IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
Yet another in a series of public holidays on Monday, 7th May, saw the Pattaya Golf Society visit an empty Rayong CC to play a stableford competition on the testing course which was only in fair condition. Bunkers were heavily rain damaged whilst fairways continued to cry out for irrigation. Greens were moderately paced.
The small field enjoyed a quick round with Jean Morel and Wichai Tananusorn sharing third place with 32 points each. Of the favourites Masa Takano’s 33 points secured second place and included the day’s only birdie ‘2’, on the seventh.
The winner was Seil Revels, currently in a good run of form and his 37 points from a gross 77 represented his best round of the year with the group. His card displayed nine pars and two birdies and was highlighted by a lack of any score above five, a rare event indeed. As it was his first taste of Rayong CC it was even more impressive. Plain “seiling” in fact.
Smith at the double
On Wednesday, 9th May, the Pattaya Golf Society visited Crystal Bay to play a stableford competition on the C and B nines which were in very good condition. The day was heavily overcast and conditions for the golfers were almost perfect and certainly very comfortable. A feast of fine golf was in store as the group left the tee and results showed that some golfers performed to the max in their efforts.
In fourth place was Masa Takano with 38 points, with Ken Grimes a point better off in third with 38 points and it represented his finest round since joining IPGC a year ago. Recently returned the much travelled Don Nellis came good on the back nine, firing a two over par 38 to help himself into second with forty points and on another day it should have been enough but James Smith, still learning the game, topped that with his second consecutive round of forty plus, an excellent 43 points equaling the best round of the year with the Soi Buakhao based group. Brother Chris took the best gross of the day with 73. Phew!
The day also saw eight birdie ‘2’s on the fine greens with Chris Smith, Tony Thorne, Wichai Tananusorn, James Smith, Robbie Taylor and Don Nellis all in the frame with an exuberant Masa Takano taking a brace.
Poor Jean Morel took the Booby Bevy as the only golfer breaking par but not winning a prize, his 37 points giving him nothing more than a cut in handicap! Now that was a day worth writing about at Crystal Bay.
Masterful Masa
The Pattaya Golf Society travelled to Emerald at Ban Chang on Friday, 11th May to play a stableford competition on the popular course under blazing skies and a humid atmosphere. The course is still recovering from remedial work on the greens but it is good to see the fairways have improved with the recent rains.
The group again just failed to achieve two flights but there was plenty of class on display for the second time in the week. Playing his first official IPGC competition since joining, Rob Pritchard managed a creditable 37 points for third place, just one behind an in-form Don Nellis whose 38 points followed a forty point spree at Crystal Bay two days before. The winner was Masa Takano, in another good week and he set a personal career best with a gross 74 giving him 43 points. It was the second consecutive round with a 43 point haul for the group indicating that there are still some excellent golfers in low season Pattaya, and with PGS in particular.
Two birdie ‘2’s were recorded in the same playing group, on the same hole (15) with Don Nellis and Margaret Wilkinson adding some sparkle to their round. However for Masa there was an extra touch of magic as he will remember this round at Emerald for a long time yet.
