The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Pattaya Country Club for a stableford competition on Monday, 13th February and found the course in reasonable condition but with scruffy greens which were slow-medium and in need of a roll. Some were sanded also.
The course is looking a little jaded at the moment and the closure of the front nine for renovation work over the next few months looks to be very appropriate timing. Having said that the welcome was warm as usual and the large field was divided into two flights at fourteen and under.
In the second flight Scot Allen Dow played his best golf for a few months in recording 36 points for third place, one behind Gary Bolger’s efforts which brought him second place. The flight winner was Larry Slattery with an excellent forty points, following some mediocre rounds recently.
In the top flight Olivier Tahon’s improvement in form was apparent from the off as he recorded 37 points for second place, but to the victor the spoils as Vic Hansen signed off this trip with forty points and the best gross of the day, 77.
The ‘2’s pot was shared by Niall Cronin, “Banjo” Bannister, Larry Slattery and a brace for Robbie Taylor and the Booby Bevy went to new member Jack Trenton for the lowest score of the day on this his first Thai round.
Pattaya C.C. will benefit from the rest and renovation and the group looks forward to revisiting again in October.
Order restored at Khao Kheow
The Pattaya Golf Society visited Khao Kheow on Wednesday, 15th February and found the course well recovered from the ravages of the wet season but there was still some rain damaged GUR on the B nine.
Starting on the C nine yellow tees behind a ridiculously late and slow independent golf tour company and its organizer, who cut in to give an on-course lesson all the way around, the large field set off in two flights with the cut at thirteen and under.
The scoring matched the pace and was slow but in the second flight Ken Page and Yvonne Earley shared third place with 32 points each, Yvonne’s husband Mike holding the aces with 33 points for second place. The flight winner was Mr Len with 35 points, driven some claimed, by an excess of adrenalin after tackling the interlopers on the first tee!
In the top flight third place went to Martin Grimoldby on 34 points with Fred Land taking second with 36 points. The flight winner was Wichai Tananusorn with the day’s best gross of 78 giving him 37 points. His card included the rare feat of three birdie ‘2’s, his bogey on C8 costing him a PGS record. Alan Pilkington and Mike Earley also had a share of the ‘2’s pot
Olivier Tahon’s sponsored technical prize went to Wichai also for his best total on the par threes whilst the Booby Bevy went to Bob Lind after his tee shot on B7 failed to make the red tee but he still finished with a bogey.
At the end of the day an honourable established Pattaya golf group, providing a day out as a “service” showed far more professionalism and respect to the course, staff and golfers than the large “business” driven outfit. Etiquette and order had been restored.
Magical Moriarty
Friday, 17th February saw a rare PGS “double header” at Crystal Bay and Greenwood when numbers soared making playing one course impossible. It could have been an organisational nightmare but Rick Schramm and Mr Len coped admirably with the task.
At Crystal Bay the A and B courses were well prepared for the two flights divided at fourteen and under. Those in the second flight found the going tough with Tony Barritt finishing in third place with 27 points behind Ken Page and Japanese lady Mari Kikuchi, who shared top spot with 30 points each.
In the top flight scores were phenomenal as Martin Grimoldby, Rick Schramm and Mike Earley all shared third place with 39 points, one behind the second placed golfer, Canadian Brian Beaupre on forty. The winner with a staggering 43 points off his thirteen handicap was New Jersey’s Dave Moriarty. It represented his best ever round in the Land of Smiles and was extremely well received by the packed presentation reception at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar in Soi Buakhao later.
In the extra event at a packed Greenwood on the B and C nines, Wichai Tananusorn and Richard “Banjo” Bannister shared third place with 32 points each with Pat Murphy taking second with a fine level par round of 36 points. The winner was Bill Trainer with 38 points.
There were birdie ‘2’s at Crystal Bay for Brian Beaupre, Rick Schramm, Jason Cole, Fred Land and Yasuo Suzuki whilst Brian Shaw had the sole honour at Greenwood. The presentation was a bizarre end to a memorable day as the power went off in the soi and the awards were made in candlelight! It could only happen in Pattaya of course. Amazing!
