Road trip to cowboy country

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PSC golf from The Golf Club

Monday, August 11, Green Valley (white tees) – Stableford

1st Thierry Danzas (21) 38pts

T2nd Zac Wood (3) 36pts

T2nd Peter LeNoury (11) 36pts

T2nd Wayne Cotterell (11) 36pts

T2nd Gary Emmett (18) 36pts

Does it get any better than this?  Green Valley is in the best condition it has ever been, and we must compliment the staff for doing such a great job.  Even the weather was perfect so yet another day of zillionaire’s golf in the Kingdom.

A group of Khao Yai cowboys.A group of Khao Yai cowboys.

36 seemed to be the number of the day as we had an unusual 4-way tie for second place!  It is so nice to shoot to your handicap and Zac, Peter, Wayne and Gary all did just that.  Zac Wood is the lucky nephew of our buddy Mark, and plays off a mere 3 handicap.  The guy is only 18 years old!  What is it with these Scotsmen that they are all such good golfers?  Must be the single malts they are raised on.

Anyway, we had a great win once more from Thierry Danzas.  He likes this course and it would seem the course likes him as well.  Thierry has won here in the recent past and is working downwards on his handicap.  Not an easy thing to do when you have a full time job in Pattaya – Thierry is the F&B manager at the fabulous Pullman resort in Wongamat Beach.

Tuesday, August 12, Panorama (blue tees) – Stableford

1st David Ferris (24) 32pts

2nd Phil Smedley (10) 31pts

3rd Steve Ellison (17) 29pts

Wednesday, August 13, Rancho Charnvee (yellow tees) – Stableford

1st Ron Robertson (26) 31pts

2nd Phil Smedley (10) 30pts

3rd Steve Ellison (17) 29pts

This was our road trip for August, and it was great to get back up to Khao Yai again.  If you have not been here yet, it is a great getaway for a couple of nights or a week long holiday as there are 7 golf courses to play up here.  You are up to a 1,400 foot elevation so it is always a bit cooler here, and they say it is the cleanest air in Thailand, being at the doorstep of the largest National Park.

Smooth swinging Dale Shier in action.Smooth swinging Dale Shier in action.

Panorama was our first venue, and Khun James set us up with a fine golf course.  He is a generous host and runs the place very professionally, being a very charming chap who speaks perfect English.  Panorama is aptly named and the camera was out on several holes.  If you are taking company up there, then this is a good course for partners as the huge and clean swimming pool provides a welcome escape for the waiting ladies on tour.

Rancho Charnvee was on the agenda for Wednesday, and is a course we will always play when we visit this region.  Rancho has always been in top condition and this day was no exception.  It was the third day of perfect weather as the overcast skies gave welcome shelter and we barely broke into a sweat.

As the numbers above show, no one shot to their handicap but that didn’t even matter, as we all had a great trip and will return here in October for their Golf Festival, and hopefully play just a wee bit better!

Thursday, August 14, Subhapruek (white tees) – Stableford

1st Dale Shier (13) 33pts

2nd David Ferris (24) 30pts

3rd Phil Smedley (10) 29pts

This was our final day of the tour, so on the way back to Pattaya it would have been crazy not to have a little break at Subhapruek.  This is another Pete Dye golf course (like Khao Kheow) and is perfectly maintained.  Being a Bangkok golf course, it is on the flat side but that will not disappoint as the layout has plenty of other challenges.

This course is just off the Bagna-Trad highway and next to the big Assumption University building that dominates the local skyline, so from Pattaya allow for a 90 minute trip at most.

It was one of the usual suspects on the podium again as Capt. Phil was up there for the last 3 days.  Good shooting Phil!  Dave (Big Wheel) Ferris came good after his Panorama win to the tune of 30 big ones here.  Dale Shier broke his slump and swung his way to the highest score of the trip with a big red 33 circled at the top of his card, very good going on this difficult track.

At this point, we were all ready to head back to Pattaya and sleep in our own beds for a much needed rest from the holiday in Khao Yai.

Friday, August 15, Pattaya C.C. (white tees) – Stableford

1st Gary Emmett (18) 37pts

2nd David Ferris (24) 31pts

3rd Phil Smedley (10) 30pts

And now for a round a bit closer to home.  Well, a lot closer to home in fact as the 23 minute sprint up the 36 took us to the continually improving Pattaya Country Club.  This place is starting to look good, the course is settling in, and the new clubhouse is really starting to take shape.  Yes, the front nine is better than the back, but be patient and I am sure that after the October rains the back nine will be right up there as well.

Ferris and Smedley were at it again as they powered on for a full week of golf and were rewarded with 2nd and 3rd spots.  The winner winner chicken dinner kudos went to our Aussie buddy Gary Emmett, getting 37 points on the card to slaughter the field by 6 strokes.  Good on ya Gazza!

Note:  The Golf Club is located on Soi LK Metro.  Just call 085 434 3377 or see our website www.golfclubpattaya .com and for more information mail us: pattaya4golf @gmail.com and see updates at www.facebook.com/golfclubpattaya… all handicaps welcome!