Features

Sailing in a paradise not lost –Thailand’s marine sector promotes a better lifestyle & environment

His Majesty the King of Thailand has been a driving force in the development of sailing in the kingdom.

Peter Cummins
To play somewhat on the title of the masterpiece by British bard John Milton, I shall attempt in the following article to show how sailing, and its related water-borne activities, can greatly contribute to protecting and saving the environment and also help to promote a healthier and better lifestyle.
According to authors Beard and McKie, in their riotously funny book A Dictionary for landlubbers, “Sailing is the fine art of getting wet, and becoming ill while going nowhere at great expense.” While admittedly, sailing is not for everyone - for only a few, in fact - there are some most positive aspects, which I shall try to emphasize here.
Environment & Economics
Sailing is both environmentally-friendly and economically sound. Many years ago, when I first entered this delightful country, I wrote an article, entitled “Sailing: a panacea for tourism.” Now, a decade or two down the line, the environment is under constant siege and the ‘fixes’ have reached a greater urgency and are much more expensive to implement, but not impossible, and sailing can help.

Thailand is producing more and more champion junior sailors in the worldwide Optimist series.

Much as I disdain power boats, jet skis and other mechanical forms of marine activities, these contraptions do, no doubt, contribute much to the tourism sector. Tourism, because of the political problems in the kingdom, is coming under increasing pressure, but the marine sector is still flourishing and is continuing to draw hard currency into the nation’s coffers.
A fully-fledged sailing boat is somewhat akin to a floating billboard and regattas are therefore a magnet for both local and international sponsors who wish to have a craft’s sides and sails festooned with their company’s own name and logo. The sailors themselves also do their bit and just last month at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Jomtien, a huge regatta featuring some 250 boats took place and 1,000 sailors from all corners of the globe added millions of baht to the Thai economy.

An old sea dog takes his OK dinghy for a spin around the bay.

Regattas are held annually up and down the coastlines of the kingdom, from Phuket to Pattaya, and the recently concluded Koh Samui Ragatta contributed greatly to “full house” signs going up around the island, with regatta organizers having to scramble to find accommodation for all those involved in the event.
The welfare of less-advantaged citizens, especially youngsters, can also benefit from the sport of sailing. An example of this is the annual “Pattaya Mail PC Classic” yacht race held off the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in south Pattaya. For the past two decades this race has been sponsored at various times by the Royal Cliff Hotels Group, Jomtien Pattaya Rotary Club and numerous hotelier groups and businesses from the private sector. This event alone has raised millions of baht for many charities around the region, and especially to help the two groups at the opposite ends of society – the young and the aged.

The solar-powered “Heliotrope” provides a new, environmentally conscious blueprint for boat builders worldwide.

On the subject of the environment, a classic case of sailing doing its ‘bit’ is the award-winning Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek, held in July each year, which promotes a clean and green event.
As regatta organizer Byron Jones explains: “We are excited to lead the way in South-East Asia and introduce the Clean Regatta program to our event. We are keen to help preserve the coastal areas of Phuket and ensure the marine environment is left in a better state for future generations.”
The Clean Regattas program is a global certification system that encourages regatta organisers and yacht clubs to manage and run environmentally-responsible events. Its main initiative is to reduce marine debris and preserve coastal land and waters.

Sailing offers great fun and the chance to reconnect with the natural environment.

Buoyed up (to use a nautical term) by these environmental-protection measures, which add so much to the joy of sailing and guarantee its continuation, thousands of yachting aficionados from the temperate and cold northern climes of Europe, North America and elsewhere are lured here by tales of Sailing in Paradise, carried back first-hand by those who have participated in events here.
Sailing a boat
Owning a yacht is always regarded as the prerogative of the wealthy - a “rich man’s sport” so to speak, and it certainly is that. Compared to the usual paraphernalia required to participate in active sports, a yacht is an extremely heavy investment and beyond the means of most ordinary folk. But, there are ways of joining the fray.
Opportunities abound to crew on someone else’s boat and enjoy all the action, fun and adventure without the expense. To be out on the sea, matching your wits with Mother Nature’s forces of wind, climate and tide and enjoying the fresh air, the tang of the sea, and the huge dome of the heavens above is rather hard to beat – even as a crew member!
Juniors: the
momentum for sailing
Curiously, when the sport of sailing was in its infancy many years ago, a well-to-do Thai’s idea of a day on the sea might have been to drive his or her limousine down to an air-conditioned launch, do a few circuits of the bay and then reverse the journey. A “hard day at the sea” he or she would recount to colleagues ashore of the weekend’s activities.
Perhaps this ideal of a day on the briny still goes on, but nowadays Thais are excelling on the world yachting stage, from local events right up to Olympic standards, and the nation is producing some top-class sailors.

A racing fleet under full sail in the waters off Phuket.

