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Here we have all the press reports for the current year. Click on a month to navigate and read the reports.
Morel Kicks off the Year Nicely A very healthy field of Pattaya Golf Society golfers opened their new year account with a trip to Rayong CC on Monday, 2nd January, to play a stableford round at the group's regular public holiday venue. The course was in reasonable condition but was very dry with slowish greens. The large field was divided into two flights at nineteen and under and apart from the regulars with the group returning friends made the day more special. In the second flight Evan Millar took third place with 30 points. In second, making a good start to the year was the Rabbi himself recording a fine 33 points which should have been much better. Fifty-three putts in a round is no good for anyone and a few hours on the practice green are set to occupy his thoughts over the next few days. The flight winner was Brendan Gilsenan with 34 points. In the top flight Alan Griffiths joined Fred Land and Larry Slattery in third place with 33 points, a couple behind Ray Banks' 35 which made runner-up place his own after a fine end-of-year spell. The winner was Jean Morel who conjured up the day's only sub-par round of 37 points, accuracy not length being the hallmark of his game once again. There were no birdie twos and the Booby Bevy went to Peter Masters for transforming a five foot birdie putt on hole eleven into a triple bogey. Having putting lessons from Rabbi, Peter? It had been a fine start to the new year with the PGS and it holds promise of good golfing experiences for the months to come. Bolger Realises Potential The Pattaya Golf Society's largest turnout for three years journeyed to Greenwood on Friday, 6th January, to contest a stableford event in three flights with the cuts at 12 and 18. The assigned nines were B and C and from the start the greens showed superb pace. In the third flight Roy Bassett took third place with 33 points having completed an excellent front nine and playing partner Mr Len went two better to share the flight win with Evan Millar on 35 points. The top flight saw Ray Banks, Stuart Thomson and Gary Olliffe all share runners-up place on 34 points whilst Wichai Tananusorn posted another best gross as he recorded 38 points for the win. It was in the second flight that things were happening. Dave Wilkinson posted 33 points for third place, hot on the heels of Ronnie Ramsay with 34. Gary Bolger came up with the display of the day with a round of 42 points showing that when one's game is "on" Greenwood is the place to be. It was a round of raw power and accuracy and for the first time showed what golf the Aussie giant is capable of. There were twos for Sue Mawhinney, Robbie Taylor, Helene Lindberg, Martin Hennessy and Roy Bassett , whilst Liam Slattery took his first Booby Bevy after managing the day's largest split of ten points. It may be common knowledge that Greenwood is always in good condition but the value for money deal currently on offer will draw the crowds, as it did this day and must surely be a lesson from which other clubs could learn and profit. No Holding Joe! The Pattaya Golf Society visited Khao Kheow on Monday, 9th January to play a stableford competition on the A and B nines. The course which had been seriously rain damaged for most of the low season is slowly recovering but there are still bare patches on some fairways. Greens however are true and quite quick. The large PGS field was divided into two flights at fifteen and under and the second flight played from the white tees. Here Larry Ang found his form again with 34 points for third place, a couple behind Larry Slattery in second. The flight winner was Canadian member Henry Mah whose 37 points was his best with the group in two seasons of trying. In the top flight Tom Atkins played a level par round of 36 points for third place whilst Mike Earley broke his personal habit of playing poorly on his return to record 40 points. He must be forgiven for thinking it would be good enough to secure the victory but playing partner Joe Niisato had other ideas and went one better recording 41 points for an excellent win. Joe also shared the twos pot with Martin Grimoldby, Tony Thorne, Tom Atkins, Rob Lamond, Alan Griffiths, Fred Land and Henry Mah. Evan Millar, for whom nothing went right at the start of his round, received the Booby Bevy for the day's largest split of ten points between the front and back nines. The return to Khao Kheow had been a successful one and as the course is improving all the time the PGS look forward to returning there next month for some more testing golf on the beautiful course. PGS Annual Strokeplay Championships Sumner & Cadwallader Show Championship Class The Pattaya Golf Society held its Annual Championships at the Emerald course in Ban Chang on Wednesday - Friday, 11th-13th January. The course was tough in the strong ever-present wind and players had to dig deep to come up with good scores. Thirty six holes of strokeplay is always a tough call but the large field enjoyed the challenge with daily prize pools to add some spice to the mix. First day divisional winners were Dave Cadwallader (net 71) and Larry Slattery (net 73), with impressive performances from Gary Bolger, Mike Earley and Pete Sumner and the pressure was turned up on Day Two when the field played to a conclusion in rank order with the leaders going head-to-head. The second day proved as challenging as the first but Mike Earley was continuing his outsider challenge and Mr Len, the "Friday Man", was making a charge after a dismal final hole on Day One had blown his chances early. Second Day divisional winners were Sumner and Cadwallader with Slattery and Jones sharing the second flight. Overall Dave Cadwallader produced the best net display with net 71 on both days and finished as Net Champion with Larry Slattery as runner-up. Pete Sumner took the Gross Champion title after Ray Banks blew away five shots on holes five and six to finish runner-up. The "All-Comers" award went to new member Seil Revels for his best gross total of 159 which saw an inspired second day performance of 76 off the sticks at Emerald. It had been a worthy Championship and with the defending champions elsewhere the group was delighted to boast of its two new "heroes". At the presentation Tony Thorne's and Khun Wichai's unstinting help and support before and during the event was recognised and Jeff " Rabbi" and Khun Peung's in-house efforts were of their usual high standard. Well done everyone, here's to next year! Tananusorn Wins Head-to-Head with Schramm The Pattaya Golf Society returned to normal after a hectic and thoroughly successful Annual Championship week with the relief of a stableford competition at the well presented course at Crystal Bay on Monday, 16th January. Playing the A and B nines the large field was divided into two flights at seventeen and under and excellent progress was made on a full course thanks to the full cooperation of the staff and the golfers in the group. The B flight saw the Rabbi overcome his recent "yips" with a battling 32 points for his biggest result yet, third on this occasion, a couple of points behind Denis Quinn who produced a steady round of 34 points. The flight winner was Mr Len, continuing