The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
A very healthy field of Pattaya Golf Society golfers opened their new year account with a trip to Rayong Country Club on Monday, 2nd January, to play a stableford round at the group’s regular public holiday venue. The course was in reasonable condition but was very dry with slowish greens.
The large field was divided into two flights at nineteen and under and apart from the regulars with the group returning friends made the day more special.
In the second flight Evan Millar took third place with 30 points. In second, making a good start to the year was the Rabbi himself recording a fine 33 points which should have been much better. Fifty-three putts in a round is no good for anyone and a few hours on the practice green are set to occupy his thoughts over the next few days. The flight winner was Brendan Gilsenan with 34 points.
In the top flight Alan Griffiths joined Fred Land and Larry Slattery in third place with 33 points, a couple behind Ray Banks’ 35 which made runner-up place his own after a fine end-of-year spell. The winner was Jean Morel who conjured up the day’s only sub-par round of 37 points, accuracy not length being the hallmark of his game once again.
There were no birdie ‘2’s and the Booby Bevy went to Peter Masters for transforming a five foot birdie putt on hole eleven into a triple bogey. Having putting lessons from Rabbi, Peter?
It had been a fine start to the new year with the PGS and it holds promise of good golfing experiences for the months to come.
Bolger realises potential
The Pattaya Golf Society’s largest turnout for three years journeyed to Greenwood on Friday, 6th January, to contest a stableford event in three flights with the cuts at 12 and 18. The assigned nines were B and C and from the start the greens showed superb pace.
In the third flight Roy Bassett took third place with 33 points having completed an excellent front nine and playing partner Mr Len went two better to share the flight win with Evan Millar on 35 points.
The top flight saw Ray Banks, Stuart Thomson and Gary Olliffe all share runners-up place on 34 points whilst Wichai Tananusorn posted another best gross as he recorded 38 points for the win.
It was in the second flight that things were happening. Dave Wilkinson posted 33 points for third place, hot on the heels of Ronnie Ramsay with 34. Gary Bolger came up with the display of the day with a round of 42 points showing that when one’s game is “on” Greenwood is the place to be. It was a round of raw power and accuracy and for the first time showed what golf the Aussie giant is capable of.
There were ‘2’s for Sue Mawhinney, Robbie Taylor, Helene Lindberg, Martin Hennessy and Roy Bassett, whilst Liam Slattery took his first Booby Bevy after managing the day’s largest split of ten points.
It may be common knowledge that Greenwood is always in good condition but the value for money deal currently on offer will draw the crowds, as it did this day and must surely be a lesson from which other clubs could learn and profit.
