๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ……….๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฎ……….๐ง๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฆโฆ…..๐๐ฒ๐ฐ.๐ฏ๐ญ…๐ฆ/๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ
๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก
In comparison to many countries and communities around the world, Thailand, and Pattaya, have had a very good run re Covid-19.
We have had an almost โnormalโ life for many months, after having a six week lockdown early in the year but, some would argue, that it couldnโt last.
Then it hit! Banglamung, including Pattaya, went into lockdown on Wednesday Dec.30 as covid-19 cases increased in the area.
Links Golf had scheduled a round at Pattavia on the 31st. A quick phone call to the course confirmed that everything was normal and we can play as scheduled.
However, as we have experienced before, these orders are an hour to hour proposition, so another phone call 30 minutes before departure told us that all is well.
Our fourteen golfers arrived in two buses and a couple cars to a very windy and drying out golf course. The fairways are showing brownish areas, even though there is plenty of water being kept up to them, and the greens.
It was scary when the noticeboard at the entrance showed green speed at 10.2. With the dryness and the strong wind, it may have been quicker. Downhill putts at this course with a tail wind, as anyone who has played here will know, is um, โtrickyโ.
On the first tee, the wind was coming from behind, and a couple of long hitters thought they had overshot the fairway and into the bush behind. Problem with a strong tail wind is that somewhere there will be strong headwind.
Dave McKey struck some much needed form for a win two weeks ago, and kept that going today. His 37 points under these difficult conditions surprised the experts, who figured that around 30 would be a winner.
An extra bonus for Dave was that he and wife, Ruth, managed to get their renewed visa just before the lockdown.
A big gap to the other in-form player, Steve Moxey, who took second place with 32 points.
Mike Tottenham grabbed third spot with a respectable 31 points, followed by Tony Browne, beating two others on countback for the fourth place with a score of 30 points.
๐ช๐ถ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฎ
1st Place โ David McKey (21 ) – 37 pts
2nd Place โ Steve Moxey (12) – 32 pts
3rd Place โ Mike Tottenham (22) – 31 pts
4th Place – Tony Browne (21) – 30 pts c/back
๐ฝ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ (non winners) โ Karl Flood – 18 pts
๐ฝ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ (non winners) โ Dave Arataki – 16 pts c/back
Two of our regulars who have been โtrappedโ for a few months in the U.K, have completed the quarantine and paperwork, and both are looking fit and well.
A big โWelcome Backโ to ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐น ๐ฆ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ต and ๐ก๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ป.
They have been out of practice for a while, but both enjoyed their day back on the golf course, as did the other 12 players.
Pattavia management topped off the year by presenting everyone with a voucher for a free drink in the clubhouse, very much appreciated.
To all our readers in Thailand and around the world
โ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ซโ from Links Golf, and please stay safe.
Photo: Winner, Dave McKey. A recycled photo as Dave got away before we got a new one.
