Wallace Wins Tight Affair at Pattaya

If it’s Friday it has to be “local” for the Pattaya Links Golf Society. Returning to town after the travails of golf means tangling with the weekenders who desert Bangkok and descend on Pattaya, turning it into one large traffic jam. Thus, on Friday, 26th July the PLGS played a stableford competition at Pattaya Country Club.

The sky was overcast and conditions were cool for most of the round on a course which had dry fairways and quick greens. The tee boxes, however, are being repaired and are quite the worse in the area at present.

Twenty-two golfers played in one flight and a very tight contest ensued with just two points covering the top four places.

Dave Hewson recovered from a poor last round to post 34 points and take fifth place on countback from Bryan Barrell. Mike Firkin, recently returned from a traumatic home visit, put it all behind him as he enjoyed a fourth place finish on 37 points.

In third place was Wayne Peppernell with 38 points, his third sub-par round this week, leaving George Mueller and Geoff Wallace to be subjected to countback for the top place on 39 points, with Geoff’s better back nine catching the recorder’s eye.

Near pins went to Bill Copeland (5), Wayne Peppernell (7), Kevin LaBar (12) and Geoff Wallace (17).

The best front nine consolation went to Ray Byron (19 points on countback) and Bill Stewart took the award for the back nine with 18 points, also on countback.

 Winners Pattaya Country Club

 1st Place – Geoff Wallace (16) – 39 pts c/back

2^nd Place –  George Mueller (14) – 39 pts

3^rd Place –  Wayne Peppernell (15) – 38 pts

4^th Place –  Dave Hewson (9) – 34 pts c/back

In deciding the recipient of the “silly hat” Mr. Phil briefly considered Tip Briney for the role after an ambling round, but settled on Aussie Jayson Schembri after a low scoring back nine.

Newbie Richie McIntosh donned the dreaded “wig” after failing to impress on his PLGS debut.

And so the group returned to a gridlocked Pattaya after another excellent week of golf, which boasted twenty-seven par or better rounds and, of course, many near misses.