his recent improvements with a return of 35 points. How he must rue that 3 putt-3 putt-4 putt run in the middle of the back nine! In the top flight new PGS Net Champion, Dave Cadwallader showed his credentials yet again with 35 points for third place whilst the main joust of the day was the head-to-head of the two strongest players in the field, Rick Schramm and Wichai Tananusorn. The former was battling his way out of a bout of bronchitis and pushed Wichai all the way with a score of 37 points but the Thai golfer was a little too strong for the Canadian and took the win with two excellent birdies on the back nine. Birdie twos were recorded by Mike Earley, Jack Behan, Ray Banks and Wichai with Helene Lindberg also striking a blow for the ladies with a fine effort into the wind on B4. The Booby Bevy went to new member Stephen Rowley who managed to play a fourth shot from behind the ladies tee, having gone OB with his first and topped his next, leaving himself a shot of three hundred yards plus into the wind for par. Life gets tough for low handicappers when that happens. But it was all part of a very good day at Crystal Bay and the organisers are grateful the club could find room for three extra groups at very short notice. We'll be back you bet! Nice Place - Shame About the Greens The Pattaya Golf Society visited Eastern Star on Wednesday, 18th January to play a stableford competition with the large field divided into two flights at sixteen and under. Eastern Star was reasonably presented but the greens led one member to search for a thesaurus to find another way of saying "atrocious". Not only were they slow and generally uncut but where efforts had been made to cut them the mower had left swathes of green and brown of uneven height. So the nightmare began.In the second flight Don Nellis and new member Vincent Sammon managed to scrape 31 points together each for a share of second place whilst Larry Slattery took the flight with a very creditable 33 points. In the top division Dave Moriarty played well recording 31 points for third, just one behind the second placed man Ray Banks, who was playing his penultimate round this trip. The winner was Tony Thorne and his 38 points were due in part to his knowledge of he course and some accurate shot making. A birdie two on hole six also helped and he was joined in a share of the twos pot by Pat Murphy and Booby Shirkey. The latter also received the Booby Bevy as the four points on hole three made up almost a quarter of his total for the day. One suspects it may be some time before the group will schedule a visit to Eastern Star again this high season. Sad, but... Banks Signs Out With Win The Pattaya Golf Society ended the week in "cheap and cheerful" fashion with a trip to Century Chonburi on Friday, 20th January, to play a stableford competition on the course which is slowly shedding its dowdy image. Attempts have been made to water the fairways and tidy up the bunkers but the absence of rakes anywhere on the course is still noted. The large field was divided into two flights at seventeen and under and a cloudy day made the golfers comfortable from the off. In the second flight Dave Wilkinson and Booby Shirkey shared third place with 27 points each, a couple behind second placed Mr Len. The flight winner was Brian Shaw with 31 points on yet another of his flying visits from Australia. In the top flight Steve Jones, Joe Niisato, Dave Cadwallader and Don Nellis all shared the third place pot with 29 points. Tony Thorne again played solid golf recording 32 points for second place whilst Ray Banks ended his trip in style with a win, recording 35 points. There were no birdie twos and Swedish lady golfer Helene Lindberg volunteered to play off the white tees and promised herself a beer after she passed on five holes. "Murphy's Law" kicked in and when she got to the sixteenth tee the hut was empty. What better consolation than the Booby Bevy. Cheap and cheerful Chonburi may be, but it is well worth a visit during high season. Quality Finish from Lamond On Monday, 23rd January, the Pattaya Golf Society left bustling Soi Buakhao for the relative peace of Treasure Hill to play a stableford competition on the testing course, on a fine day with a fresh breeze blowing. The course was in good condition and the two flights were divided at fourteen and under. Old hands know the best way to play the course is by playing within oneself, forsaking length for accuracy and in the second flight Jean Morel certainly fell within that category scoring 31 points to share second place with Yvonne Earley. The flight winner was Canadian Brent Nastiuk, playing the course for the first time, and his 35 points was an excellent return. In the top flight Tony Thorne, playing under the added responsibility of stewarding the group for the day, turned in 34 points for a very respectable third place. Rob Lamond was playing his final round before migrating north and produced a quality card of gross 77 giving him 36 points to tempt him back to Pattaya maybe sooner rather than later but it was a fine way to sign off as one of Pattaya's quality golfers. The flight winner was Wichai Tananusorn and he recorded the only sub-par round of the day of 37 points. His birdie two on the sixth helped and he shared the twos pot with Mike Earley and Dave Moriarty. The PGS will remember the day not only for the performance of the winner but also for the quality of the runner-up. 'Bye Rob, we're gonna miss your golf. Jury's Still Out at Lakeside Royal Lakeside has been closed for a year during which time extensive changes have been made to the riverside course between Chonburi and Bang Na. The "White House" is now yellow and blue, water has been extended into the fairways, some trees have been removed, bunkers reset, refilled and bordered with thorny scrub bushes, holes lengthened and all greens raised significantly with none-too subtle slopes built into them. Scorecards remain bizarrely the same with yardages and stroke indices well out of kilter. The course is much more difficult now and when even the better golfers find difficulty holding the ball on the new greens, with their shaved flanks, the game ceases to be amusing. Why tinker when it ain't broke? However, unaware of the significance of all these changes the Pattaya Golf Society visited there on Wednesday, 25th January, to play a stableford competition. With the cut at fourteen and under the two flights set out under clear skies and very little wind. In the second flight Larry Slattery and Chris Walsh shared third place with 32 points each. Playing the course for the first time Gary Bolger took second with 35 points whilst Don Nellis went one better for the victory. In the top flight Rick Schramm and Joe Niisato shared third place with 32 points each, just one behind Dave Moriarty and his 33 point return. The flight winner was Vic Hansen with 36 points. Mie Earley recorded the day's only birdie two and a rolled over Booby Bevy went to guests Steve Linnell, Paul Bradbury and Ged Blairs for their efforts to raise some points. The groups average winning score at the course was five-under and clearly those days have gone but the jury still remains out at Royal Lakeside. Charity Begins Again at Rayong Just a year ago the Pattaya Golf Society started its monthly charity golf day programme with the Fr Ray