IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at the Links Bar
Khao Kheow is an absolute treat to play these days as the course is in excellent condition throughout and the Pattaya Golf Society called there on Tuesday, 6th December to play a stableford competition in splendid conditions, with a cooling “Chinese” breeze evident all day to keep humidity down and refresh the tired golfers.
Scores again reflected the conditions and sharing third place were Canadian Billy Shepley and Japanese golfer Masa Takano, recording 35 fine point efforts. A couple of points better off was Larry Slattery, thankfully back on track after a few mediocre performances and his 37 points reflected his consistency over the testing A and B nines. The winner was Nigel Henson on 38 points.
Larry and Billy shared the ‘2’s pot with their efforts on the short A5 par three. The final award of the day went to Gary Bolger who stewarded the day with his usual quiet effectiveness and the non winners’ beer also gave him some satisfaction.
ESR not what it said in the brochure
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Eastern Star on Friday, 9th December believing all they had heard of the improving course conditions over the nine months since the last visit. What the golfers found was a course which was very dry, except for the areas immediately around the greens which were soft and damp. The greens were as bad as they have been for a long time – hard, bobbly, returfed in parts and in other patches sandy.
With a green fee of four figures it guaranteed its absence from future schedules until substantial remedial work has been accomplished.
Full marks then for the leaders today, with Brian Talbot ending this visit with 32 points and a share of second place with Larry Slattery, the Irishman finishing a good week on the leaderboard. The winner with a resuscitating back-nine was John Holmes and his 33 points told the full story of the day.
There were no birdie ‘2’s and it would have been a miracle had there been.