Much of the new popularity of sailing is nurtured in the junior (under-16) ranks, where Thai and ex-pat children compete frequently - and successfully - in the worldwide Optimist dinghy series. Thailand has improved so much that the kingdom’s teams have gone on to become world champions on several occasions. The main problem for Thai youngsters who compete overseas is that the waters elsewhere are invariably colder than at home, and there is also no khao-pad readily available!
There are numerous sailing groups up and down the kingdom that cater specifically for children; the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya, the Royal Thai Navy at Sattahip, Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Jomtien, while both Koh Samui and Phuket conduct vigorous training and racing programs for juniors.
At this year’s Top of the Gulf Regatta at Ocean Marina Yacht Club, some 150 boys and girls from all over Thailand competed in the Optimist National Championships. Some of these sailors were as young as seven years old yet all thrived in the fickle weather conditions. These youngsters know that a few hours sailing in the fresh air, the beauty of the environment and the challenge to their young minds certainly beats hours in a noisy, cluttered shopping mall, competing with television fare and brain-numbing game machines.
Tales of survival
(or otherwise) at sea
Of course, there are horrendous stories of sea-borne disasters (Titanic, anyone?) Nevertheless, facing the challenge of the sea, despite being fraught with peril, is inherent in our nature. The sea is a hard master, but putting aside the usual Hollywood glorification of survival in films such as Robert Radford’s “All is lost;” and Tom Hanks in “Castaway”, there have also been real life heroic epics of adventure, such as the ongoing single-handed trans-oceanic races.
Over the last two years, in fact, two teenaged girls have sailed single-handedly around the world. First Dutch girl Laura Dekker, and then an Australian girl Jessica Watson, both displayed incredible stamina and adaptability as they faced some 250+ days at sea - all alone!
Feats like these represent the triumph of the human spirit as the two girls took on stupendous odds, fighting for survival in the treacherous Southern Ocean with winds raging at 80-knots and sea swells as high as city skyscrapers.
There are also any number of family groups who regularly take to the seas, sailing around the globe to educate their children, both onboard and at visiting ports. One such marine “globe-trotter” and his family made landfall at Phuket some years ago. The captain was cajoled, urged and likewise press-ganged into joining the ongoing regatta. He unloaded all excess materials to make his craft race-ready; this included a live-aboard resident pet dog, which was deposited into the anchored dinghy. After the race, he returned, but no dog! Both he and the family were heart-broken.
At the prize-giving, our sailor went up to receive his second place prize which, along with the usual silverware, included a huge box. And out jumped his beloved dog! One of the competitors had seen a dog swimming alone in the Andaman Sea, picked it up and brought it ashore.
HM the King:
Imprimatur of sailing in the Kingdom
Speaking of single-handed sailing, as we all know, the King of Thailand, an avid sailor, boat-builder and competitor has set a number of sailing records.
I have had the extremely good fortune of having sailed with His Majesty out of the Klai Kangwon Palace, where the King keeps a flotilla of sailing dinghies. First through the Bangkok Post and then through successive issues of the Pattaya Mail I have written a number of first-person narratives of these treasured encounters.
The King’s love of the sea and sailing has been legendary and is inherent in the development of the folklore of sailing in Thailand. For example, on 19 April, 1966, the King sailed the OK dinghy he had built himself across the Gulf, from the Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin to the Royal Thai Navy base at Sattahip. This distance of 60 nautical miles required tremendous stamina and determination for some 16 hours of concentrated helming. At the time it was mooted as the longest single-handed dinghy crossing, out of sight of land, in the world.
On another occasion, on 16 December, 1967, His Majesty was awarded a Gold Medal by Queen Siirikit, as the winning helmsman (OK dinghy) in the then South East Asian Peninsular Games (now the SEA Games). Actually, sailing history was created when the King’s daughter, HRH Princess Ubolratana, came in equal first. This day has since been celebrated as Thailand’s National Sports Day.
Besides having his own yacht club at the Klai Kangwon Palace, the King is also Royal Patron of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, the centre of most of Thailand’s sailing activities. With full support from the Royal Thai Navy and the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, Royal Varuna has hosted innumerable world, national and local championships in its 60-year history.
In the early days of sailing, the King and Queen, together with members of the Royal family, frequented the then Varuna Marine Club, located on a pristine beach in south Pattaya, now unrecognizable as a sea-front restaurant.
Many times the Royal family entertained visiting dignitaries at the old Varuna Marine Club. On one particular weekend, in March, 1965, there was a gathering of Sweden’s Royal Family, the UK Royal Consort, Prince Phillip, Prince Bhisadrj Rajani, the incomparable Prince Birabongse Banubandh and the Portuguese Ambassador. Of course a race around Koh Larn eventuated and The King won, but, for matters of protocol, Prince Phillip’s placing was not mentioned!
His Majesty has always looked on sailing as a marvelous escape from his Royal duties, while nurturing both the environment and a healthy lifestyle.
Sailing infrastructure
The growing popularity of sailing has seen the inevitable build-up and development of related marine infrastructure around the kingdom. Marinas, boat yards and chandleries have evolved around all the main venues: Phuket, Koh Samui, Hua Hin and, as noted before, the Ocean Marina at Jomtien.
Boat-building in the kingdom has also seen an exponential development. The world’s largest production yacht, the Mirabella, was designed, built and launched from the Ocean Marina Yacht Club in September, 1991. And earlier this year the same venue saw the launch of the world’s first “solar-powered catamaran” the Heliotrope - a craft eventually capable of trans-navigating the world by solar power. The environment wins big around here as the rich boys with their rich toys can help Mother Nature along the way.
This, then, is a ‘superficial’ view of some of the pros and cons of sailing. I could write much more, but I pity the readers and also I must hurry, for my yacht will be leaving the Ocean Marina very shortly for a jaunt around the bay. Incidentally, my ‘yacht’ is a 3-metre open dinghy, a replica of His Majesty’s OK dinghies. But, nevertheless, in a short time, I, too, will succumb to the joys and freedom of “sailing in a paradise not lost.”
NB: For more information about sailing opportunities in Pattaya, go to website: http://varuna.org or www. oceanmarinayachtclub.com.

The Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya.

The pristine waters of Thailand are the nation’s treasure and can still offer a veritable paradise for sailing enthusiasts. (Photo/ArtAsia/Everingham)

Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Jomtien offers one of the finest sailing facilities in Southest Asia.

City demolish Scans with scintillating 6-2 victory

Bangkok Casuals League Division 1

Pattaya City FC line up for their match against the Scandinavian Vikings in Bangkok on Sunday, June 1.

Pattaya City FC dismissed any talk of relegation as they dismantled the Scandinavian Vikings at the Arsenal Soccer School ground last Sunday, June 1.
City, who had been experiencing a poor run of form, turned up with a full strength squad including Ellie Fineman. It was previously thought that Ellie had an allergic reaction to playing in Bangkok and indeed any mention of it brought him out in a cold sweat. However, a week’s worth of counselling, a girlfriend to impress and a pair of toxic coloured boots later saw him line up against a Scandanvian team that was sitting 3 places below City in the league.
It was the Scans that started off the brightest and used their height advantage with a number of set plays that bombarded Pattaya’s defence. However, dogged defending and excellent goalkeeping from Martin Dusting helped Pattaya weather the early storm. Gradually, City began to get on top and superb link up play by Tevez and Bryant allowed Captain “Big Phil” to tap in after 20 mins. And City doubled their lead only 2 mins later when Ben tapped in from close range.
A momentary lapse by City gave the Scans some hope however when they pulled a goal back from a corner just a minute before half time. At half time City were given the hairdryer treatment from manager Terry Wilcox (as he no longer needs one) and they went out with renewed vigor after the break. Just 5 mins into the second half though disaster struck when the Scans equalized through a good finish from Brohlin.
Pattaya dug in and in a 5 minute spell scored 3 goals which blew away the Scans. “Big Phil” slotted a penalty, Rooney scuffed one in and Bryne scored a contender for goal of the season. Picking the ball up in his own half, the portly shaped player set off on a run Gareth Bale would have been proud off – he waddled down the wing with all the speed of a slug and toe bunged it into the top corner from 30 yards. Team mates stood aghast of what had happened and could only assume that it was an attempted cross.
Ellie then went to complete the scoring, with a dazzling run and magical finish from 18 yards. It all proves that 10,000 baht Magista boots do work after all.
City celebrated their journey home in joyful fashion with beers for the lads and wine cooler for Shane. There were exaggerated tales from Bryne - who actually believed he meant to score his wonder goal. Unfortunately for Bryne, he also believes in the tooth fairy, Father Christmas, the Loch Ness Monster and that one day Terry will buy a round of beers.
There were several top class displays, but man of the match had to be given to Manager Wilcox, whose tactical masterclass was second only to David Moyes reign at Manchester United. City were due to take on FC Planet this Thursday in a local derby at Laem Chabang.

Southern success at Pattaya cricket Super 8’s

Pattaya Cricket Club’s Hamza (right) bowls against British Club during the first innings of the Plate final.

The glorious Thai Polo Ground was the venue for Pattaya Cricket Club’s inaugural cricket Super 8’s tournament held over the weekend on May 31-June 1. The tournament was held in conjunction with Pattaya Sports Club and saw PCC compete against the BCL Premier League champions the Southerners, Siam CC and the British Club of Bangkok.

Andrew Purser hit a rapid-fire half century to put the Southerners in control against Siam CC in the tournament final.