Foundation Outreach Center on Soi Thepprasit as its main beneficiary. In the first year the Soi Buakhao based golf group funded many initiatives at the centre, including furnishing the "Halfway" House on site, providing a water filtration system, funding the "welcome" coffee house, the main roadside sign, the Garden and Mushroom project and accommodation and food for the streetkids victims of Bangkok's end of year floods, as well as rice for the Centre generally.. There is still much work to be done and the group has decided to extend its sponsorship for another year with its regular monthly "fun" tournaments. The first of the year was held on Friday, 27th January at Rayong CC and took the form of a Pairs Scramble. Ten teams turned out and the course was well prepared and the welcome as warm as always. The technical prizes were all generously sponsored and the winners were Shane Ruddle (2), John Cowley and Robbie Taylor in the Par three Near Pins, Pete Seward and Gordon Everingham in the extended Near Pins (par four and par five). In third place was the pairing of Russell Exley and Shane Ruddle, throwing very little away with gross 67 (net 64), in second were Pete Seward and John Cowley, gross 76 (net 60) and the winners were an inspired Gary Bolger and Robbie Taylor with gross 69 giving then 59.3 after the handicap adjustment. It was a fine performance from the Aussie duo, making their first appearance as a pairing. At the presentation once again Rabbi and Khun Peung conjured up excellent fare and Khun Phennipa, representing the Centre, presented a Certificate of thanks to the group and personally thanked the many kind sponsors and contributors to the event and in particular Larry Slattery, Rick Schramm, Tony Thorne, Russell Exley, Shane Ruddle, Brian Shaw, Jean Morel, Keith Melbourne, Steven Rowley and Mr Dave. The next event is a stableford Hidden Pairs competition at Greenwood on Wednesday 22nd February. All are welcome! Sumptuous Stuff from Sumner The Pattaya Golf Society travelled to Plutaluang on Monday, 30th January, to play a stableford competition on the West and North nines which were in fine condition. This combination is a little long at 6700 yards and certainly testing and a twenty minute timeout for rain after six holes certainly added to the challenge. The field was divided into two flights at fifteen and under and in the second flight Gary Bolger entered a score of 31 points for third place whilst Henry Mah and Vic Barton shared the win with scores of 32 points. In the top flight Steve Jones used this, his final round this trip , to show he has not lost it after a dismal run of scores and he produced an excellent card of 36 points for third place. In second was Rick Schramm with 39 points to show everyone that his recovery from bronchitis is well on track. The flight winner was Pete Sumner with an excellent gross 76 giving him 40 points in a round he will savour for a while yet with eleven pars and three birdies making a mockery of the course and the damp conditions. There were birdie twos on the Lighthouse hole for Steve Jones, Dave Moriarty, Gary Bolger and Kevin McConnell whilst Rick Schramm birdied the two par threes on the front nine to complete the pot. The Booby Bevy went to Mike and Yvonne Earley for dashing away on Friday before it could be awarded, leaving Mr Len, bronchitic and weary, to finish both bottles of a beer he dislikes. Bah!! What goes around, comes around at the PGS obviously. The day had been well marshalled by Tony Thorne and the plaudits were all for Pete Sumner after a sumptuous round of golf. Late Burst Gives Earley Win On Friday, 3rd February, the Pattaya Golf Society visited Mountain Shadow to play a stableford competition on the testing course which demands accuracy rather than length off the blue tees. The course was in splendid condition with good running fairways and the huge greens receptive and true. Visits and visa runs had reduced the field to one flight for the day and in third place was Rick Schramm finishing his excellent week with 34 points. In second was Dave Moriarty with 36 points but the "Giants" fan could be excused if his mind was elsewhere this weekend. The winner was Mike Earley whose round was steady, if not spectacular, until the final four holes when he finished with ten points to shoulder his way into top place. There were birdie twos for Will Bean, Dave Moriarty, Joe Niisato, Larry Slattery and Martin Hennessy (two) and the Booby Bevy went to Rob Alexander on his first visit to Pattaya and its golf. Harsh lessons lie ahead but his first lesson was that a change of clothes is essential after golf! Earley on a Roll On Monday, 6th February the Pattaya Golf Society visited the Emerald course in Ban Chang to play a stableford competition on the course which was in good order with medium paced greens and running fairways. Visa runs, domestic duties and the "Superbowl" had left the field with a single flight but all the challenges of a round at Emerald were still there. In third place a trio of regulars all scored 34 points with Wichai Tananusorn joining Brian Kelly and Evan Millar. Just one point better was Joe Niisato, again playing sound golf to match his handicap. The winner was Mike Earley and the round was the second consecutive victory for the Englishman whose 36 points again were augmented by a blitz on the final three holes which gave him ten points again. The twos pot was shared by Wichai, Mike Ensor and Brian Kelly and the Booby Bevy went to Keith Melbourne for his 13 - 7 split. Those who were not distracted elsewhere and made the golf course had again enjoyed some friendly competitive golf with the PGS. ESR Back on Track On Wednesday, 8th February the Pattaya Golf Society chose Eastern Star as the venue for a stableford competition in the hope that the course had improved since the previous few visits and they were not disappointed. Fairways were good and running and the greens, so often the cause for complaint, were very well prepared, cut and almost running with a consistent pace. Spirits were lifted and a tight competition took place. Visitor Niall Caven returned 37 points but at the top of the field a trio of experienced golfers jostled as local member Mikael Andersson joined Dave Moriarty and lady golfer Margaret Wilkinson on 34 points. Mike Earley recorded the day's only birdie two, on the seventeenth. The Booby Bevy went to Keith Melbourne only hours before his return to UK as a reminder of the fun he has shared on the golf course this trip and he will be back for more later in the year. Hopefully Eastern Star will still be in good form when he arrives. Joe Steals the Show Greenwood is currently the "must play" golf course on the Eastern Seaboard with its splendid green fee package and well prepared fairways and greens and the Pattaya Golf Society visited there on Friday, 10th February to play a stableford competition on the B and C nines. As expected the course was full but, starting on time, the large field made good progress. The cut was at fifteen and under and in the second flight Ken Grimes and Mr Len shared third place with 33 points each, just one behind Ken Page and his 34 point card. The flight winner was Aussie "senior" Alan Walker and his 35 points represented his best showing in a long time with the group. In the top flight Canadian Will Bean scored 