The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Mountain Shadow on Monday, 28th October, to play the group’s monthly medal event from the blue tees on a course which was in excellent condition despite the recent heavy storms which have blighted golfers on the Eastern Seaboard. The fairways showed some run and the greens were quite quick.
With old friends returning it was good to see them setting out their stalls for the next few months but regular visitor Andrew Purdie impressed more than most with a third placed net 78, which included a five over par on the par three fifteenth! In second was Wichai Tananusorn with the day’s best gross of 81 giving him net 73. But it was comeback day for Mr Len who hasn’t played to his handicap during this year, one which has been punctuated by health problems. Now he’s back with a PB equalling net 63! What a performance, with all except one fairway being hit off the tee, hybrids in harmony and putts unerringly true.
The winning score represented the best ever PGS winning score at the course in fifteen years of competitions and the second best this year with the group.
There were no birdie ‘2’s and a poor return on his return guaranteed Peter Sanderson the Booby Bevy.
Wichai makes merit at Khao Kheow
On Wednesday, 30th October the Pattaya Golf Society visited Khao Kheow for the first time in three months to play a stableford Order of Merit event on the course which has been undergoing extensive fairway repairs during low season. The group were optimistic that the course had recovered well enough on the eve of high season to provide the quality the group were used to and indeed the course had improved sufficiently so that the local “lift and place” competition rule was only rarely invoked.
Playing the C and A nines from the yellow tees was a tough call and the course played to all of its length so that all but the longest and most accurate hitters struggled at times.
In third place was Richard “Banjo” Bannister, playing his first round since returning from the UK and his 29 points set the standard for much of the field. Also returning was Aussie Ian Rowson who got to grips early during his visit with a well deserved 33 points for second place. The winner was Wichai Tananusorn and his power and touch had been honed by a week’s golf in Chang Mai and that resulted in a return of 34 points.
Tony Thorne sponsored a prize for the nearest the pin (third shot) on the longest par four, A4, and the winner, a mere six inches away, was Wichai also. There were no birdie ‘2’s and the Booby Bevy went to Dave Edwards for whom the round represented his worst ever competition round of eleven points. Late nights are not the answer before golf it would seem, rather a night in with good book and a glass of tonic wine, then early to bed and early to rise. Pull the other one Mr Len!
A day on the beach
The Pattaya Golf Society started the official high season on Friday 1st November with a visit to Emerald to play a stableford competition on the course which still had re-turfed areas under GUR and unbrushed, inconsistently sanded greens. In fact a golfer of some forty years standing remarked it was “the first time I had to rake the greens before leaving!” However such things are sent to trouble us on golf days and the group played out a tight competition nevertheless.
In third place was Dave Plaiter, recently returned from UK, and his 36 points continued his rehabilitation with Pattaya golf. In second was Richard Dobson with 37 points but the winner showed his undoubted class with a level par front nine for the card and only dropped four shots on the back. Peter Sumner’s forty points was indeed just reward for the current PGS Champion.
Peter Sanderson, Richard Dobson and Andrew Purdie all shared the ‘2’s pot and the consolation prizes went to “Banjo” Bannister in the form of Rabbi’s free beer for the non-winners and Peter Sanderson’s booby Bevy for his 16-9 split.
The presentation ended with the belated acknowledgement of Dave Plaiter’s “Player of the Month” performances earlier in the year and all eyes look to a good week next week on some excellent and challenging courses.
