The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at the Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society started the new week with a visit to Greenwood on Monday, 2nd June to play a stableford competition on the C and B nines. The day was hot, the sun was high and there was not a breath of wind as the field set off to play a course well prepared with the front nine greens showing signs of recent sanding but thankfully it did not detract from the round.
The rest of the course was in fine condition and again the “vfm” element was as good as any golfer could wish. Greenwood still holds many aces, with its long par threes, trees and variable, unraked bunkers and any golfer levelling par there has enjoyed a good round.
So it was destined to be as Mr Len and Jesper Hansen recorded 33 points to share third place, the former’s putting and the latter’s length the keys to their success. The winner was Kiwi Alan Flynn who used all his knowledge and skill to maintain a quality round of level par 36 points, which matched the group’s winning score over the current year at the course. There were no birdie ‘2’s and it was left to Swede Tomas Nilsson to collect the Booby Bevy after a front nine of high promise was hijacked on the back nine and hidden in mediocrity.
The long trek home saw a heavy thunderstorm which thankfully delayed its appearance and the week had begun in fine style for the PGS.
Grimes, high and dry
Green Valley was the venue for the Pattaya Golf Society on Wednesday, 4th June, as the group gathered to play a stableford event on the course which was generally in good order except for some slight work on the greens following a large Thai event a few days previously. A heavy sky made the day very humid and conditions remained draining for the golfers.
Results showed the golfers had not forgotten how to play the course after an absence of two months as Alan Flynn and Tomas Nilsson shared third place with 33 points each. A long way ahead in second was Garry Hookey, playing solid golf with 39 points but a member of his playing group, Ken Grimes, was enjoying the challenge and a very positive back nine saw him finish on 41 points to win the day in style.
As always there were some disappointing performances, none more than the driver of an excavator near the clubhouse who inadvertently sheared the main water pipe, leaving no water available for the locker room. Grimes was definitely home and dry after that! It was a sticky end to a good day at Green Valley.
Best ever for Walsh
Following two fine courses the Pattaya Golf Society concluded its week with a visit to Crystal Bay on Friday, 6th June, to play a stableford competition on the A and C nines. The course could best be described a “friendly” but the unraked and unkempt bunkers could be spiteful to the errant golfer and the greens, though fairly quick were inconsistent on the back nine.
Nevertheless, scores are traditionally good at the club and this day was no exception with Jesper Hansen posting 34 points for third place. In second, playing a superb round of gross 74 was Canadian golfer Brian Beaupre with 39 points whilst at the opposite end of the field Chris Walsh was playing his best ever round in Thailand, 40 points which could have been even better had he played the final hole more conservatively. The Irishman was rightly proud of his performance on the front nine which saw him hit the turn with 23 points.
The ‘2’s pot was shared by Robbie Taylor and Wichai Tananusorn for their efforts on C4 and C7 respectively. Larry Slattery won the bar’s consolation beer and the Booby Bevy went to Mr Len after the shot of the day on the sixth which saw a collision between timber, an iron and a toe left him hobbling for the rest of the round. Golf is certainly a game of highs and lows!