34 points for third place and Wichai Tananusorn blew his front nine score of only one over the card to finish on 36 points, his gross 79 being the best of the day. The flight winner was Joe Niisato and he repeated his score at the course just a month ago with another exquisite 41 points. The twos pot was shared by Khun Wichai, Richard Dobson and Dave Moriarty. Mike Ensor sponsored two technical prizes and the award for the best par three points total went to Roy Bassett and Dave Moriarty (10) and the par five total went inevitably to Joe Niisato with his ten point total. The Booby Bevy was reserved for Richard Dobson after a reasonable front nine of seventeen points was followed by a miserable return of nine points on the back nine. Greenwood did the PGS proud once again and more visits are scheduled there soon. To the Victor the Spoils 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 twos 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 CC 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 organiser 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 twos, his bogey on C8 costing him a PGS record. Alan Pilkington and Mike Earley also had a share of the twos 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 twos 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! Cheap & Cheerful Chonburi On Monday, 20th February the Pattaya Golf Society visited the small homespun course at Century Chonburi to play a stableford competition on the well designed track which was reasonably presented with grassy fairways and steady, if not quick, greens. The main problem there are the untended bunkers but visiting on a Monday sees most of them still in reasonable condition after their weekly rake at the weekends. The field was divided into two flights at fourteen and under and in the second flight Phil Mitchell made an instant impression on his return from hip surgery with thirty two points to share second place with Garry Hookey and Evan Millar. The flight winner was Pat Murphy with 34 points. In the top flight Mike Earley continued his fine run with 33 points for third place whilst Tony Thorne took second with thirty five. The flight winner was Takeshi Hakozaki with 36 points, a good return on the testing track. There were birdie twos for Stuart Thompson, Pat Murphy, Phil Mitchell and a brace for Alan Bridges. The Booby Bevy went to David Plaiter on his unimpressive debut in a PGS competition, but he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, as did the rest of the large field, at cheap and cheerful Century Chonburi. What's Luck Got to do With It?
Moriarty Passes Tough Test The Pattaya Golf Society took on a daunting task on Friday, 24th February when the group went to Treasure Hill to play its monthly medal tournament. The course was in top condition and with the white tees well back a 6700+ yards course requiring shrewd management skills was there for the navigating! The field was divided into two flights as normal with the cut coming at fourteen and under and in the second flight golfers strained sinews to hold rounds together with Bob Lind and Tyge Rasmussen sharing third place with net 83. In second was Mr Len on net 81 and the flight winner was Garry Hookey on net 80! In the top flight Wichai Tananusorn came home in third place with net 78, helped in part by the day's only birdie two on the sixth hole. In second was Mike Earley on net 76 and by his own admission more trips around the track would have given him a better perception of how the play the "beast". The winner was Dave Moriarty and he showed that playing Treasure Hill is not always about length and his accuracy came to the fore. The day was a hot one and the presentation back at Rabbi's enjoyed the cool beers and the news that Mr Len would receive the Booby Bevy for scheduling a serious strokeplay event at Treasure Hill! Family Fortunes at Plutaluang On Monday, 27th February the Pattaya Golf Society visited Plutaluang to play a stableford event on the West and North nines (why can we never play the other two?) with the course in fine condition but with traditionally slow greens. The field was divided into two flights at fourteen and under and in the second flight old mates Pat Murphy and Mr Len managed to tie for third place with 31 points each. In second was Dave Wilkinson with 34 and the winner was Yvonne Earley, hitting the heights on a rare occasion with 35 points. In the top flight Pete Sumner struggled through the pain barrier yet again to post a score of 34 points which was good enough to tie him in second place with Steve Evans, the latter making a rare visit to the podium. The flight winner was the very much in-form Mike Earley and he added a 38 point return to his recent catalogue of fine performances. His birdie two on W3 was matched by Masa Takano on W8 and Rob Alexander and Joe Niisato in the "Lighthouse" hole, N3. The presentation heard a very fine and comic explanation of why Rick Schramm should receive the Booby Bevy but his absence precluded this and instead it went to Toshihiro Aoki for scrubbing the entire front nine in a disastrous start to his round. "Rabbi's" had seen a day when the Earley family fortunes were in the ascendancy and the whole PGS group had enjoyed the day at Plutaluang. Slattery Best of the Day On Leap Year's Day the Pattaya Golf Society took the trip to Bangpakong Riverside to play a stableford event on the exquisite course, so well tended and presented. Always a joy to play, the lush fairways and consistent greens are balanced by the lashings of Bermuda rough just to encourage accuracy and the golfer who can keep the ball on the fairway will always do well. The field was divided into two flights at fourteen and under again - such is the quality at the moment - and they set off on time on a relatively empty course. In the top flight Steve Evans emphasised his recent improvement with 33 points for third place, just one behind Masa Takano on 34. The flight winner was the "Rocket Man" Rick Schramm who recorded an excellent level par 36 points and contributed the best gross of the day, 79. In the second flight Rod Stevens found the secret to his game and shared third place with Michael Sim on 34 points. The runner-up was Barry Horman with 37 points, his best round for a while with the PGS. Larry Slattery produced the best points round of the day to win the flight with 38 points. Rob Alexander scored the only birdie two of the day on the long and difficult hole 4 and will cherish his first taste of golf on the Eastern Seaboard as he boards his plane home at the weekend. The Booby Bevy was held over from Monday and the saga of the "Rocket Man's" bad luck at Plutaluang was retold to great amusement by playing partner Dave Moriarty. All in all it was not a bad way to celebrate a day which comes around only once every four years. Masa Holds the Aces...Except One! On Monday, 12th March the Pattaya Golf Society visited Khao Kheow to play a stableford competition on the C and B nines, which were very soft as a result of recent rain. The club is also in the process of re-turfing some of the greens but marking the areas GUR allows some relief when putting. The field was divided into two flights at fifteen and under and in the second flight Evan Millar was joined by Kevin McBride as the runners-up returned scores of 31 points. For Kevin it was