Features

Golfers came from far and wide to take part in this inaugural Mike Franklin Memorial Charity Golf Tournament.

The local golfing contingent was also well represented at this year’s event.

PM Sports Ed.
The inaugural Mike Franklin Memorial Charity Golf Tournament was played out under clear blue skies and with light winds at the Eastern Star Golf & Country Club a week last Wednesday, April 1; a date that coincided with what would have been Mike Franklin, the Pattaya golf guru’s 74th birthday.

Due in no small part to the work put in by the organzers; namely the Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa, Pattaya Mail Media Group, Jesters Care for Kids, Diana Group, Rotary International District 3340 and Skal International Pattaya & east Thailand, the event proved to be a resounding success with a near full player list and over 850,000 baht raised for the various charities that Mike was involved with during his time here in Thailand.
It had been over eighteen months since the first “Pattaya Mail Mike Franklin Charity Golf Tournament” was held, an event that was intended to be an annual competition, but the scheduled dates last year had to be changed due to Mike’s illness; to which he finally succumbed to on January 7, 2009.
It was therefore decided to resurrect the tournament this year, and for many future years, and dedicate it in Mike’s memory. Of course, an event of this magnitude takes some organizing, and coming swiftly on the back of the PSC Charity Classic there was some concern leading up to the day that it would be some way off being full. As things transpired, however, and through some sterling efforts from the organizers, the tournament went off without a hitch and almost as smoothly as if Mike were here taking control of things himself. Maybe in some way he still was.
The 124 players assembled at Eastern Star Golf & Country Club for the lunchtime shotgun start and were given a friendly greeting at the registration desk by the redoubtable duo of Bernie Tuppin, the PSC Charity Chairman, and Nigel Cannon who both saw that everything ran smooth as clockwork in the clubhouse and out on the course.
The format for the day was a 4-person team scramble with each player having to contribute 4 tee shots and with the System 36 scoring method being employed. This was a scoring process strongly favoured by Mike when he was running tournaments here as it precludes any problems that might arise from the fairness (or not) of someone’s stated golf handicap.
The management at Eastern Star had the course in fine shape for the day, this despite the effects of the recent hot and dry weather and the wear and tear of the high season. The fairways were looking a little parched in places and some of the fringes around the greens were heavily sanded, but overall the lies on the fairways were good and the greens ran fast and true, even if some of the pin positions were a little mischievous.
The hastily assembled Pattaya Mail scratch team set out in spectacular and somewhat uncustomary fashion. In spite of the proclivity of the scribe’s ball to find the water at every given opportunity, the rest of the team rallied and succeeded in birdying three of the first six holes to instill misplaced and grandiose thoughts of a potential podium finish. Alas, a round of golf involves 18 (not 6) holes, and as the sun beat down the birdies all but dried up, leaving the team to contemplate what might have been and to drown their sorrows at the nearest beer hut.
Meanwhile, at the top of the leader board the genuine contenders were blazing birdie trails of their own. The Sugar Shack team of Arthur McCullough, John Rehm, Tim Woods and Alec Robertson fired in seven to return a fine gross and net 65 that gave them third place on count back from one of the all-Thai teams.

Ingo Rauber, GM of the Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa addresses the audience at the prize giving reception.
Just one shot better on gross score, but with a net 63 on handicap, was the PSC Golf Chairman’s team of Perry McNeely, Scott Dobbins, Marty Allred and Hans Collet who did enough for second place and who gave it a real shot at the top spot.
Coming into the clubhouse with the best score of the day, however, was the Kermit’s Mob of Harry Riley, Russel Exely, David Stockman and Mark Williamson. It was a notable effort of skill and determination from this four-ball that yielded 10 birdies and no bogies in a gross and net round of 62 and gave them the title of winners of the inaugural Mike Franklin Memorial Charity Golf Tournament.
As well as the aforementioned winners, there were also a number of all ladies teams out on the course to brighten up the fairways. One of these teams included Mike’s widow Banjob, and we can well imagine how proud Mike would have been looking down on his beloved wife as she struck the ball around one of his favorite golf courses.
The pace of play was generally very good from the golfers all afternoon, and the large field were all back in the clubhouse after rounds of approx. 4½ hours. After handing in the score cards and ascending to the changing rooms for a quick wash and brush-up, it was then off to the Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa for the trophy presentations and the BBQ buffet.