Saturday was the day for an 8 over a side league format where all the teams played each other to determine the rankings for the semi finals on the Sunday. The Southerners announced their arrival in convincing fashion with a comprehensive 26 run victory over the local PCC team. Siam CC completely outplayed the British Club to win by 38 runs and PCC improved significantly to inflict a second defeat of the day on the British Club with a 20 run win.
The Southerners proved too strong all day with resounding victories against Siam CC and the British Club to finish top of the league table whilst the British Club finished bottom after losing all three matches.
The Saturday results meant the semi final would be the Southerners v the British Club and PCC v Siam CC.
It was no surprise to witness the Southerners defeat the British Club with nearly four overs to spare, with Biju smashing a 14 ball 35 not out. Siam CC obviously had an early night as Brett (37 no) and Nahim (31 no) dispatched the weakened PCC bowling to all parts of the ground as they knocked off the challenging 106 target with 2 of the allotted 10 overs remaining.
Final time and with the sun at its hottest the British Club elected to bat first against PCC in the Plate Final. Duncan (30) and Haroon (28 no) scored at a healthy run rate early on but Dale (29) gave the innings the boost it needed to ensure the British Club posted an imposing 116.
In reply John Speirs (26) gave PCC the solid foundation to build on and with club captain Simon Philbrook adding a 19 ball 35 runs PCC were close to pulling off an unlikely run chase. Dan Nicholson (15 no) continued the innings momentum with some excellent running between the wickets until PCC finally needed just one run from the final ball for victory. Dale bowled, Dan swung, Dan missed, Hamza Khan was run out, match tied, cup shared. It was a fantastic finish to a very entertaining game that the packed spectator enclosure thoroughly enjoyed.
The Cup Final saw the Southerners bat first against Siam CC. Biju edged his second ball to be caught behind for naught. Andrew Purser (35 no) then gave the Southerners the control they needed with Nathan (11), Gaurav (20) and Mehul (14) continuing the onslaught. But four catches in the deep in the space of 5 balls, three by Nahim, reduced the Southerners to 107/7 and meant Andrew could return to the crease. This was the game changing moment as he then proceeded to hit a further 26 runs from only 6 balls and The Southerners posted a massive 10 over total of 133.
Brett (24) and Nahim (39 no) made a valiant reply but wickets kept falling until finally Siam CC were restricted to 112 and the Southerners were crowned the Super 8’s Champions. Andrew must have been left wondering what he had to do get the Man of the Tournament award, which went instead to Nathan Kincaid for his consistent all round performances.
The event was a huge success and PCC would like to express their gratitude to the Thai Polo Club and the club’s many supporters and sponsors, most importantly the Pattaya Sports Club.
Note: Anyone interested in being involved with PCC, either as player, official or supporter, is encouraged to visit the club website www.pattayacricketclub.com or contact us via the club Facebook page.

Pattaya captain Simon Philbrook hits out during PCC’s thrilling run chase.

Brass Monkey through to League Cup semi-finals

Bangkok Casuals League division 2

Paul Frain
Brass Monkey FC were on their travels again last weekend to play the United Nations in the quarter-finals of the Bangkok Casuals League Cup tournament. Brass had beaten the United Nations 5-1 in their previous meeting, but they still needed to be on their toes and make sure there were no slip-ups.
Brass started the game strongly with the first chance falling to Matveev, who ran onto Tshuma’s through ball but the forward blasted the ball over the bar from a good position. Dipita then went close as he saw his shot bounce off the top of the UN crossbar, and the same player was involved in the build-up to Brass’ opening goal as he connected with Jannson to provide a chance for Porokh, and the latter’s shot left the UN keeper helpless to make it 1-0.
Brass kept up the pressure on the UN defence and a one-two between Matveev and Porokh should have seen a better result, but the Brass forward put the ball wide. Dipita soon made amends however as he blocked a clearance from the UN keeper and put the ball into the empty net to make it 2-0. Soon after it was 3-0 as Porokh’s shot found the back of the net on the stroke of half-time.
After the interval Brass heaped more pressure on the over-worked United Nations defence, with Porokh hitting the post. A good run by Dipita then released Porokh in space and the forward made no mistake this time to stretch the lead to 4-0. Dipita turned provider again soon after as his through ball found Tshuma, who fired home Brass’ fifth goal of the afternoon.
The Pattaya team were really buzzing by this stage and it came as no surprise when they added a six and final goal before the end of the match, as Gregnon side-footed the ball home from close range to cap a fine overall team display.

United back to winning ways

Pattaya United’s Pratran Senala (right) takes on Saraburi FC’s Korean defender Dai Min-Joo in their Thai division 1 fixture at the Saraburi Stadium, Saturday, May 31.
(Photo courtesy Pattaya United)

Pattaya United broke their 3-game winless streak in the Thai Division 1 with a 2-1 away victory last weekend at Saraburi FC. The result raised the ‘Dolphins’ up to 12th place in the league standings on 16 points.
United took the lead in the 35th minute via a goal from Brazilian forward Andre Araujo and carried their advantage into the half-time break. The ‘Dolphins’ were caught napping immediately upon the restart however as Saraburi defender Suriyakan Chimjean connected with a cross from Ivorian Bernard Henry to make the score 1-1. United were not to be denied on this occasion though as Araujo restored their lead with just 13 minutes remaining in the match and the Pattaya team were able to hold out until the final whistle.
Pattaya were due to take on league leaders Korat this past Wednesday and on Sunday, June 8, they have a home match against local rivals Siam Navy. Kick-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
In the Premier division, Chonburi FC kept pace with the leading teams as they defeated Osotspa 2-1 at the Chonburi Stadium. The ‘Sharks’ now have 27 points from 15 games and lie 4 points behind joint leaders Muang Thong United and BEC Tero Sasana. Chonburi will play Bangkok United this coming Sunday.

Hooray for Capt. Spaulding

PSC golf from The Golf Club

Simon Spaulding, Allan Rothwell, Mark Wood and Phil Smedley back at The Golf Club.

Steve Ellison
Monday, May 26, Green Valley (white tees) – Stableford
1st Allan Rothwell (7) net 67
2nd Phil Smedley (9) net 70
3rd Mark Wood (9) net 71
T4th Simon Spaulding (1) net 72
T4th Wayne Cotterell (13) net72
The headline may have been something from the Marx Brothers, but there was some seriously good golf out there this week and we were back to a full schedule on the plate. Allan Rothwell continues to score when he needs to and the medal comp today put the pressure on. Rothwell responded well, and his net 67 made him the easy winner of the monthly Antigua medal prize off his 7 handicap.
Playing off the Singha Open pin positions from the day before, Green Valley gave us a glimpse of how tough a course is set up for the pros and it was interesting to see our home course in a new light. The greens were the best ever, even with the downpours that left us an hour late getting back. All the more reason to applaud Rothwell’s performance today, so well played buddy, we owe you a shirt!
Wednesday, May 28, Laem Chabang A & B (white tees) – Stableford
1st Simon Spaulding (1) 39pts
T2nd Rusty Barfield (5) 38pts
T2nd Mark Wood (9) 38pts
Time for the glorious Laem Chabang once again and this eagerly anticipated venue had a full roster of golfers for today’s comp. The course was in great condition and the recently re-opened B side was nice to see after the 4 month closure.
There was some fine scoring today and when the dust settled, it was our Aussie mate Simon Spaulding at the top of the pile. Playing off a handicap of just 1, Simon made no mistakes on the Nicklaus course. You do the math, but 39 Stableford points puts you in the territory of the pros!
Thursday, May 29, Burapha B & D (white tees) – Stableford
1st Simon Spaulding (1) 39pts
2nd Mark Wood (9) 37pts
T3rd Dale Shier (13) 36pts
T3rd Oliver Bayzelton (23) 36pts
T3rd Tom Herrington (17) 36pts
It was looking pretty dicey with the weather as we set out for Burapha this morning, but the thunder stayed in the distance and it turned out to be a near perfect day for golf. The course was also in perfect shape, even through the recent heavy rains. We were treated to the B and D tracks which made everyone happy. The Thursday change allowed us to take advantage of the summer special Sports Day rate which is also a bonus for this beautiful golf course.
As we look back on this week, it turned out to be owned by 2 golfers, Mark Wood and Simon Spaulding. These guys were on the podium at every comp, but with Simon taking 2 firsts, he just edges out Mark for Golfer of the Week! Today’s 39-pointer from Simon clinched it, and now he is on the way back to Australia to give the other blokes a chance. Great golf Simon!
Let’s also not forget our mate Dale Shier, finally coming good for third place on 36 points before he too is leavin’ on a jet plane for another 28 day stint on the rig.
Note: The Golf Club is located on Soi LK Metro. Just call 085 434 3377 or see our website www.golfclub pattaya.com and for more information mail us: [email protected] and see updates at www. facebook.com/golfclubpattaya... all handicaps welcome!
We will also be holding our road trip up to Kabinburi on the 18th and 19th of June. Drop us an email or come on by to sign up for this nice and easy break from Pattaya.