his second visit to the podium in as many rounds and gives him something to boast about in the north-east when he lands back in the UK next week. The flight winner was new member Howard Jeglum and the Canadian marked his first IPGC competition with 34 points, In the top flight the returning Haru Kato joined "Banjo" Bannister, Dave Moriarty and Mike Earley in joint second place on 33 points whilst the in-form Masa Takano took another win with his level par 36 point return. The highlight of the day was a hole in one on C8 by Aussie Russell Meiers and this, the second ace of his career, gave him a great deal of pleasure as he duly rang the bell on his return to Rabbi's in Soi Buakhao. This was the tenth ace recorded by the group in the past eight years and the eighth on golf geezer Mr Len's watch. In nailing his tee shot Russell undid the good work done by Wichai Tananusorn, Howard Jeglum and Bill McGarvie earlier in the round as their birdie twos were eclipsed. Masa had held almost all the aces at Khao Kheow but the big one went to Russell Meiers. Triple for Takano The Pattaya Golf Society made no apologies for visiting Greenwood for the second time in the month on Wednesday, 14th March. The course represents such excellent value for money compared with the "denizens" of the region who are just pricing themselves into oblivion by comparison. An empty car park greeted the large field when they arrived and immediate progress was made on the A and B nines with no-one else in sight. Such was the pace of play that the lead group completed the full round in barely 3 hours 30 minutes! With the field divided into two flights at fifteen and under the second flight saw "Rabbi" Cohen enter the frame in third place with 32 points, eating the dust of the second placed golfer, Russell Meiers and his 37 points. The flight winner was Brian Shaw who impressed with 39 points. In the top flight Dave Moriarty, the group's "Mr Consistency", posted 35 points for third, one behind Joe Niisato on 36. The flight winner, Masa Takano, made it three in a row when he posted 39 points to follow the high standards he is setting for his game at present. "Rocketman" Rick Schramm took the twos pot with the only birdie two of the day, on A6 and the Booby Bevy went to Wichai Tananusorn for his worst ever round in five years with the group, but he was all smiles later in Soi Buakhao threatening devastation on the field the next time out. Greenwood did not disappoint and provided the warm hospitality for an excellent golfing day out with the PGS. Banjo Hits the High Notes Again On Friday, 16th March the Pattaya Golf Society visited Mountain Shadow for a stableford competition on the testing course which was in top condition with good fairways and greens running at a quick pace. Though not everyone's favourite the course demands accuracy and the field was divided into the usual two flights at fifteen and under. The strong breeze was to be a factor also as the day wore on and the fourteenth, the toughest par five in the province, into the wind was a real challenge. In the second flight Mr Len again found third place his own with 30 points, having once again started slowly trying to find the pace of the greens. In second place was Greg Gawron with 31 points and the winner was Jim Bell with 35 points. In the top flight Rick Schramm, Masa Takano, Warren Gallop and Peter Seward all shared second place on 32 points whilst it was left to Richard Bannister to impress again with 38 points for an emphatic win. Larry Slattery and Benny Hansen shared the twos pot for their fine efforts on the fifteenth and the Booby Bevy went the "star" of the previous three rounds, Masa Takano, for his demise from a twenty point front nine score to only twelve on the back nine, proving that one can nothing for granted in the noble game. It is always good to play a challenging course and Mountain Shadow fitted the bill perfectly. Smith and Jones Spotted at Emerald The week began for the Pattaya Golf Society with a trip to Emerald to play a stableford competition on the popular course which was in fine condition with quick greens. The day was humid and conditions were eased by an intermittent cool breeze. The field was divided into two flights at fifteen and under. In the top flight Mike Earley and Peter Seward held down third place with 33 points, just one behind the joint winners Haru Kato and Chris Smith, the latter playing his first round this year with PGS, off his handicap of one. Seventy-five off the sticks at Emerald is a worthy round and he is to be congratulated for the quality of his golf with thirteen pars, one birdie and four bogeys. In the second flight Ken Page again made the list with 35 points for third, with James Smith , brother of Chris, taking second with 36 points. The only sub par round of the day was recorded by Mr Len, his 37 points putting a smile on his face once again. Haru Kato picked up the twos pot for the only birdie of the day on the seventh and the Booby Bevy went to John Mason after regaling his playing partners all round with the story of his ace on the thirteenth a year ago. This time he managed to increase his score on the hole by 500%! Golf at Emerald is always a fine way to start a week. Takano & Hansen Winners at Phoenix The Pattaya Golf Society visited Phoenix for the first time in many months on Wednesday, 21st March to play a stableford competition over the Mountain and Lakes nines on the expensive course which were in good order. The two flights were separated at nineteen and under and in the second flight Yvonne Earley joined Mr Len in second place with 30 points on her final round this trip. The flight winner was Benny Hansen who recorded 34 points. In the top flight Dave Moriarty and Greg Gawron shared third place with 31 points whilst Stuart Thompson went one better to take second with 32. The flight winner was Masanori Takano, also playing his final round and his 34 points marked the end of successful trip. There were no birdie twos on the slick greens and David Thomas finally received the Booby Bevy as a reward for some really poor golf by his own impeccable standards and it will be sad to see the honorary "club captain" leave for a sheep farm in Australia at the end of the week. The things people do to stay away from Phoenix and its obsession with cash! Close Call for Joe The Pattaya Golf Society closed its busy week with a visit to Greenwood to play its monthly medal competition on a course well presented but with slow greens which had been lightly dressed recently. It was another interminably hot day as the single flight teed off on an empty course and shots were hard to come by on the slow C greens. The back nine B course was to be more obliging however. Stuart Thompson recorded the only birdie two of the day in a round which helped him to net 78 and a share of third place with Rick Schramm and "Banjo" Bannister. In second was Wichai Tananusorn, with net 75, casting aside the remnants of his horror show recently. The winner was Joe Niisato who managed to draw net 74 out of the course. At the other end of the field Mr Len was the only golfer to succumb to the course and he eventually "nil-returned" after fifteen holes leaving the Booby Bevy as his consolation. The group will return to Greenwood in the official low season when conditions are restored as generally