The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
And so September started for the Pattaya Golf Society. Pleasant Valley would be appropriate, a testing course, well maintained and at a most modest price. Shame about the slowest greens encountered in months, but the course runs afoul of seasonal rains more than others so it may have been expected. Thus it was on Monday, 2nd September when the day was at its most humid and thunder was never very far away.
Starting well the group began to put some good scores together but slowly the power and distance of Aussie miner Andrew Purdie began to take effect. One under after nine he pummelled the back nine to go a further three shots ahead and finished on forty points for the second time in three months. His the nearest challenger was Mr Len finishing strongly for 34 points and one point further back was Jean Morel.
There were no birdie ‘2’s and the boss’s non-winner’s beer went to Garry Hookey, under par physically after a heavy night’s exertions.
To cap it all the storm eventually arrived after sixteen holes and an extended stay in a nearby watering hole reminded the field of the inconvenience of wet season golf. But who would seriously swap it for work?
Walker walks it
On Wednesday, 4th September the Pattaya Golf Society visited Eastern Star to play a stableford round on the course which has improved significantly over the last twelve months. A virtually empty course saw the golfers struggle to stay comfortable in the high humidity and it had an inevitable impact on performances.
Sharing third place were old comrades Masashi Iizumi and Mr Len with, ahem, 29 points each, whilst the returning Greg Gawron went one better with 30 points for second. The winner was old soldier Alan Walker, occasionally poetry in motion but often a limerick in limbo. This day he was on top form and his short game was as solid as the rock from which he was hewed. His 34 points shattered the field and there could be no more popular winner than Mr Alan.
There were no birdie ‘2’s again and Rabbi’s non-winners beer went to Ken Grimes whilst the Booby Bevy went to soulmate Robbie Taylor after his fall from grace only ten days before with his low score.
Eastern Star is now a tough call and a stern test of golf at all levels, and the lads will be back to poke and prod at its weaknesses in a couple of weeks.
Good day for Greg
On Friday, 6th September the Pattaya Golf Society visited Crystal Bay to play a stableford competition on the C and A nines which were in excellent condition with well paced greens. The weather remained fine, if a little humid and the occasional far off thunder rolled away at a safe distance.
As usual on this course, scores were good with Ken Grimes joining Wichai Tananusorn in second place with 37 points, Wichai posting the day’s best gross figures of 78. The winner was Aussie Greg Gawron who followed a good performance two days previously with 39 points here for a fine win.
Greg had also sponsored a near-pin prize and it was won by Bryan Brown on A8, which also saw the only birdie ‘2’ of the day a few groups earlier when Khun Wichai chipped in from the fringe.
Rabbi’s non-winners beer went to Andrew Purdie and the Booby Bevy went to Garry Hookey after another round of “two halves” with split figures of 18 and 11.
Everyone had enjoyed the excellent day at Crystal Bay, with good weather, a fine course and competitive yet friendly comradeship.
