IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at the Links Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society took its largest group for a while to Eastern Star on Monday, 9th November to play a stableford competition on the rain damaged course. Eastern Star does not suffer wet season dousings gladly and the greens staff have a job on their hands to get things back in shape for the high season.
The two flights were divided at 16.9 and under and in the second flight Mike King and John O’Sullivan posted scores of 31 points for a share of third place. The flight winner was Larry Slattery with 34 well deserved points.
Scenic Emerald Gold Course.
In the top flight Gerner Lykke and George Robinson shared third place with 32 points whilst the returning Khon Kaen based Bob Strutt adapted to Chonburi golf quickly with a second placed 36 points. The winner, with the best score of the day, gross and points, was David Thomas and his 37 points was a fine return for some solid hitting and a suitably tough mind set, perfect for the Eastern Star challenge.
John O’Sullivan, Bob Strutt and new member, Canadian Brian Anderson, shared the ‘2’s pot. Jim Ferris won the non winners’ beer and Mark Cooper took a rare Booby Bevy for the largest split figures of the day.
King for the day
A warm and clear day, a quality golf course and the Pattaya Golf Society members responded in fine style and visited Burapha on Wednesday 11th November to play a stableford competition on the A and B nines, from the blue tees.
Fairways like carpets and the most consistent greens in the area meant that a golfer on top of his game would produce the goods. Thus the scene was set.
A couple of ‘2’s winners denied the opportunity of two flights and another solid performance by Mark Cooper saw him take fourth place with 34 points. Sharing second place on 36 points were the redoubtable Wichai Tananusorn and a reborn Mike Wilsher. For the former it was a welcome return to form and the latter successfully managed to shrug off the shadows of his previous round. Both started with a birdie and completed their rounds with confidence.
The winner on the day was Liverpudlian Mike King and he lived up to his name with a right royal performance and 38 points from his eighteen handicap.
The aforementioned ‘2’s pot winners were Jon Batty (A3) and the senior member in the field Alan Walker (B8). The non-winners’ beer was drawn in favour of Mr Len and any of the three low marking golfers could have taken the Booby Bevy but the “chosen one” was Dave Heyes in the absence of a count back and as a token of welcome on his first round back.
Batty wins
at Emerald
Friday the 13th; unlucky for some, but not for the five groups of PGS golfers who enjoyed a warm day out on an improving Emerald Golf Course. The broad-leaf crab-grass, so evident here for some time, is slowly but surely being replaced by a fine-leaf fescue grass offering near-perfect lies. Despite recent damage caused by heavy rain storms, the course remains very playable. Fairways are good, bunkers, although a little light on sand, offer a reasonable chance of recovery, whilst the greens are receptive and consistent.
Our stableford competition got away on time, in warm conditions without the threat of rain. The lakes here are still full to overflowing, with drain reconstruction evident on a few holes. Yet despite this and a reasonably full field, pace of play was good. Thunder was heard towards the end of our round, but thankfully didn’t come our way.
The last time the PGS played Emerald, the podium was dominated by high markers who showed the low markers how to put a score together under tough conditions. Today this trend was reversed, with low markers making up five of the six golfers to make the podium.
Four golfers shared third place on 32 stableford points; David Thomas (9), Tony Campbell (10), Dave Heyes (12), and Tony Thorne (18). In second place was big Bob Strutt (9) with a well-compiled 34 points, just the one point behind today’s winner, Jon Batty (6) who scored a meritorious 35.
There were three ‘2’s, coming from Tim Dale and Dave Heyes on the 7th and Tony Campbell on the 13th.
Richard (Banjo) Bannister was today’s recipient of the lucky beer draw.