the best in the area. Jesper Joins the Forties Club On Monday, 26th March the Pattaya Golf Society visited Plutaluang to play a stableford competition on the East and South nines. It was the first time this combination had been assigned to the group since an abandoned attempt at a competition some four years ago in the midst of a vicious thunderstorm. So, optimism was high at the thoughts of what the day might hold for the field. The course was well turned out but the greens were vintage Plutaluang, running at 6.5 on the stimp. On an empty track in third place came Dave Wilkinson with 32 points, representing his best round for a month or two, whilst in second place was "Rocketman" Rick Schramm, playing his final round this trip and he finished on a credible 34 points. The day's best score was recorded by Jesper Hansen, his 40 points being his best return with the group. It was also the twelfth forty point plus return with the group so far this year. Now that the Eurocrat has sorted out his game he can turn his thoughts to the lesser problem of solving the crisis in Greece! There were no birdie twos and the Booby Bevy went at last to Rick Schramm for no other reason than to wish him God speed! Barton & Page Tops at Lakeside The Pattaya Golf Society travelled again to Royal Lakeside on Wednesday, 28th March to make another assessment of the extensive changes the club have made to the hitherto benign course in an effort to toughen up the challenge. An apricot "white house", additional lateral bunkers, additional intrusive water hazards, raised and tiered greens, a "tarted-up" clubhouse - all were there to greet the two flights with the cut at sixteen and under. Putting is the key to success now and a reliance on caddies for advice is hasty as they too have to re-learn the lines. In the top flight Phil "PJ" Mitchell posted one of his better rounds, peppered with good luck, to record 32 points to share second place with Chris Smith who shot the best gross of the day, 77. The flight winner was again Jesper Hansen who took the win with 36 points. In the second flight James Smith produced another competent round to finish third with 32 points and the flight win was shared by Ken Page and Vic Barton with 38 points apiece. The Booby Bevy went to an out of sorts Gary Bolger who managed only thirteen points, three of which came on the final hole. Gone are the days when it took a four under round to find a place in the frame at Royal Lakeside and in some ways this is a good thing. Let's hope it's not money wasted. Page Two The Pattaya Golf Society chose its favourite course, Bangpra for the final PGS March competition on Friday 30th and found a quality course in excellent condition but with all the white tees placed on the blue tee boxes. The day was destined to be a long one! Fairways were well grassed and the greens were at their legendary best. A moderate sized field saw only one flight and in third place was the only lady in the field, Wan Meeraka, her game holding up well with a result of 32 points. Racing out of the traps was Mr Len with eighteen points recorded after just seven holes but thereafter the consistency of his drive deserted him and he finished with 33 points in second place. The winner was Ken Page, his second success in as many outings and his 34 points was a fine result in the conditions. With the shortest par three at over 182 yards there were no birdie twos and the Booby Bevy was sacrificed in favour of a congratulatory cold beer for Pat Murphy as he had the honour of starting the one thousandth round with PGS this year. Bangpra did not disappoint and the group will certainly enjoy the hospitality of the club for a long time yet as the low season rate is once again very favourable. Ditz & Smith Best of the Day The Pattaya Golf Society visited a virtually empty Emerald on Monday, 2nd April to play a stableford competition with two flights cut at thirteen and under for the day. The course was in reasonable condition b8ut a competition local rule covered the occasional bare patches on the fairways and the golfers found they hardly needed to invoke it. The greens were quick and some of the pin placements were "sporty" to say the least. In the top flight Seil Revels and Stan Kure joined Chris Smith in third on 30 points with the latter again posting the best gross of 79 off his handicap of one. In second place was Tony Thorne on 32 points and it is good to see he has rediscovered some of his form and taste for the challenge of competition golf. The flight winner was Austrian Peter Ditz and his 36 points was a good return for some solid consistent golf. In the tightly contested second flight Pete Seward took third place with 34 points, just one behind Benny Hansen, second with 35. The flight winner was James Smith and his 36 points gave him a place finish for the third consecutive round. Benny and Chris Smith both recorded birdie twos on the fifth hole and the Booby Bevy went to the star of the previous week, Jesper Hansen for his 14 - 9 split on a tough day. Emerald always come up with a challenge and this day it was as tough as anyone could expect. Hansen Back in Harness The first public holiday in a busy month saw the Pattaya Golf Society visit Rayong CC for the first time this year on Chakri Day, Friday 6th April. The course was empty on a day when the other courses in the Kingdom were attempting to set a world record for competition entries on the annual Royal holiday. By contrast the PGS turned out its smallest field of the year but those involved contributed to the competition with their usual spirit on a course in relatively good condition.. In joint third place was Pete Seward with a steady 30 points whilst Jesper Hansen concluded his short stay with yet another win, his 34 points resulting from a round which saw him collect nineteen on the tough front nine. There were no birdie twos on the slow to medium greens and Mr Len took the Booby Bevy for trying to use a ladies' locker key to the amusement of the group. Songkhran is on the horizon and the PGS have no formal golf that week. Instead have organised a first ever visit to the spectacular Wangjuntr Highlands course on Wednesday, 18th. If enough people are entered we shall have a stableford competition with the presentation in the clubhouse afterwards, otherwise it will just be "social" golf. Call at the bar or contact Mr Len for details. A Shaw Winner at Crystal Bay On Monday, 9th April the Pattaya Golf Society visited the beautiful Crystal Bay club in Bangpra to play a stableford competition on the well turned out C and A nines. The course was virtually empty as the group were allowed to start thirty minutes early and from the start distant thunder rolled around the skies but thankfully nothing but a brief light sprinkle occurred. The competition turned out to be tight affair with on-leave Peter Masters turning in a card of 34 points for third place, just pipped by Seil Revels who played his best round for three months with the group, recording the best gross of 78 for his 35 points. The winner was a very late entry, Brian Shaw, who just happened to be awake early after the entertainment restrictions in force the evening before meant that he was raring to go. He finished with 38 points to cap a good day, having won in his final round on his previous visit a few weeks ago. Peter