PSC Golf from The Billabong Golf Bar
Monday, August 1, Pattaya C.C. – 2B Better Ball
Some 3 years ago the Darkside lost one its most popular ex-pats with the passing of Barry Chadbourn – AKA Chad. Chad’s friends have remembered his passing for the last 2 years by having a golf competition at Pattaya Country Club where he played his golf during his last few years and is still remembered with affection by staff and caddies.
Just a few days before last year’s memorial his beloved widow Trudy passed away in England – she was so proud to know that ‘her Chad’ was being remembered again and had written a note of appreciation.
Both Barry and Trudy were also being remembered in Spain where their longtime friends, Suzy and John Lawton, recently relocated to where they all used to live before coming to Pattaya.
This year the organizer of the Pattaya Country Club Members and Friends, Campbell Potts AKA Potsy, together with Bob Philp of the Billabong Bar decided that we should remember ‘The Chads’ with a joint competition with regulars from both venues taking part. So some 28 golfers came together for this day and on the first tee were pictures of Barry and Trudy as a welcome to one and all. The format was a ‘2 ball better ball’ played in perfect weather conditions.
Back at the Billabong the players were joined with others who had known and fondly remembered Barry and Trudy.
The top 5 pairs were rewarded for their efforts and the winning pair were Vic Warren and John Cogan with a fine 47 points – they had not played together before and John was leaving shortly to return to Ireland after his regular month’s holiday. There were then 3 pairs with 45 points, Potsy and Phil Waite, Ken Young and Alan Mahoney, and Selwyn Wegner and John Player, with Mark West and his partner in fifth spot on 43 points.
To conclude Bob Philp invited all the guests to raise a glass in the Chads memory – gone but not forgotten!
Tuesday, August 2, Phoenix – Stableford
Playing Phoenix under perfect conditions and on some of the holes from where the pro’s played it was a testing experience to say the least. The pin placements were the same also and to get anywhere near the hole, especially on the Lake loop, was almost impossible.
No one in our four groups got anywhere near a score of under par and it was left to a visitor from Melbourne, playing off a 5 handicap, to take third place with 32 points. Eng Cotterell came in second with a slightly better score of 33 points and the winner on the day was our mate from Hong Kong, Glyn Davies with a fine effort of 36 points.
There were no ‘2’s, which is not surprising.
Wednesday, August 3, Green Valley – Stableford
Have you ever witnessed or heard of anyone scoring 6 points on a hole? That is how it finished but the start was a little different.
The trip to Green Valley along route 36 is usually negotiated without incident but today at 8.45 instead of the usual activity full of high expectation around the first tee, very few golfers had arrived but where were they? It is our usual Green Valley trip was it not? Obviously with money to burn, the powers that be have decided to dig up the 36 in two separate places thereby creating a long tail back. A word to the wise, try and avoid the 36 until the roadworks are finished.
Everyone arrived eventually and were welcomed by a course is in good order, with the exception of the bunkers, but the pin positions are changing regularly and all is right with the world.
In the men’s competition J.P. Maffray occupied 3rd spot with 34 points, just missing out to Jeff North returning with 35 points. But Mal Farquharson scooped the pool with 37 points.
Back at the Billabong it was difficult to ignore the happy, noisy party that was going on amongst the 14 ladies that played today, perhaps the wine went some way towards the excited atmosphere. Khun Sa came 3rd with 36 points but this was a long way short of the top two players for Miss Pin held on to 2nd with 42 points with Miss Noy standing above all the other competitors with 43 points.
But we should contact the Guinness book of records in respect of Miss Pin. On the 18th hole, with 2 shots to her credit, she had the temerity to hole her 2nd shot to the green to not only register a 2 but to have an eagle for 6 points. That is not a misprint, it really was a 6-pointer. No wonder the ladies were having a good time at the Billabong. Oh by the way, there were two other 2s, one went to Pat Regan and the other to J.P. Maffray.
Friday, August 5, Burapha – Stableford
Burapha C and D loops today and the course was in great condition but the greens proved to be a bit tricky as they had just been cored and heavily sanded, which meant to reach the hole you really had to belt the ball, and it did reflect in some of the scores but not all of them.
There were a couple of N/R’s but all in all it was a quick round of golf. The players who did handle the greens came in with some good scores; there being a count back for 4th place between Alistair Gall and Randy, both with 35 points and Alistair getting the nod for that spot. 2nd and 3rd were also a count back between Mal Farquharson and Ramsay Smith, both with 36 points and Mal relegated Ramsay to 3rd as he got the 2nd place. Taking the top spot was Greig Ritchie with a fine 39 points, a little bit of sand didn’t seem to worry him at all.
Note: A Khao Yai trip is coming up on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of this month, anyone interested in coming should contact Bob on 082 204 3411 for details.