Pratheep (Peter) Malhotra, MD of Pattaya Mail Media Group, presents the Mike Franklin perpetual trophy to 2 members of the winning team, Harry Riley and Russel Exely.
Ingo Rauber, the GM of the Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa, and his team had laid on a sumptuous feast for the returning golfers and their guests on the beachfront location at the resort. The tables were creatively decorated with a golf theme and the general ambience was perfect to bring this occasion to a fitting conclusion.
Open from 6 pm until the close, the buffet could be enjoyed throughout, with the excellent Pinnacle band and singers providing the musical backdrop and the Pinnacle Dancers coming on stage later to entertain.
Emcee Tony Malhotra started the evening off by welcoming everybody and acknowledging the generous support from the sponsors, donors and contributors to the tournament, laying a solid foundation towards a successful outcome for the beneficiaries.
It goes without saying that a tournament of this nature cannot take place without the generous help of the sponsors, and in this regard a big thank you needs to be said to the following who all provided financial backing for the event: Alan Bolton Property Consultants, Pattaya Sports Club, Coca Cola, B.J. Wine Cellar, Jesters, Tahitian Queen, and the Diana Group of Hotels.

Nittaya Patimasongkoh, President of YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya, presents a ‘near pin’ prize to Fabian of ThaiGerLine Golf (left).
In addition, the organizers would also like to thank the following sponsors for their donations in kind: Eastern Star Golf & Country Club, Jameson’s, Bruno’s, Mata Hari, Thai Garden Resort, ThaiGerLine Golf, Casa Pascal, Poseidon Restaurant, Tahitian Queen, D2, Amari Resort Pattaya, Green Tree Pub, Chaopraya Hotel Bangkok, Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort & Spa, Pinnacle Samui Resort and Spa, Pinnacle Lumpini Hotel & Spa, Massic Travel, Pattaya Mail Publishing Company Ltd., Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Pattaya Marriott Hotel & Spa, Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya, Decorum, Kalae, Warsteiner & Erdinger Weissbier.
H.E. Anand Panyarachun, the former Prime Minister of Thailand on behalf of UNICEF also gave his support to this tournament. Mike Franklin was a big supporter of the organization and helped organise the UNICEF Charity golf tournament for many years.
Through the munificent sponsorship from the above listed companies, and the contributions of the players themselves, both on the golf course and later at the charity raffle, some 850,000 baht was raised for several charitable causes, namely: Rotary District 3340 R.I. Humanitarian Projects; Jesters’ Care for Kids; Scholarships to Pattaya schools via the Diana Group Foundation; Youth Leadership Development Foundation; and the Pattaya Young PR Ambassador Program.
With the formalities completed, Tony Malhotra handed over the mike to Dr. Iain Corness who gave a humorous and at times poignant look back on the life of Mike Franklin and his involvement in golf, both overseas and here in Thailand.
Nigel Canon then took over and announced the names of all the technical prize winners, who duly came on stage to collect their awards, and then the main presentation was made to the winning teams. Finally, to round the evening off, a charity grand raffle draw was held with many of those in attendance going home with some great prizes and big smiles.
Thus the first golf tournament to be held in memory of Mike Franklin came to a conclusion and everyone involved can be well pleased with their efforts in making it such a huge success. Knowing Mike to be the perfectionist he was, he would almost certainly have been looking down throughout the day and evening and giving it the big thumbs up, and also hoping that everyone will be back for the second edition of this event in 2010.

Bernie Tuppin (right) presents trophies to
the second placed PSC Golf Chairman’s team.

The third placed team collect their awards from Steve Ryser (right), the former President of Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard.

Technical Awards & Sponsors

Hole   Sponsor                                    Target                                 Winner
1         Thai Garden Resort                Nearest Pin 2nd shot             Barry Traynor
2         Bruno’s Restaurant                Long 1st Putt (Men)               Perry McNeely
3         Warsteiner                            Nearest Pin                         Ally Robertson
4         Bangkok Pattaya Hospital      Long Drive (Men)                  Dave Stockman
5         Jameson’s                            Straight Drive                       Dave Stockman
6         Warsteiner                            Nearest Pin                         Fabian Arip
7         Bangkok Pattaya Hospital      Long Drive (Ladies)               Lynne Richards
8         Mata Hari Restaurant             Long 1st Putt (Ladies)           No Result
9         Jameson’s                            Long Drive Men                    Randy Lee Essary
10       ThaiGerLine Golf                    Long 1st Putt                        Guy Lindsay-Watson
11       Jameson’s                             Straight Drive                       Rosanne Diamente
12       Bruno’s Restaurant                 Long 1st Putt (Ladies)           Pen
13       Massic Travel                         Hole in One                         No Result
13       Warsteiner                             Nearest Pin                         Bualee Maliwan
14       Thai Garden Resort                Nearest Pin 2nd shot             Roy Thornton
15       Mata Hari Restaurant             Long 1st Putt (Men)               Pravit
16       Tahitian Queen                       Long 1st Putt                       Jens Nielsen
17       Warsteiner                             Nearest Pin                         Pravit R.
18       Jamesons                              Long Drive (Ladies)              Bualee Maliwan