Gabe garners monthly honours

PSC golf from Tropical Bert’s

Dick Warberg (left) presents the MBMG Group Golfer of the Month award to Brian Gabe.

Derek Brook
Tuesday, May 27, Laem Chabang – Stableford
We keep meaning to include this course in our list for the month and now we are in the low season we just wait for a Sports Day and then off we go. Many players still prefer not to play here however due to the compulsory golf cart policy.
On this day we were informed the test was to be the A & B Nines, this to me is the best test as the C Nine seems a bit of an add on and a bit out of the way, besides the drive on C1 can be quite scary. Talking of scary, we were soon onto A1 and that is a very well known opening shot and one that you can lose your ball on.

Landis Brooks – winner at Laem Chabang.
On the first nine the course was in good condition but with the recent rain the greens were very slow and the first green had been sanded so was even slower. The humidity was also as bad as I can remember and we literally dripping with sweat. Fortunately a thunderstorm came along to cool the place down a bit and after a short 30 minute rain delay we were back on our way.
Round over and back at Bert’s it was soon time for the results. The winner with a fine 38 points was Landis Brooks ahead of a count back on 35 points that saw Brian Gabe in second and Mark West in third. Then another count back on 34 points saw Ian Smith in fourth and Maurice Roberts take fifth.
It was also time for the MBMG Group Golfer of the Month award to be presented and with his second place today, the winner was announced as Brian Gabe. Well done Brian!
Near Pins: Barry Oats, Brian Gabe, Max Scott, Paul Sharples
Friday, May 27, Crystal Bay - Stableford
It has to be said that when Crystal Bay is put on the schedule, I am always there and so it has been for many years. Although this course is a little faded these days it is a course that is not too taxing and is scenically very pleasing.
We had a good turnout at Bert’s in the morning and arriving at the course we were soon onto the first tee. The test for the day was to be the C & A Nines in that order - I always think the toughest nine is C so it is important to get a good start here. After a big push out right on the first my ball was not found and on the next a pull into a hazard saw me with just the start you do not want; time to get to work, even if the wind did get stronger.
The walk around here is quite easy as it is essentially a flat course, the fairways are well defined and there is only a little water. It has got a little less well groomed over the last few years and I can remember when this was, to me, one of the best courses around. It is still worth a visit but it is a little worn now. The main problems seem to be the greens that are multi coloured where different grasses seem to grow and make putting most difficult. Still, it is a great way to pass a few hours, despite the fact it is so hot at present.

Daryl Evans and Maurice Roberts with one of Bert’s finest.

Round over it was a quick bite to eat and back to Bert’s for the results. The winner on the day Was Daryl Evans with a fine 40 points ahead of Maurice Roberts in second with 39. We then had a count back on 37 points that saw the scribe Derek Brook in third and Landis Brooks in fourth. Then it was time for a couple of cold ones. T.T.F.N.
Near Pins: Maurice Roberts, Ian Smith, Landis Brook, Barry Oats

Feeling the heat at Navy

PSC golf from Siam Country Resort

Martin, Neil & Jeff wait in the shade at Plutaluang.

Tuesday, May 27, Plutaluang - Stableford
Tuesday saw us visit Plutaluang where we were sent off to the West & North combination, as the South greens were being sanded. It appeared there was no-one in front of us, so we opted for 3 groups of 3, what a mistake!
It was not long before our leading group had caught up to two 6-balls who were making no effort to maintain some semblance of pace of play. When we got to W8, all 3 of our groups were waiting, so we re-arranged to a 5 and a 4-ball. It did not alleviate the waiting on every hole but at least we had more people to talk to while waiting!
Jeff Wylie (H/cap 6) was best able to cope with the delays, signing for 34 points to win ahead of Martin Hayes (16) with 30. Near pins went to Jeff & Jonathan with 2.
Thursday, May 29, Greenwood - Stableford
It was another hot and humid day when we visited Greenwood, with the B & A loop being the test for the players. There was nobody in front of us today, and with only a small group we were able to wiz around in about 3 hours. The course was in good condition, and a pleasure to play, although we opted for no competition on this day.
Note: Siam Country Resort, Restaurant & Bar is located just off Siam Country Club Rd, after going under the arch past the 7/11, turn right after 50 metres, with the venue on the left another 200 metres along. Golf from here is generally played on Tuesday & Thursday, with the Resort hosting prompt presentations on both days. As a PSC affiliated venue we welcome All golfers, including ladies & seniors (>60s) who have opted for the “Silver” tee option. Call 089 094 1841 for scheduling or enquiries. Hope to see you there, cheers & good golfing!

Senior stays on course with victory at Laem Chabang

Travellers Rest Golf Group

Fergus Brennan.

Andy Rich
So for the second week running it was “All Quiet on the Eastern Front”. The Reds might not be getting on with the Yellows at the moment but the Blues and the Greens were in perfect harmony. The blue of the sky and the green of the golf fairways blended beautifully to provide the perfect setting for a round of golf. Mind you, there were a few rumbles of distant thunder this past week.
Monday, May 26, Laem Chabang - Stableford
On Monday the TRGG took to the road and headed off to play Laem Chabang (A and B courses) and it was wily old Ted Senior who carried on his good form to romp home with a splendid 37 points. Derek Thorogood chased him all the way but had to settle for second place on 35 and Michael Patterson took third place on 33.
1st Ted Senior (14) 37pts
2nd Derek Thorogood (17) 35pts
3rd Michael Patterson (12) 33pts
Wednesday, May 28, Wangjuntr Highland - Stableford
It was off to Wangjuntr Highland on Wednesday for our annual visit, as it is nearly two hours away for most drivers. Last time I made the trip we travelled by time machine, (also known as Fergus Brennan’s car) and we got there ten minutes before we left. Fergus certainly doesn’t hang about. He didn’t hang around on the golf course this year either as he left the rest of the field trailing in his wake.
Fergus stormed off with first place although Phil Mitchell in second spot and Ted Senior in third were right on his back bumper and the latter two were only separated after a count back.
1st Fergus Brennan (12) 34pts
2nd Phil Mitchell (6) 33pts
3rd Ted Senior (13) 33pts
Friday, May 30, Plutaluang - Stableford
The final trip of the week on Friday was to play the Navy Course at Plutaluang (West and North courses). It was here that the closest finish of the week transpired and a count back was necessary to sort out first and second place. John O’Donaghue took the honours, just getting the better of Daryl Ottaway while Billy Allan trailed in a long way behind on 33 points.
1st John O’Donaghue (16) 38pts
2nd Daryl Ottaway (7) 38pts
3rd Billy Allan (16) 33pts
Good luck to all you golfers for the coming week and if you would like to play a round of golf with the TRGG, please phone Fergus Brennan on 086 056 7019 or pop into the Ned Kelly Bar in Soi Lengkee and add your name to the weekly lists which are posted on the notice board.

Cooney gets the gold at Eastern Star

PSC golf Bunker Boys @ The Ranch

Winners of the two KPK vouchers for May, Gerry Cooney and Thomas Nyborg with Buff and two helpers.

