holes, the weather started closing in. After the par-five 7th, we were wet. By the time we reached the green on the par-four 8th, we were sodden. When we noticed half of the green on the 9th was under water, that was when it became obvious our golf day was done.
Sitting in the comfort of the clubhouse, in dry clothes, in soon became apparent that many had been enjoying the round of their lives. It appears that 70% of our field had scored ‘2’s, with many claiming more than one.
We have been lucky with the weather so far this year. Today that luck ran out, the fon won.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, Eastern Star – Medal
Wednesday dawned grey and threatening but the Pattaya Golf Society was determined to complete its September schedule with four groups playing the monthly medal competition at Eastern Star. As it turned out the day got better progressively and a good tussle got away on time and golfers made good progress throughout.
The course has obviously suffered some heavy rain damage and some of the slow greens were patched and sanded and fairways were bare in parts and the conditions off the fairways were unevenly cut and muddy. Course ground staff have a difficult job at this time of year.
With five golfers making a good fist of things Mr. Len, so often competitive in medal events, overcame most of his current driver problems, managing to keep the ball on the fairway and finished with net 77 for third place. One shot ahead was David Thomas on net 76, his eighty-five being the best gross of the day. The winner on net 73, with an excellent back nine, was English golfer George Robinson and had the putting gods been kinder to him he would have broken par for sure.
Paul Tedesco and Gary Bolger shared the ‘2’s pot with fine efforts on holes 3 and 6 respectively.
Back at the Links later the non winners beer was drawn in favour of Japanese friend Masa Takano and the Booby Bevy went to Jeff Hunt after a torrid round which saw him return less than six shots on only four holes. Such were the trials of medal play for a recent event winner.
At the end of the day it was good to make up for the abandoned round two days earlier at Greenwood, even though the course at Eastern Star was not wearing its finest clothes.
Friday, Oct. 2, The Emerald – Stableford
On Friday, the Pattaya Golf Society visited Emerald in Ban Chang to play a stableford competition under heavy skies and in extremely humid conditions. The humidity probably could be best judged as a “two-club” hindrance on every shot and with little run on the fairways the course played longer than usual from the white tees.
The four groups gave their best but scores were destined to be on the low side as Andrew Purdie took third place with 33 points. One point ahead were Stuart Thompson and new member Irish golfer Frank Harrington. Frank’s best gross of 81 was particularly meritable on the day.
Paul Tedesco again took the only ‘2’ of the day on the short fifteenth. The average score across the field was 28 points.
It was good to see old friends back, including Mike Firkin from Australia and Jim Ferris won the consolation non winners’ beer on his return. Keith Melbourne, who had avoided the Booby Bevy on his first round back midweek, enjoyed the belated award this time for his lacklustre performance.
Emerald was a tough call in the conditions but that is expected with wet season golf on the Eastern Seaboard.
