IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at The Links Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Pattavia on Monday, 28th March to play a stableford competition on the course which was in good condition with the usual extremely challenging greens. Measured at 9.7 on the stimp, downhill certainly, and about 4.5 uphill. Such is the dominance of “grain” on the course. Ironically Pattavia newbies loved the experience whereasa older heads either stayed away or gritted teeth and bore it.
The single flight saw Karl Flood regain some form to share third place with Murray Edwards and Pat Murphy on 33 points. Indeed Pat, the elder statesman in the field, was playing his first round with the group this trip and acquitted himself well in a group which totalled more than 260 years in experience, enthusiasm and athleticism. The field had joint winners with Huw Phillips and Alan Griffiths sharing the prize with 39 points each.
The clubhouse at Pattavia G.C.
The ‘2’s pot was shared by Masa Takano (4) and Huw Phillips (7) and the Booby Bevy went to Canadian golfer Brian Anderson, the low marker in the field and the lowest scorer, by way of a welcome back and a welcome to Pattavia.
Ferris fares well at Bangpra
The Pattaya Golf Society visited a very dry and parched Bangpra on Wednesday 30th March to play a stableford competition in one flight. Course conditions were not good and although the fairways were quite well grassed the off fairway areas were very dry and barren and I fear it will take many hours and tons of new turf to return the course to its traditional condition.
Off the fairways is generally hardpan clay. A suggestion – maybe the course could invest in white paint and mark the areas GUR. Golfers would then have a choice, bearing in mind the cost of golf these days.
However the players made a good fist of things and sharing third place were Masa Takano, Mike King and Mr Len with 31 points, a long way behind the second placed golfer Seil Pete with 35 points. Jim Ferris, very much in his best form with the group, took the day with another fine sub-par round, 39 points, which evolved from a mix of accuracy and length off the tees and deft approach shots. Now, if he could putt, he would be dangerous!
There were no birdie ‘2’s on the testing par threes and the Booby Bevy went to John Chelo, absent from the group for three weeks, after his low marking round which marked his return to his golfing mates.
Bangpra will disappoint many golfers over the next few weeks in this condition. What a shame!
Smith on top again at Khao Kheow
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Khao Kheow on Friday, 1st April to play a stableford competition on the testing course which was in fine condition with greens generally consistent but a little slow. The field consisted of two flights cut at 16 and under and there was some quality on show, with two current IPGC champions competing on a course that witnessed their success only a few weeks ago.
In the second flight there was a three-way tie for the win with Stuart Thompson, Mike King and Pat Murphy all on 34 points. The top flight was more conclusive however with Masa Takano drawing his golf to a close this trip finishing third with 32 points, a couple behind Karl Flood who rediscovered some of his form with a solid 35 points in second. The winner, with gross 75 giving him 35 points, was IPGC Champion Paul Smith. The only blemish on his card was a scratched score on A6 but it was balanced by an excellent birdie on C7.
The only birdie ‘2’ of the day came on A5, with Seil Pete being the recipient of the divisional ‘2’s pot. Elsewhere the Booby Bevy went to Jim Ferris after watching his three playing mates all share the flight win and him finishing one behind having blown his hopes of a share with a double bogey on the final hole.
Ah well, never mind!