Ditz had the honour of the sole birdie two, on C4 and the Booby Bevy was withheld in deference to the solemnity of the day. Good Day for Glenn The Pattaya Golf Society chose Khao Kheow as the venue for its stableford fixture on Wednesday, 11th April, testing the A and B nines as a combination for the first time in many visits and found the course in good condition but with some old rain damage scarring still evident on the B nine. The greens were very goof however and an empty course again proved the ideal backdrop. The large single flight found scoring difficult as usual on the challenging course and Ray Jackson emerged in third place with 33 points. In second was the only lady in the field Margaret Wilkinson and she produced 36 points for second. The winner in his final round this trip was Glenn Martin and he found his best form for a long while in scoring 39 points. There were birdie twos for Joe Niisato and Mr Len on A5 and for Seil Revels on the signature Island B8 hole. The Booby Bevy went to Joe Niisato for his hero-to-zero performance on the back nine which saw him go from one under to eight over in two hours of hard concentration. But Khao Kheow can do that to the best of golfers Joe, chin up! Purdie's the Pick at Rayong The Pattaya Golf Society retreated from Pattaya on the eve of its annual madness known as Songkhran when the group visited Rayong CC on Friday, 13th April. Imagine the joy at being told that green fees were free but carts were compulsory! The course was empty as the group's single flight teed off. Scoring was tough as the hard and dry fairways demanded consistent and solid iron play. Benny Hansen was surprised to find his 28 points took third place, two behind John Mason, making the frame for the first time this trip, on 30. The winner was Andrew Purdie on his return from Australia with 31 points. There were no birdie twos and the Booby Bevy went to Mr Len for the day's largest split, an eight point deficit on the back nine. The return to Pattaya confirmed the mayhem had already begun and thus the curtain was drawn on the PGS activities for a week, when only a welcome distraction at faraway Wangjuntr would offer solace until the deluge relented. Another First for Mason The Pattaya Golf Society made its first ever visit to Wangjuntr Highlands on Wednesday, 18th April, in an attempt to get as far away as possible from manic Pattaya during Songkhran week and were treated to an empty course of stunning panoramas, great changes in elevation and huge, contrivedly quirky greens. What a challenge for the lads! Teeing off late after the group leader had managed to miss the entrance by some 25 kilometres - his driving on the back nine followed the same pattern! - the cart path restriction, the oppressive humidity and the steep "alpine" fairways made for a five hour round, but at every turn the course was spectacular with deer and ostriches watching with casual amusement. Sharing second place were Wichai Tananusorn and Tony Thorne with 30 points, both having played the course before, but the winner was John Mason on "terra incognita" with 32 points after playing bogey golf for most of the holes . The group had to wait until the seventeenth to record the only birdie two of the day, a fine effort by Tony Thorne. What an experience the day had been, with magnificent value for money and John Mason recording another PGS "first" after recording the group's first Emerald hole-in-one almost a year ago to the day. Top Performance from Thorne At the end of a Songkhran week there are few golfers left in town but quite a strong field turned out at Emerald on Friday, 20th April to play a Pattaya Golf Society stableford event. The course was reasonably presented with greens running at a moderate pace and the lack of customers saw everyone finish within four hours. In third place Wichai Tananusorn returned a score of 35 points after an uncharacteristic blemish on the second hole. In second was Stuart Thompson who performed manfully despite a painful back condition to put together a round of 37 points. The best round of the day was recorded by Tony Thorne and three fine birdies combined with a clutch of strong pars to give him 40 points, his best performance with the group in many months. Hopefully he is on the way back after a testing year of struggles with form. There were no birdie twos and the Booby Bevy went to Dave Lehane by way of a welcome back after his first tentative round after surgery. Stick with it Dave, good to have you back! Sure and Steady Sala Heavy coring at Silky Oak at the weekend meant that the Pattaya Golf Society had no other option than to redirect to Crystal Bay on Monday, 23rd April and found the B and C nines well prepared and once again devoid of golfers. Fairways are now very dry and have a lot of run whilst the greens were also quite hard and less receptive than normal. However the welcome was as warm as ever and the small group enjoyed a round of no more than four hours. In third place was Peter Ditz with 33 points and in second was Ronnie Ramsay, the Scottish power player recording 35 points on a rare break from work. The winner was Alex Sala and he put together a steady if unspectacularlevel par round despite finding the greens difficult to assess, three-putting on more than a few occasions. There were no birdie twos and Mr Len took the Booby Bevy for his third successive back nine implosion, the current oppressive heat and humidity obviously not to his liking. But what else, apart from golf, is going to get us out of bed on a Pattaya morning? 3G at Bangpra and Boss Clicks The Pattaya Golf Society visited Bangpra on Wednesday, 25th April to play a stableford competition on the exquisite course, a favourite of many Pattaya golfers. A hot, bright day drew the best out of the course visually and the dry fairways gave plenty of run. The greens, having been recently lightly cored and dressed, were running at a more moderate pace and this suited the fair-sized field better than the horrors of the recent downhill putts. Competition was tight throughout and James Smith joined his brother Chris in a share of second place with 34 points, the latter coming up with an excellent best gross of 75. Masa Takano returned from Japan to muscle in on the place with a fine 34 points also. On his previous three rounds PGS golf geezer Mr Len has flattered to deceive with excellent front nine figures only to wilt in the heat and drift off the pace but today he was dogged in his efforts and put together his best round for a few weeks finishing in first place with the only sub-par round of the day, 38 points. Another "first" for the group was the appearance of three generations of the same family in the field as Ronnie Ramsay introduced son Jonathan to the course to join Ronnie Senior in the same group. There were no birdie twos and the Booby Bevy went to Jørn Eriksen for his largest split figures and he responded with a zesty tug of Rabbi's bell rope to celebrate the occasion. What an excellent day it had been at Bangpra! Winning Return for Sam On Friday, 27th April, the Pattaya Golf Society visited Mountain Shadow to play a monthly medal event on the tough course, with its trees in the fairways and huge rolling greens. On days like this it is a man's game and a dozen golfers turned out to be tested on a very hot day again. The course was