Monday, May 26, Eastern Star - (KPK Foods) Medal
It was a bright sunny morning as we set off for the trip to Bang Chang, and when we arrived at the course it appeared quiet, although we had another local society ahead of us. The fairways were in good condition and the greens have improved significantly since our last visit, although they still remain inconsistent, so judging the required pace of a putt was something of a lottery.
The outward nine was played in stifling conditions until heavy clouds started to gather and there was thunder and lightning in the distance, but once again the weather gods were smiling on us, and the round was completed without any rain reaching us.
Eastern Star is certainly not a forgiving course but Gerry Cooney managed to stay out of trouble and recorded the only sub-par round of the day to take first place, seven shots clear of PJ Redmond, with Tore Eliassen claiming third place on a count back over Peter Habgood. The rest of the field had scores which are best forgotten, but everyone was relieved to have completed the round without any holdups in what were truly threatening weather conditions
Only three near pins were claimed: Geoff Parker, Gerry Cooney and Peter Habgood.
1st Gerry Cooney (13) net 70
2nd PJ Redmond (28) net 77
3rd Tore Eliassen (17) net 78
Wednesday, May 28, Greenwood A & B – Stableford
Only eight golfers today for our visit to the normally popular Greenwood course and when we arrived at the clubhouse it appeared deserted.
The weather was overcast with a gentle breeze giving us the coolest conditions we’ve experienced for several weeks and the course was generally in good shape, although some coring work has been done around the edges of several greens which constituted an additional hazard as the any ball pitching into the sand stopped dead.
Our two groups completed the round at a good pace, only catching up with some golfers ahead on the sixteenth hole and all in all it was a fine day’s golf at a very reasonable price.
No golfer managed to play better than his handicap and the two leading contenders had to be separated on a count back, with Tony Robbins taking the top spot (18 points on the back nine) ahead of Alan Sullivan who unfortunately “blobbed” the final hole after going O.B. from the tee.
The par three’s were playing difficult today and Alan Sullivan scooped the pot by claiming the only near pin on the short 5th hole on the B course.
1st Tony Robbins (13) 34pts
2nd Alan Sullivan (13) 34pts
3rd Geoff Cox (15) 31pts
Friday, May 30, Pattana B & C – Stableford
Perhaps it was because there’d been a particularly heavy thunderstorm during the night, or maybe some players don’t appreciate the Pattana course, but there was only a small turnout for our visit today. We decided to forego the normal Stableford competition and elected for a straight challenge between friends for the front nine, back nine and overall scores.
The weather was overcast with very high humidity, so the protagonists were sweating profusely, but the course was in great condition and the greens were as good as any we’ve played recently. With a course length of over 6,700 yards from the white tees, Pattana is certainly a tough proposition and consequently the scoring was tight but not great.
Geoff Parker scraped home on the front nine, but Tony Robbins rallied on the inward stretch and snatched the back nine and overall win, one point clear of Thomas Nyborg and Gerry Cooney. Just as the last player reached the clubhouse the impending storm broke and other golfers still on the course were forced to suffer about 30 minutes of torrential rain.
The highlight of the day was the look on Tony Robbins’face, when his (katoey) caddy invited him out for an evening of dancing and drinking to celebrate his victory!
Note: The Bunker Boys are a PSC affiliated golf society, who now play out of The Ranch bar on Pattaya 3rd Road (in front of the fire station, and almost opposite the Buffalo Bar). We play on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and new players are always welcome. We meet at The Ranch at 9 a.m. for breakfast and transportation,. Contact “Buff” on 086 046 5091 or 080 605 5663 for all enquiries or check website: www. bunkersociety.com.

Ferris’ final fling

The Pattaya Golf Society (IPGC) at the Elephant Bar

The Pattaya Golf Society visited Eastern Star on Monday, 26th May, for the first time in three months and found a course in good shape with fairways giving some run and greens which were no longer the butt of bar jokes. It remained a tough challenge however, as scores would show.
The large field played strokeplay and saw Alan Duckett and Jonh Chelo share third place with net 77. In second was Wichai Tananusorn, registering the best gross of the day, 82, which gave him net 75. It was fitting that the winner was Jim Ferris, finishing his long holiday with some of his best golf and his net 74 was worth far more than it seemed. We must now wait and see what the English summer does to his game before his return in a few months.
Mike King recorded the only birdie ‘2’ of the day, on the teasing thirteenth, and was one of the four near-pin winners in the technical competition sponsored by Garry Hookey. The other winners were David Thomas (holes 3 and 6), and Ken Page (13).
Akifumi Tate took the bar’s consolation beer whilst Willie Barbour enjoyed the Booby Bevy after another challenging day with an injured shoulder. At the end of a challenging and very hot day I think Ferris enjoyed a final fling at Eastern Star.
Thomas wins maiden visit
The Pattaya Golf Society made a rare visit to Wangjuntr on Wednesday, 28th May to play a stableford competition on the unusual and technically tough course with its huge variations in elevation and magnificent views of East Thailand.
The course was in excellent condition with lush fairways and consistent yet quirky greens, peppered with flowerbeds, ponds and huge slopes. A challenge indeed and the group made an good fist of things which resulted in moderate scores, except for one.
Many were playing there for the first time but Andrew Purdie has the experience and it helped the long hitting Aussie as he recorded 31 points for third place. In second, on his Wangjuntr debut, was John Chelo and his 32 point second place gave him enjoyable memories of his long stay on the eve of his departure back to Canada. The winner was David Thomas, another course “newbie”, and his front nine of only one over par for the course held promise of something special but a rain stop and some loss of rhythm on the back nine denied him the pleasure of a massive win, leaving him on 38 points.
There were no birdie ‘2’s and the Booby Bevy went to John O’Sullivan after a round that challenged his patience and sense of humour. Wangjuntr is not for the faint hearted and some of the golfers on parade probably hailed it as their final trip to the course, but no one can deny the challenge that is on offer in “them thar hills.”
Tananusorn back
in the zone
On Friday, 30th May the Pattaya Golf Society visited a woeful Emerald to play a stableford competition on a course devoid of water and suffering badly from fairway renovation, which has left large tracts of fairway patchy and sand covered. The price which challenges that at Khao Kheow and Bangpra does no justice to the homely club and golfers are voting with their feet.
After PGS had checked in at 10am they were as many as twenty people in all who had chosen the course for their day’s golf. However the fun went ahead, with Andrew Purdie and Robbie Taylor sharing third place with 36 points whilst Wichai Tananusorn played an excellent round of 77 shots, giving him 38 points for an emphatic win. It included a birdie ‘2’ on the fifth to give him sole bragging rights for the ‘2’s pot.
Ken Grimes took the bar’s consolation beer and the Booby Bevy was held back as the favoured recipient was still relaxing in a darkened room with a cold towel on his brow at the time of the presentation.
Another hot week had concluded with the Pattaya Golf Society looking forward to more and on finer courses in the next week.

Waycott & Hill claim the Medals

IPGC golf from The Haven

Mike Hill, Jon Batty and Hal Hart.

