IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
The Pattaya Golf Society visited The Emerald club in Ban Chang On Monday, 8th November, to play a stableford event with the field divided into two flights for the first time in many months – a sure sign that high season is approaching.
The course was not as well presented as on the last visit as the greens were sadly in need of a cut and were thus slow and unreliable. Fairways were good however.
PGS Champions Paul McNally (Gross) and Richard Bannister (Net) savour the moment.
With the cut at sixteen and under the field got underway on time and scoring was not easy on those greens. In the second flight Len Jones posted 30 points for third place, one behind Belgian golfer Jos Clerbaut who was runner-up on 31 points. The flight winner was Brian Kelly and his 34 points was good enough to head the list on a course he always enjoys.
In the top flight Don Nellis continued his golfing renaissance with another fine round of 36 points to join Phil Knight in second place whilst the only sub-par round of the day was recorded by Wichai Tananusorn, his 37 points giving him a second successive Monday victory. He also had the honour of recording, with Phil Knight, the best gross of the day.
The ‘2’s pot was shared by two second flight golfers, Brian Kelly holing out on the seventh hole, and Carl Lovatt chipping up the hill and in on the thirteenth.
The Booby Bevy went to the returning Martin Hoblyn for his low score for the day but he has more opportunities to improve with his long awaited month’s holiday only just starting – and Emerald was certainly the place to start.
Favourites recover after early ‘Hart’ attack
The second week in November is traditionally the occasion of the Pattaya Golf Society’s Annual Individual Championships and Green Valley was the host for the two day event on Wednesday 10th and Friday 12th November. It proved not to be the wisest choice however as the course was shabbily presented with unfinished dressed greens showing more than a couple of day’s growth. Members and more experienced golfers in the field could not remember when it was so bad but the absence of a permanent head greenkeeper at the complex and a reliance on contracted “amateurs” will not improve the situation in the foreseeable future.
Having said that the competition was keenly contested and turned into one of the best in the history of the event. As usual the format was strictly thirty-six holes strokeplay without the distraction of technical sideshows and a large field had entered both days.
At the end of the first day in the search for the Net Champion, Len Jones had joined Paul McNally in third place on 68, one shot behind Richard “Banjo” Bannister and the first day leader Murray Hart following his excellent round of 66. The Gross Champion leaderboard showed favourite Paul McNally six shots ahead of rivals Banjo and Mikael Andersson.
Two days later the optimism of improved conditions for the final day immediately disappeared when golfers took to the practice green and found it almost unplayable! Giving it their best shots they found that scores were inevitably higher with Murray Hart slipping out of the frame, leaving the top two leaders to fight it out amongst themselves in the final group.
Despite the valiant efforts of Wichai Tananusorn and Peter Ditz to force themselves into the picture it was Banjo who took the initiative with another fine four-under par round to take the second day’s net competition and finish a with a splendid 36 hole total of net 135.
Paul McNally managed to hang on to his gross lead as he stuttered to level par to win the main prize. Honours had been shared with the two best golfers over the two days taking a champion trophy each as well as a runner-up prize.
The “champagne moments” on the first day were the performance of lady golfer Ya Riley taking on the men off the white tees, the performance of Len Jones in the net event and on the second day the stalwart senior Jack Robertson strolling through his level par round only two months after a knee replacement operation. Well done for your heroic efforts Jack! It’s a pity Green Valley could not have put themselves out as much.
Day 1:
(Division 1)
1st Richard Bannister, net 67
2nd Paul McNally, net 68
3rd Mikael Andersson, net 71
(Division 2)
1st Murray Hart, net 66
2nd Len Jones, net 68
3rd Pat Murphy, net 69
Day 2:
(Division 1)
1st Richard Bannister, net 68
2nd Wichai Tananusorn, net 70
3rd Peter Ditz, net 70
(Division 2)
1st Ronnie Ramsay, net 72
1st Jack Robertson, net 72
3rd Don Nellis, net 73
3rd DaveWilkinson, net 73
Gross Champions:
1st Paul McNally, 150
2nd Richard Bannister 159
Net Champions:
1st Richard Bannister 135
2nd Paul McNally 140
