IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society began the new week with a trip to Crystal Bay on Monday, 17th October, to play a stableford competition over the A and B nines, which were soft and yielding as a result of the recent deluges. On the day there was very little run but the greens were very good and consistent.
The longer hitters/lower handicappers all fared better than most and in fourth place was Japanese golfer Haru Kato with 30 points. One shot ahead in third was Paul Bartlett, playing better than on any of his previous visits. In second place was Masa Takano with 34 points but the best gross of the day, 80, was set by Wichai Tananusorn giving the seven handicapper 35 points for the win. Don Nellis in Malaysia is probably smiling at the thought of Wichai keeping the seat warm until he returns in a week or so!
There were no birdie ‘2’s and the Booby Bevy went to Keith Melbourne on his penultimate round for his nil return. He narrowly pipped Jean Morel after his early morning confrontation with a brown-shirted highwayman in Bangpra who had accused him of “running” a flashing orange warning light on Sukhumvit and relieved him of some tea money – all these ordeals in the name of golf!
Masters shows his class
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Eastern Star on Wednesday, 19th October, to play a stableford event on the rain-affected course, which was still damp and soft underfoot after a few days of good drying weather. Greens were painfully slow and in need of a cut but the day stayed fine and warm throughout. As so often currently the course played “long” and long gone are the days when Eastern Star was a course on which high scores were possible.
Sharing third place on 31 points were Paul Bartlett, repeating his performance at Crystal Bay two days previously and Mr Len who again let a level par round slip from his grasp with a three hole “walkabout” in the middle of the back nine. In second place was local member Mikael Andersson with 33 points.
The winner was Peter Masters whose descent in the handicap lists during the last three months has been nothing short of remarkable. Playing off eight he produced a class round of 35 points to emphasise the improvement in his game.
Again there were no birdie ‘2’s and the Booby Bevy was thoroughly deserved by Rabbi himself who let a sub-par front six dissolve into oblivion over the back nine. However, Eastern Star had seen the “master” demonstrate his skills once again to dominate the proceedings.
The lady tames the beast
The Pattaya Golf Society travelled to Bangpra on Friday, 21st October to play a stableford competition on the course which was extremely well prepared with good dry fairways offering enough run for most golfers. The white tees however were at their fullest extent and the greens were faster than many could remember. A notice in the locker room area detailed the green speed at 8.5 but that had allegedly been assessed at four in the morning by an inebriated greenkeeper, pointing the stimpmeter up the slope! They were at least two points quicker. Tough times lay ahead.
It was fitting perhaps that two of the lower handicappers in the field, Peter Masters and Masa Takano shared second place with 34 very fine points each. The winner with 36 points was lady golfer Margaret Wilkinson who may have had the advantage of the red tees but she still had to master the same devilish putting skills.
Birdie ‘2’s were recorded by Robbie Taylor on hole two and by Ken Grimes and Stephen Donahue on hole eight and the Booby Bevy went to Mr Len for whom every green started with a downhill putt and too many holes saw no recorded score. However Bangpra will still remain firmly in his favourite list.