Monday, May 26, Greenwood A & B – Stableford
CSS 74
1st Jon Batty (10) 34pts
2nd Tony O’Neil (23) 34pts
3rd Darryl Kellett (15) 33pts
4th Paul Gill (10) 33pts
5th Markku Tynell (23) 33pts
6th Terry Hodgkiss (22) 32pts
Although it is possibly the longest drive to get there, it is always a pleasure to play at Greenwood whichever of the two nines of the three are in play, as they are always presented in tip top condition and this week’s competition over the A and B courses proved to be no exception. The scoring was not so good, but this was due mostly to the weather which was stiflingly hot and humid and which affected everyone’s concentration on the day.
Jon Batty, now returned from his empire building in the north and ready to concentrate once again on the important matters in life, led the way but only after prevailing in a count back over Tony O’Neil with a better 17 to 16 and thus denying Tony a chance for his only win during this visit.
There was another count back, this time of epic proportions, for third place that saw Darryl Kellett come out on top over Paul Gill but it had to be counted down to the last two holes, with Darryl getting the nod 6 to 5 after they had tied the back nine at 18, the back six at 12, and the back three at 6.
Markku Tynell in fifth had been included in the count back but returned just 15 for the inward half after starting out the outward nine very promisingly, however he slipped in two too many doubles to fall out of contention.
Terry Hodgkiss ended in sixth after a very mixed round that included several 3-pointers but too many 0’s on a day when he could have taken the top spot again.
There were no 2’s in the second division but Allen Raaen had the sole one in the first division to sweep the pool.
Before the presentations were made there were welcome backs for Paul Gill, Barry Williams and Russell Gilroy, together with a farewell for Darryl Kellett.
Wednesday, May 28, Mt. Shadow - Stableford
CSS 75 (NC)
1st Hal Hart (22) 34pts
2nd Kevin Blake (8) 31pts
3rd Markku Tynell (23) 30pts
4th Trevor Schirmer (15) 30pts
5th John Carlin (18) 26pts
6th Russell Gilroy (15) 25pts
Following several intensive mental golf lessons in the bar following recent outings, Hal Hart is starting to return to something like the form that took him to the edge of the abyss where he wouldn’t have received a shot on every hole, but then he succumbed to the pressure in the important six inches. His round at the always difficult Mountain Shadow may have been two over handicap, but with no one else meeting the same standard and the CSS going out to 75, it resulted in his handicap reducing slightly, so it may not be too long before he returns to the edge.
Kevin Blake was the nearest challenger some three points back in second place, with Markku Tynell once again involved in a count back in third after topping Trevor Schirmer with a better 17 to 14. John Carlin struggled around to finish fifth and Russell Gilroy rounded out the podium in sixth spot.
In line with the difficulty of the course on the day there were no ‘2’s in either of the divisions.
Friday, May 30, Crystal Bay C & A - Monthly Medals
CSS 71
Division 1 (0–15)
1st Kevin Waycott (10) net 68
2nd Allen Raaen (7) net 70
3rd Russell Gilroy (15) net 71
4th Kevin Blake (8) net 74
Division 2 (16+)
1st Mike Hill (23) net 68
2nd Philip Cass (21) net 71
3rd Hal Hart (22) net 72
4th John Carlin (18) net 73
Following several recent visits when the greens had left a lot to be desired, it was perhaps surprising that Crystal Bay was selected to be the venue for the May Monthly Medal competition. But with the course generally being in good shape and some remedial work undertaken on the greens, the scores fairly reflected the improvement of the overall playing conditions over previous events.
The first division saw a new winner to add to the list of contenders in the Gold and Silver Medals to be held in December, with Kevin Waycott becoming the sixth different winner for the golfing year (which started in December), as he returned an excellent four under handicap round. Kevin was playing in his very first competition out of Soi 13 and he beat a very useful field of lower handicaps in the division.
Allen Raaen, who can always be relied upon to show well in the Medals, had to be satisfied with second place at two under, with Russell Gilroy in third, also under par, and Kevin Blake in fourth at a commendable two over.
The second division also saw a sixth different winner in the year, as Mike Hill swept to the top of the podium, also at a four under handicap net 68. Mike won the mind games against playing partner Philip Cass when the latter had been leading by three strokes after the front nine on the C course and ahead by four after 14, but he then dropped seven strokes over the next three holes and finally had to settle for second place at one under.
Hal Hart again showed good form as he left the woods in the bag for any fairway shots and finished strongly after a slow front nine that had seen him drop three strokes to his handicap.
John Carlin rounded out the second division podium another stroke behind in his last game for a while as he prepares to return to Oz for some other kind of on course action.
One again there were no 2’s in the second division but Russell Gilroy took the first division with his lone success.
Back at The Haven there were welcomes for new members Kevin Waycott, Samson Beard and Matt Laorian, although Sam’s dad had sent him and Matt to play the wrong course so technically they did not play. There were also welcome backs for Philip Cass, Bruce Hilde, Mark Armstrong and David Grist together with farewells to Kevin Blake, John Carlin, Fred Smith, Gavin Hargrave and Chris Bonython.
Note: If you would like to play with The Haven group, you can contact mobile 094 567 5726 or call in to The Haven Hotel, at 185 Soi 13, between Beach Road and 2nd Road. All transportation to the course is arranged and you do not need to sign up prior to the day, but you should be there by 8.15 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the days that you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.

Coe claims victory at Emerald

PSC golf from The Beaver Bar & Grill

Friday, 30th of May saw a good group of Beaver Bar & Grill golfers arrive at the Emerald Golf Club in Ban Chang to undertake another attempt to display their abilities on this challenging course. The weather was hot and humid with little or no breeze and the course is beginning to show signs of improvement as the fairways mature and the grass takes root.
Results for the day were counted up as all returned to the Beaver for cold libations and light lunches. Scoring by the Callaway system saw second place got to Larry Willett with 36 points while the top spot was taken by Roger Coe with 37. Nearest to the pin honor went to Larry Willett.
Host Larry again wishes to thank those attending and remind all that every Friday is golf day from Beaver Bar & Grill.

Knight back in the winner’s circle

PSC golf from The Outback Golf Bar

Tim Knight – 42 points at Green Valley.

Monday, May 26, Burapha - Stableford
A very hot and humid day greeted the 29 Outbackers who got away early on the A and B nines, and with virtually no-one else on the course were round in very quick time with the exception of the last group, who were washed out on the last hole by a sudden and violent storm.
The scores were generally quite good, reflecting that we played from the shorter white tees and that the course was in excellent condition.
The second division was won by John O’Keefe with 40pts from Sugar Ray on 37; third was a much improved Jack (who only played 17 holes) with 36 and Aussie visitor Kevin Tompsett took fourth with 35.
The top division was also won with 40pts, by Graham Hiskett, from Paul Sharples in second who beat Brad Jordison on c/b, both with 38pts, and Bob Finley fourth on 37.
Today we welcomed Stuart Gordon, Chris Davisson and Bob Pearce, who was having his last game before returning to the UK, and we also said goodbye to Wally Brown and Les Easton.
There were six ‘2’s from Murray Hart, Graham Hiskett, Pete Stonebridge, John O’Keefe, Sugar Ray Handford and Jack Moseley.
Div A (0-15)
1st Graham Hiskett (15) 40pts
2nd Paul Sharples (12) 38pts
3rd Brad Jordison (07) 38pts
4th Bob Finley (14) 37pts
Div B (16+)
1st John O’Keefe (17) 40pts
2nd Sugar Ray Handford (18) 37pts
3rd Jack Moseley (22) 36pts
4th Kevin Tompsett (24) 35pts
Wednesday, May 28, Laem Chabang – Stableford
We played the A and the recently re-opened B courses, which were as usual both in fantastic condition and luckily the usual storms, often seen this time of the year, went around us.
Playing his last game with us, Kevin Tompsett won the day with 32pts from the recently returned from Spain, John Lawton, on 31. In third was Rob Wode (30) and Tim Knight came fourth with 29. Not the best of scoring, true, but I cannot work out the rating at Laem Chabang - to play to your handicap here from the white tees - 39pts is needed?
We also said farewell to Brad Jordison and Rob Wode who were returning back to Queensland and we look forward to seeing them on their next visit. If we get enough players we will play this top course on most Tuesdays through to October.
There were no ‘2’s.
1st Kevin Tompsett (24) 32pts
2nd John Lawton (18) 31pts
3rd Rob Wode (18) 30pts
4th Tim Knight (27) 29pts
Friday, May 30, Green Valley – Stableford
A good field of 26 players back on our resident Friday course for only the second time this month, reportedly in good condition.
Murray Hart, having his last round before going back to work, got it right at last after picking up no spoils in the last few attempts. Murray scored 40pts to win Div A from Jack Grindvold on 36, Peter Nixon (35) and welcome back to Nick Odnoral (33) in fourth.
Another man who hasn’t seen much in the way of podium finishes in recent months is Tim Knight but he put that right today to record the day’s top score of 42pts to take Div B from the the improving Kim Danboise, complete with new driver on 39. Bob Lindborg (36) and Ken Hole (34) took third and fourth respectively.
There were two ‘2’s from Peter Nixon and Paul Sharples both on the 12th
Div A (0-7)
1st Murray Hart (14) 40pts
2nd Jack Grindvold (03) 36pts
3rd Peter Nixon (11) 35pts
4th Nick Odnoral (14) 33pts
Div B (18+)
1st Tim Knight (27) 42pts
2nd Kim Danboise (19) 39pts
3rd Bob Lindborg (21) 36pts
4th Ken Hole (19) 34pts
Note: The Outback Golf Bar is situated about 6km from Sukhumvit Road along Soi Siam Country. Call Jack on 081 578 1956.