well turned out but dry fairways gave a lot of run and the greens had a bit of pace to them. In third place with net 76 was Brian Talbot, again playing some steady error free golf. The runner-up was Wichai Tananusorn, coming off the back of a successful round earlier in the week at Plutaluang and his net 74 showed signs of an exciting return to form for the popular Thai golfer. The winner was Sam McLellan on his return to Pattaya and he recorded a fine net 70 for an emphatic win. Masa Takano posted the only birdie two, on the fifteenth hole. Hmm, Mountain Shadow certainly provides some challenges in strokeplay golf. A Walk in the Park for James Smith The Pattaya Golf Society ended April with a visit to Phoenix to play a stableford competition over the Mountain and Lakes nines on the final day.. It must be said that the course was not in good condition with greens coming out of coring and although fairways were quite good the course wore a distinctly "tired" look. However it is always a joy to play and a large field had assembled to give it a go, divided into two flights at seventeen and under. In the top flight Alex Sala continued his consistent form with 32 points for third whilst Brian Talbot joined Seil Revels on 33 points for a share of the win. Seil's efforts brought him the best gross figures of the day, eighty. In the second flight John Mason took third with 35 points despite hating every putt he attempted on the "egg-box" greens. In second was Jean Morel after a long break with the group, showing he had lost none of his form in the meantime, with a fine 37 points. The winner was twenty handicapper James Smith whose form was so good his forty two points came from a round which was only six off the best gross figure of the day. He had been helped in part by a birdie two on Mountain eight and he shared the pot with Dave Lehane who had accomplished a similar feat on Lakes two. The Booby Bevy went to old friend Bob Boyle who managed to better most of his infrequent rounds with the group but always plays his golf with a broad smile. And that skill was the most essential one at Phoenix on a day when patience would be tested on the greens. Bobby Dazzler On Friday, 4th May, after an absence of many months the Pattaya Golf Society visited Green Valley with more than two dozen golfers, looking forward to a stableford competition on the fine course. The welcome was extremely feisty and an extra two hundred baht was demanded because we had exceeded our booked figure, on a relatively empty course!! Needless to say hasty negotiations took place and the insistence of the organiser, club member Mr Len, won the day but it was not the start the group had hoped for. Thankfully the course was in better fettle than the staff and a close competition ensued. The cut was at fifteen and under and in the top flight Mark Stanley posted 35 points for third place. Ahead, sharing the win were Wichai Tananusorn and Jason Cole with 37 points. Jason took the best gross honours with 78, by virtue of his lower handicap but Wichai had the pleasure of sharing the twos pot with his peer as well as Stuart Thompson. In the second flight Evan Millar put together a solid round of 33 points for third place with Pat Murphy posting 35 points for second on his recent return from Australia. The flight winner was Bobby Shirkey with 38 points on a day when everything seemingly went well. It was a rare honour for the diminutive Scot and one thoroughly well received by his colleagues. At the end of the day the patience of the golfers had been rewarded by a good day's golf but a cloud still remains after the attitude of the front desk staff. Plain Seil-ing at Rayong Yet another in a series of public holidays on Monday, 7th May, saw the Pattaya Golf Society visit an empty Rayong CC to play a stableford competition on the testing course which was only in fair condition. Bunkers were heavily rain damaged whilst fairways continued to cry out for irrigation. Greens were moderately paced. The small field enjoyed a quick round with Jean Morel and Wichai Tananusorn sharing third place with 32 points each. Of the favourites Masa Takano's 33 points secured second place and included the day's only birdie two, on the seventh. The winner was Seil Revels, currently in a good run of form and his 37 points from a gross 77 represented his best round of the year with the group. His card displayed nine pars and two birdies and was highlighted by a lack of any score above five, a rare event indeed. As it was his first taste of Rayong CC it was even more impressive. Plain "seiling" in fact. Smith at the Double On Wednesday, 9th May, the Pattaya Golf Society visited Crystal Bay to play a stableford competition on the C and B nines which were in very good condition. The day was heavily overcast and conditions for the golfers were almost perfect and certainly very comfortable. A feast of fine golf was in store as the group left the tee and results showed that some golfers performed to the max in their efforts. In fourth place was Masa Takano with 38 points with Ken Grimes a point better off in third with 38 points and it represented his finest round since joining IPGC a year ago. Recently returned the much travelled Don Nellis came good on the back nine, firing a two over par 38 to help himself into second with forty points and on another day it should have been enough but James Smith, still learning the game, topped that with his second consecutive round of forty plus, an excellent 43 points equaling the best round of the year with the Soi Buakhao based group. Brother Chris took the best gross of the day with 73. Phew! The day also saw eight birdie twos on the fine greens with Chris Smith, Tony Thorne, Wichai Tananusorn, James Smith, Robbie Taylor and Don Nellis all in the frame with an exuberant Masa Takano taking a brace. Poor Jean Morel took the Booby Bevy as the only golfer breaking par but not winning a prize, his 37 points giving him nothing more than a cut in handicap! Now that was a day worth writing about at Crystal Bay. Masterful Masa! The Pattaya Golf Society travelled to Emerald at Ban Chang on Friday, 11th May to play a stableford competition on the popular course under blazing skies and a humid atmosphere. The course is still recovering from remedial work on the greens but it is good to see the fairways have improved with the recent rains. The group again just failed to achieve two flights but there was plenty of class on display for the second time in the week. Playing his first official IPGC competition since joining Rob Pritchard managed a creditable 37 points for third place, just one behind an in-form Don Nellis whose 38 points followed a forty point spree at Crystal Bay two days before. The winner was Masa Takano, in another good week and he set a personal career best with a gross 74 giving him 43 points. It was the second consecutive round with a 43 point haul for the group indicating that there are still some excellent golfers in low season Pattaya, and with PGS in particular. Two birdie twos were recorded in the same playing group, on the same hole (15) with Don Nellis and Margaret Wilkinson adding some sparkle to their round. However for Masa there was an extra touch of magic as he will remember this round at Emerald for a long time yet.
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