The IPGC Monthly Members’ Tournament
Wednesday, Jan. 5 – The Emerald
The start of the New Year saw a large field of IPGC members gather at The Emerald in Ban Chang for the first IPGC members’ tournament of the year on Wednesday, 5th January. The course was well presented and a fine dry day with the white tees well back held the prospect of some excellent golf on the popular course.
Each monthly member’s tournament provides three winners in the divisions and one from the ladies, who will go forward to the finals to compete for the Gold and Silver Medals later in the season. In addition the tournaments will also be used to determine the IPGC Gentleman Player of the Year, with between 1 and 15 points to be won in each division every month, dependant on final positions, which will then be aggregated for the year to establish the overall winner. As usual the first division contests a stroke play format whilst the second, third and Ladies’ division play stableford.
In the first division the contest was again a very tight affair with two golfers finishing in third place on net 73, and the count-back rule was applied. Marc Jensen shrugged off the discomfort of a back problem to post net 36 on the back nine, relegating Paul Smith’s 37.5 into fourth place. The joint winners had the mathematics applied also as Bob Patterson withheld the challenge of scratch golfer John Shin and their net 71’s were pared back showing Bob’s 23.3 take the win from John’s 24.
The second division also saw the intervention of the recorder’s abacus with two golfers contesting third place with 36 points, with Kevin Hamilton emerging in third place, his back nine total of 19 points holding back the efforts of Peter Masters (17). Winning the flight on count-back was Norm Cheetham, his 38 with nineteen points on the back nudging Paul Butler into second with a back nine of seventeen points.
The third division was again a tight affair with count-back separating three golfers on 37 points. Jack Robertson finished in third with eighteen points on the back, one behind Jomtien’s Burnie Sinclair who was a further point behind the eventual winner Chris Reed.
The Ladies’ winner was Oratai Winton on 32 points.
In the ‘2’s competitions there were wins for Simon Kendall, John Shin, Ray Banks, George Pittam, Alan Maxwell and Ronnie Ramsay. The near pin winners are listed below
After the tournament there was an excellent debut presentation buffet at the spacious and friendly Links Bar in Soi Buakhao, one of IPGC’s newest venues. The function and prizes were sponsored as always by the IPGC, and IPGC Chairman Chris Knapp warmly thanked all those who had worked hard once again to ensure the success of the competition, especially registrar Glyn Evan, Starter Chris Knapp, results coordinator Stephen Beard and the hard working event organiser Russell Exley.
Division 1
1st Bob Patterson net 71
2nd John Shin net 71
3rd Marc Jensen net 73
Division 2
1st Norm Cheetham 38pts
2nd Paul Butler 38pts
3rd Kevin Hamilton 36pts
Division 3
1st Chris Reed 37pts
2nd Burnie Sinclair 37pts
3rd Jack Robertson 37pts
Ladies
1st Orathai Winton 32pts
Technical Prizes: Division 1: Simon Kendall, Ray Bank and John Shin; Division 2: George Pittam and Alan Maxwell; Division 3: Ronnie Ramsay.
Near Pins: Ray Banks, George Pittam, Alan Bissell, John Shin (2), Alan Maxwell, Jack Robertson, Arnfinn Stalo, Chris Reed, Jeremy Masse, Bob Poole and Patrick Scullion.