Aussies rule as Spalding schools the field

PSC golf from Lewiinski’s Golf Society

Simon Spalding.

Sunday 25 May St Andrews
A Flight
1st Simon Spalding (2) 43pts
2nd Freddy Starbeck (13) 37pts
3rd Mark Haffendon (0) 36pts
B Flight
1st Claude Harder (16) 35pts
2nd Jim Bell (18) 35pts
3rd Jorn Finnerup (23) 34pts
Near Pins: No 3 Mark Haffendon, No 5 Simon Spalding, No 10 Pierre Bietry, N0 17 Bill Peach
The day started promisingly but finished as a disappointment for many as the seasonable rain swept the course in the latter part of the afternoon. Those that did continue certainly found it more difficult over the closing holes.

Lindsay Semple.
Aussie star Simon Spalding took it all in his stride however as he carded an amazing 43 points off a two handicap; his round contained a brace of ‘2’s and a near pin. Simon was six clear of Freddy ‘I can hear him from here’ Starbeck. Simon’s good friend Mark Haffendon, playing off scratch, rounded out the flight with a solid even par return. The scribe found himself in Simon and Mark’s four-ball and it was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry.
Claude Harder led a tightly packed B Flight by virtue of a more favourable back nine following a count back win over Jimmy ‘AK-47’ Bell, both on 35 points each. Jorn Finnerup closed the flight a shot in arrears.
Mark Haffendon and William Peach shared the ‘2’s pot with Simon.
Tuesday, May 27, Bangpra – Stableford
A Flight
1st Eddy Beilby (15) 38pts
2nd Simon Spalding (2) 36pts
3rd Thierry Petrement (13) 36pts
B Flight
1st Christy Knight (23) 35pts
2nd Aiden Murray (19) 31pts
3rd John Heaney (20) 29pts
Eddy ‘the Eagle’ Beilby found himself a little short of cash on Tuesday and was torn between going to the ATM or playing a little golf. The line was too long at the ATM so he played golf on the challenging Bangpra layout and came away with the man of the match honours and first in A Flight with a splendid 38 points. Sunday’s hero, Aussie star Simon Spalding, along with Mr. nice guy Thierry Petrement were separated only by count back, with the scales tipping in Simon’s favour after both returned even par rounds.
Christy ‘good’ Knight held the flag for Ireland in B Flight with a steady 35 points for the win. The inform Aiden Murray took the silver with 31 as John Heaney edged the Donkey (Heehaw) both on 29 points. John also slotted home the only 2 of the day.
Wednesday, May 28, Burapha B & D - Stableford
A Flight
1st Andy Kellaher (9) 39pts
2nd Bruce Anderson (9) 37pts
3rd Thierry Petrement (13) 37pts
B Flight
1st Rod Brown (18) 38pts
2nd Serge Straeton (18) 38pts
3rd Jorn Finnerup (24) 31pts
Andy Kellaher edged the tandem off Bruce Anderson and that man again Thierry Petrement in A Flight with a best on the day 39 points. Bruce counted up the better on the inward nine to take home the silver, leaving Thierry with his second bronze finish of the week.
It was count back time in B Flight with Rod Brown and Monsieur Serge Straiten tied at the top on 38 points. Through a series of legalistic moves Rod laid claim to the gold. Jorn Finnerup had the better of the mathematics over Bob ‘the guru of green valley’ Lindborg as both sat seven shots off the pace.
Freddy Starbeck had the only ‘2’ of the day.
Friday, May 30, Pattavia Century - Stableford
A Flight
1st Lindsay Semple (14) 43pts
2nd Miko Mutanen (15) 41pts
B Flight
1st Rod Brown (16) 42pts
2nd Jorn Finnerup (23) 38pts
The week wrapped up with a visit to Pattavia Century and that was just fine for Aussie star Lindsay Semple who took the man of the match honours and top spot on the A Flight podium with a blistering 43 points. Lindsay needed nearly every one of them as Miko Mutanen lifted the silver with a very impressive 41 points.
B Flight showed they were up for it as Rod Brown made it two wins on the bounce with a splendid 42 point return. Pay window specialist Jorn Finnerup claimed the silver with a steady 38 points for his third podium placing in the week.
Tip Briney was the sole heir to the ‘2’s pot.
Note: Lewiinski’s is situated on Pattaya land Soi 1, Beach Rd Soi13/13 near Walking Street. Anyone wishing to play with us just pop in and add your name to the list or call Colin on 089 826 0764. Transport is provided.

Friday Night Pool League

Results & Standings May 30 (week 13)

Premier Division
Team	P	W	L	+/-	BP	Pts
Shoot Pool	13	10	1	2	48	31
Easy R-Con Bar	8	8	0	0	28	24
The Rest Stop	13	7	0	6	-18	21
The Butchers Arms	11	6	2	3	24	20
Links Bar	11	5	1	5	-16	16
Legends Pool	12	3	3	6	-38	12
Sweethearts Bar	11	3	1	7	-28	10
The Booze Lounge	13	0	0	13	0	0
Results:  Legends Pool 5 v 15 The Butchers Arms, Links Bar P-P Sweethearts Bar, The Booze Lounge A-W Easy R-Con Bar, The Rest Stop 7 v 13 Shoot Pool
Division 1
Team	P	W	L	+/-	BP	Pts
Smile Bar	12	9	3	35	1	28
Legends Pool ‘A’	11	7	4	18	1	22
Tie’s R Us	10	7	3	15	1	22
Pook’s Bar	9	5	4	7	2	17
Shoot Pool ‘A’	11	5	6	-8	1	16
Old Thai Angle	10	4	6	-5	3	15
Dean’s Bar	10	5	5	-10	0	15
Offshore Bar	10	4	6	3	2	14
Crazy Eddie’s	12	4	8	-29	1	13
Mai’s Bar	9	2	7	-26	0	6
Results:  Crazy Eddie’s 9 v 10 Legends Pool ‘A’, Dean’s Bar 10 v 7 Tie’s R Us, Mai’s Bar 6 v 10 Smile Bar, Offshore Bar 7 v 10 Shoot Pool ‘A’, Old Thai Angle P-P Pook’s Bar
Division 2
Team	P	W	L	+/-	BP	Pts
Legends Pool ‘B’	11	11	0	61	0	33
i-Rovers	11	9	2	38	0	27
FCUK Inn	11	8	3	33	1	25
Buffalo Jacks	11	6	5	7	0	18
Connections	11	5	6	-13	0	15
The Ranch	10	4	6	-6	0	12
Anzac Bar	10	3	7	-17	1	10
Bobby Too	9	3	6	-29	0	9
Classroom	9	1	8	-32	1	4
The Queen Vic	9	1	8	-42	0	3
Results:  Bobby Too 3 v 10 i-Rovers, Buffalo Jacks 7 v 10 FCUK Inn, Connections 10 v 9 Anzac Bar, Legends Pool ‘B’ 10 v 5 The Ranch

