IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at the Links Bar
On Monday, 1st February the Pattaya Golf Society visited Pleasant Valley to play a stableford competition off the blue tees on a fine warm day. The full single flight found the course in good condition with the usual soft and well watered fairways and consistent but moderately paced greens.
The scores were competitive with Greg McDonald recording 34 points for fourth place, one behind fellow Aussie Craig Thomas who finished on 35 points. The winners, playing together, were amongst the seniors in the field and it was good to see Richard Dobson and Alan Walker enjoy the spoils with well earned rounds of 36 points.
There were no ‘2’s on the challenging par threes and the consolation beers went to Gary Bolger and Martin Hennessy.
Thomas continues fine form
The Pattaya Golf Society played Khao Kheow on Wednesday, 5th February as a preview of the course before the Annual IPGC Championship the following week. The course was in good condition but a large Scandinavian tournament gave some fretful moments to the organisers on the day.
A dramatic backdrop at Khao Kheow Country Club.
The large field was divided into two flights at twelve and under and scores were generally acceptable on a course which generally plays tough. That’s when the tough get going of course.
The first flight saw Mark Lang finish with 33 points in third place, with Huw Phillips a point to the better with 34 points as runner-up. The flight winner was Rick Schramm with 35 points and he is finding his form just in time after a break over the new year.
The second flight had Mike Ashbrooke and Gary Bolger sharing second place with 29 points but the rest of the flight struggled, except for Craig Thomas whose 36 points emphasised the consistency of his game at the moment.
Alan Flynn, Chris Norman and Craig Thomas (2) shared the ‘2’s pot whilst Tony Browne had a rare poor round and received the Booby Bevy for his low score.
Ferris unfazed at Mountain Shadow
The Pattaya Golf Society ended another fine week of golf with a trip to the testing Mountain Shadow course to play a stableford event on Friday, Feb. 5. Another large field turned out and two flights battled it out, divided at sixteen and under. It was one of those days when conditions were comfortable as a strong breeze blew all day but the inevitable result was to put a brake on the scoring.
In the top flight consistency was the watchword with Dave Moriarty’s game continuing to run like clockwork giving him 30 points for third place. Craig Thomas, who was in splendid form this week, went one better with 31 points and the winner was the Irish golfer Karl Flood whose 35 points was the best of the day in the top flight.
In the second flight returning golfer David Wang took fourth place with 30 points, one behind another returning old friend Mike Firkin, in third with 31 points. Niall Caven concluded his golf this trip with a fine 34 point return and another solid round from Jim Ferris, refusing to be fazed by the swirling wind, saw him take the day with 36 points.
The ‘2’s pot was shared by Craig Thomas, John Holmes and Peter Wilson and the Booby Bevy was shared, courtesy of Mike King, by Larry Slattery whose misfortune was to be struck by a ricocheted ball on the eighteenth and John Chelo and PJ Mitchell who apparently exchanged cards twice and ended up marking their own! Ah, the innocence of youth!
