PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society
Monday, March 5, Burapha – Stableford
A Flight
1st Tommy Marshall (9) 40pts
2nd Christian Boysen (8) 36pts
3rd Masa Takano (8) 35pts
B Flight
1st Pierre Cere (15) 39pts
2nd Larry Slattery (19) 37pts
3rd Deryln Neufeld (15) 36pts
C Flight
1st Alan Walker (27) 35pts
2nd Bruce Walters (28) 35pts
3rd Derek Phillips (23) 34pts
Did someone mention “the ides of March”? Monday saw the society embark on the annual good natured mayhem known as “Phil’s Birthday Bash”, which took place at Burapha on the C/D combination in hot and steamy conditions and on a course well-prepared for the purpose.
In common with previous years, twenty groups took part in a stableford event with a hidden team challenge and eighteen technical prizes all up for grabs. The field was divided into three flights with the cuts at handicaps 14 and 21.
For those who may be unaware the Burapha complex has two main options with the A/B combination being more customer friendly and perfect for social golf whilst the C/D combination is the preferred tournament option and presents a stricter challenge with some punitive rough, undulating fairways and its share of water.
In the third flight, the minor places were subjected to a count-back leaving John Mason on 34 points the unlucky golfer, with Derek Phillips, Sean Soden and Bart Bingham taking places five to three. The flight runner up was Bruce Walters, losing on another count-back as Alan Walker’s 35 points took the victory.
In a more straight forward second flight Deryln Neufeld took third place with 36 points, Irish warrior Larry Slattery held second with 37, but two points ahead was the winner Pierre Cere with 39.
There was some definite quality on show in the top flight as Masa Takano took third place with 35 points and Christian Boysen was second with 36. The best score of the day was that of the winner Tommy Marshall whose gross figures of 77 gave him an unassailable 40 points for a fine win.
The technical prize winners are too many to mention individually but the team prize went to Tommy Marshall, Adam Barton, Maurice Roberts and Kenneth Mikkelsen with a combined127 points.
Wednesday, March 7, Bangpra – Stableford
A Flight
1st Takeshi Hakozaki (15) 35pts
2nd Masa Takano (8) 33pts
3rd Chris Barker (13) 32pts
B Flight
1st Larry Slattery (19) 36pts
2nd Masa Sugaya (22) 36pts
3rd Dave Moriarity (24) 34pts
After a busy Monday the PLGS got back to normal with a trip to Bangpra to play a stableford competition on a course which has disappointed now for months with very “un-Bangpra” greens, slow and inconsistent. Conditions were very humid to add to the mix and the round was to be punctuated with a couple of rain stops.
The field was divided into two flights at handicap 18 and in the top flight Chris Barker took third place with 32 points, one behind second placed golfer Masa Takano, whose best gross of the day gave him 33 points. The flight winner was Masa’s compatriot Takeshi Hakozaki who hit the top with 35 points.
The second flight was equally tight with third place going to Dave Moriarty on 34 points while a count-back was needed to separate the top two and the golfer with the best back nine was Larry Slattery, who nudged Masa Sugaya into second, both recording 36 points. It was an appropriate end to Masa’s current stay and we all hope he comes back with form as good in a few months time.
Near pins were won by Phil Mitchell (2), Noel Junck (8), Chris Barker (12) and Andy Kelleher (17) and the dreaded hirsute appendage – the wig – went to Vic Wright for his low score of the day.
Best nines scores by non-winners came from Derek Phillips (front, 20pts) and Michael McGuigan (back, 17pts).