Oscar’s Sports Bar Wednesday Darts League

Results & Standings May 28 (week 5)

Team	P	W	L	Bonus	Diff.	Pts.
Buffalo Jack’s	4	4	0	29	7	8
i-Rovers ‘A’	5	3	2	29	16	6
Oscar’s MC Sports Bar	4	3	1	22	14	6
Legends Sports Bar	3	3	0	19	8	6
W. Tankies	4	2	2	19	17	4
Jantha Coffee	5	2	3	18	27	4
Mai’s Bar	5	2	3	17	28	4
Yates’ Bar	5	1	4	20	25	2
i-Rovers ‘B’	4	1	3	14	22	2
The Clinic	5	1	4	11	34	2
Results:  Mai’s Bar (0-0)-(9-1) v i-Rovers ‘A’, Yates’ Bar (2-0)-(7-1) v Jantha Coffee, i-Rovers ‘B’ (4-0)-(5-1) v The Clinic

Pattaya 8-Ball Monday Pool League

Results & Standings May 26 (week 13)

Team	Played	Won	Lost	For	Agst	Diff.	Pts.
Phimai Geordie	13	13	0	139	56	83	39
Smile Bar	12	11	1	123	57	66	34
San Snack Bar	13	10	3	130	65	65	33
Crazy Eddie’s	13	8	5	98	97	1	29
Ta Bar	13	8	5	87	108	-21	29
Funny Girls 4	12	7	5	95	85	10	26
Pom Bar	13	5	8	89	106	-17	23
Asian Nomads	12	3	9	83	97	-14	18
Connections	11	3	8	66	99	-33	17
Parrot Inn	13	2	11	65	130	-65	17
Doggy Style	12	2	10	75	105	-30	16
Buffalo Jack’s	11	2	9	60	105	-45	15
Results:  Smile Bar P v P Funny Girls 4, Ta Bar 5 v 10 San Snack Bar, Pom Bar 6 v 9 Crazy Eddie’s, Doogy Style v Connections, Parrot Inn 2 v 13 Phimai Geordie, Buffalo Jack’s v Asian Nomads

Pattaya Sports Club Bowling League

200 Bowlers: David, Tue, Heinz & Kran.

Indiana remains in first place after winning three points from VFW Post 9876. David Shaw bowled a 569 series with games of 214, 182 and 173 for VFW and Jang Shaw rolled a 506 series for Indiana.
Tue Pettae bowled a 573 series with games of 224, 184 and 165 for Canada as they split their match 2-2 against Balloon. Canada remains in second place and Balloon in fourth.
Brother D won all four points from Bavaria and moved up from seventh place to fifth. Bavaria dropped from fifth to seventh. Antero Ronkainen had a 510 series for Brother D.
Café Kronborg got on the winning track after a very bad start in this league as they won three and one half points from Green Tree. Captain Kran Nielsen led Kronborg with a 598 series and games of 233, 180 and 185.
Heinz bowling as a Pacer bowled a 204 game.

Results & Standings May 30 (week 8)
Pos.	Team	Score	Standings
1	Indiana	3 – 1	22.5 – 9.5
2	Canada	2-2	20-12
3	VFW Post 9876	1-3	19 - 13
4	Balloon	2-2	16 - 16
5	Brother D	4 - 0	15 - 17
6	Green Tree	0.5 – 3.5	12.5 – 19.5
7	Bavaria	0 – 4	12.5 – 19.5
8	Café Kronborg	3.5 – 0.5	10.5 – 21.5

Asia Back Packer’s Monday Darts Super League

Standings May 26 (week 23)

Team	P	W	L	F	A	B/L	Pts.
Jantha Coffee	23	17	6	132	75	14	34
i-Rovers ‘A’	23	16	7	138	68	19	32
Load Out	22	16	6	124	74	15	32
Legends	21	14	7	119	69	13	28
Double Top	21	10	11	97	91	11	20
W. Tankies	21	7	14	82	107	6	14
i-Rovers ‘B’	22	2	20	44	153	3	4
Bye	11	0	11	0	99	0	0
Results:  Jantha Coffee (9-1)-(0-0) v Bye, i-Rovers ‘A’ (8-1)-(1-0) v Double Top

Crumpton Oaks Cider Monday Pool League

Results & Standings May 26 (week 12)

Division 1
Team	P	W	L	+/-	BP	Pts.
The Butchers Arms	11	8	3	19	2	26
Shoot Pool	10	8	2	36	1	25
Legends Pool	10	7	3	13	1	22
Links Bar	10	6	4	10	1	19
Shoot Pool ‘B’	12	6	6	-13	0	18
Nicky’s Bar	9	5	4	-3	1	16
Pook’s Bar	11	5	6	-10	0	15
Sweethearts Bar	8	4	4	-8	0	12
Offshore Bar	12	3	9	-23	1	10
Acorn Pub	11	0	11	-21	2	2
Results:  Nicky’s Bar A-W Acorn Pub
Division 2
Team	P	W	L	+/-	BP	Pts.
The Caddyshack	11	10	1	51	1	31
Rest Stop	12	10	2	41	0	30
Cheers Bar	11	10	1	29	0	30
The Ranch	10	7	3	-10	0	21
Classroom	13	6	7	-24	0	18
ANZAC Sports Bar	12	5	7	-9	2	17
Dean’s Bar	12	5	7	-12	1	16
i-Rovers	11	3	8	-36	1	10
Buffalo Jacks	13	3	10	-30	0	9
Team Pulled Out	13	0	13	0	0	0
Results:  ANZAC Sports Bar 10 v 5 Buffalo Jacks, Cheers Bar 10 v 5 Classroom, Team Pulled Out A-W i-Rovers, The Caddyshack P-P Dean’s Bar, The Ranch 1 v 10 Rest Stop

Sailing in a paradise not lost –Thailand’s marine sector promotes a better lifestyle & environment

City demolish Scans with scintillating 6-2 victory

Southern success at Pattaya cricket Super 8’s

Brass Monkey through to League Cup semi-finals

United back to winning ways

A magical 50 for Clegg

Andy Oz wins at a canter

Aylott claims deVere monthly trophy

Hooray for Capt. Spaulding

Gabe garners monthly honours

Feeling the heat at Navy

Senior stays on course with victory at Laem Chabang

Cooney gets the gold at Eastern Star

Ferris’ final fling

Waycott & Hill claim the Medals

Coe claims victory at Emerald

Knight back in the winner’s circle

Aussies rule as Spalding schools the field

Friday Night Pool League

Oscar’s Sports Bar Wednesday Darts League

Pattaya 8-Ball Monday Pool League

Pattaya Sports Club Bowling League

Asia Back Packer’s Monday Darts Super League

Crumpton Oaks Cider Monday Pool League