IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at The Links Bar
The testing Eastern Star course played host to the PGS on Monday 23 November. Our five groups played a stableford competition from the white tees, in warm, sunny conditions. This course, which had suffered rain damage not too long ago, shows good signs of recovery, with fairways offering run – something not seen for a while.
We teed off a little early at 1015 and managed to get around before the threatened rain arrived. Thunder accompanied us over the last three holes, but thankfully the threatened rain held off.
Huw Phillips.
There were no ‘2’s today, which brought a smile to those in the winner’s circle. Today’s podium consisted of five golfers with two sharing runner-up and two in third. Scoring was tight, with just the two shots separating first and third.
In a tie for third, scoring 33 points each were Richard (Banjo) Bannister (13), and Brian Talbot (also 13). One shot better on 34 came the duo of Larry Slattery (19) and Jon Batty (6). Today’s winner, following a very welcome return to form and scoring 35 stableford points was Ron Matthews (10). Scores around par will usually be competitive on a tough test such as Eastern Star, and that again proved the case.
Back at the Links Mr Len drew the name Tim Dale as the recipient of today’s lucky beer draw and John O’Sullivan won the booby bevy for his 7–17 front-nine-back-nine split.
Phillips in outstanding form
The Pattaya Golf Society played its monthly medal event at Khao Kheow on Wednesday, 25th November on the C and A nines. A fine, clear day welcomed the golfers to a course in quite good condition although it will be a few weeks yet before the newly repaired A nine is up to the club’s normal high standard of presentation.
The field was divided into two flights at fourteen and under and all the usual candidates for the group’s Player of the Month were there to press for the honours.
In the second flight Larry Slattery again made the podium with a third placed finish on net 82 whilst Mike King shot net 80 to take second place. Golf geezer Mr Len, so often performing above his level in stroke rounds, again worked the oracle with a fine net 74 to take the flight by a substantial margin, leaving at least five shots on the awkward greens.
In the top flight Jon Batty, Dave Edwards and Ron Matthews all shared the meagre third placed pot with net 79s whilst three shots to the better was runner-up Peter Wilson on net 76. The winner was Welshman Huw Phillips with net 70 which amazingly included an eleven on C7. His net seventy was nearer net 67, and golfers will be aware that this is a major round at Khao Kheow, by any standards. He also topped up with the only birdie ‘2’ of the day, on the short A5.
Martin Grimoldby was awarded the non winners’ beer whilst the departing Tim Dale suffered a nightmare and was rewarded with the Booby Bevy.
Triple victory at Silky Oak
The prospect of playing the newly vamped course at Silky Oak tempted the PGS’s largest field at the course to challenge for the Friday stableford prize on 27th November. A wholesome twenty golfers took to the tee on time and enjoyed the well grassed fairways and some of the newly designed holes. On the downside, the greens had been recently sanded and were running slower than expected.
A close encounter followed on the generally high scoring track with ten golfers coming within three points of the leading three. The winners were logged as Wichai Tananusorn, George Robinson and Jorn Eriksen. All three made a solid fist of things with 35 points each. Wichai and George also shared the ‘2’s pot with Ken Page to round off a successful day.
Back in Soi Buakhao the presentation was made before the annual fireworks competition and there were no sparks when Mark Lang took the non-winners draw and the senior player in the field, Alan Walker, took the Booby Bevy for the lowest score.
