IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at The Links Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society chose to start the holiday weekend with a stableford competition at Treasure Hill on Monday, 18th July. The day was very humid, yet clear and the course was in fine condition with greens running at a good speed. Heat and humidity can be as obstructive to good golf as inconsistent greens and soft fairways and as the golfers wilted through the round it became clear that low scores would be the order of the day.
Two birdie ‘2’s were recorded by Wichai Tananusorn and Alan Flynn on the sixth and seventeenth respectively and the leaderboard took on a typically Treasure Hill “look”.
Sharing second place were Seil Pete, Graeme Quinn, Alan Walker and a recently returned Brendan Gilsenan, all with 28 points! The winner was low marker Jon Batty with a total of 31 points and he admitted his ball striking had been poor. Good enough for the victory however.
After an exceptionally energy-taxing day the run back to Pattaya was fraught with frustration as the massed ranks of BKK traffic had descended and was still descending on Pattaya for an alcohol-free couple of days. Pattaya on the rocks, as it were, in more ways than one!
Glass’s weekly win
The Pattaya Golf Society marked the first day of Buddhist Lent with a stableford competition at beautiful Burapha on Wednesday, 20th July. Playing the A and B nines from the white tees the golfers found a course in excellent condition except for dozens of flooded bunkers, the remnants of a heavy overnight storm. Greens were consistent and quick. This was the result of the weekend’s major national event and the downside was that the rough was particularly spiteful to the predominantly “amateur” field.
However a close contest lay ahead. Birdie ‘2’s were recorded by Gary Bolger (A6) and Toby Glass (B8) and in the competition proper only two points covered the first five golfers. Sharing third place were Gary Bolger, Tom McCarthy and Bob St Aubin with 35 points whilst Graham Davis went one better with the best gross of the day – 80 – giving him level par 36 points for second place. The winner was Aussie Toby Glass and he picked up his weekly pocket money with another sub-par round of 37 points. Toby makes a habit of winning once a week, usually on a Wednesday, and it has harshly been suggested that the group revert to Tuesdays and Thursdays again!
Elsewhere the Booby Bevy went to Mr Len after carding eight consecutive one point holes. Currently suffering the putting “yips” he noticed a couple of pieces of trash on the end of his putter yesterday and upon investigation found it was his hands! A solution may be in sight!
All in all it was a good golf day at Burapha and the group visits there every month.
Another Batty classic at Pattana
The Pattaya Golf Society visited a virtually empty Pattana on Friday, 22nd July to play a stableford competition on the A and C nines and found a course in excellent condition under humid skies. Play was from the more amenable yellow tees as there is very little run, even on dry days, on the well watered fairways.
Scores were tight, with one major exception and only four points covered the first eight golfers. In third place was Kevin Timbrell with 33 points, a couple behind runner-up Toby Glass on 35. The winner with an exceptional round of golf was Jon Batty and his gross 76 gave him forty-one points. Wow! It was Jon’s best round of the year by far with the group and he is to be congratulated on the quality of his golf. On Monday he won without striking the ball well but today everything was as sweet as a nut.
The returning Mark Lang notched the only birdie ‘2’ of the day, on A3.
It had been a fine way to end another golfing week with the PGS and more good golf is set for the next few weeks with the usual selection of quality courses offering value for money.
