PSC Golf from Lewiinski’s Golf Society

Sunday, July 31, Green Valley – Stableford

1st Peter Henshaw (27) 43pts

2nd Peter LeNoury (14) 39pts

3rdKevin Hamilton (22) 35pts

With the Lewiinski’s medal just round the corner, a fair contingent of golfers made the effort to play on this Sunday.  The course at Green Valley is slowly getting back to near it best and is a pleasure to play.

The winner on the day, and probably the most consistent Lewiinski’s player of the year so far, was Peter ‘the silver surfer’ Henshaw with a staggering 43 points, by far the best on the day.  Old friend Peter LeNoury filled the second step on the podium with a fine 39 points while ‘Big’ Kevin Hamilton, who has recently returned from a spell back in England, closed the flight prize winners with a steady 35 pointer despite a couple of minor set backs on the outward nine.

Monday, August 1, Pattana A & C – Stableford

1st Merle Humphreys (21) 42pts

2nd Kevin Rogers (12) 42pts

3rd Ken Hole (18) 39pts

The Gussan designed Pattana is a well maintained course with island par three’s and par sixes and very challenging greens, and what must be one of the best clubhouses on the Eastern Seaboard.

With no letup in the heat and humidity it was a surprise to see such good returns today.  It is not often that someone shoots 42 points on this course and does not win.  Well it happened to Aussie star Kevin Rogers as he lost out on top spot to Merle Humphreys on a count back.  The third podium spot was filled by the man who is always there or there abouts, Ken Hole.

Wednesday, August 3, Treasure Hill – Stableford

1st Ken Hole (18) 39pts

2nd Jim Elphick (29) 37pts

3rd Kevin Rogers (12) 36pts

The Lewiinski’s gang travelled up the highway seven to tackle the Yoshiazu Kato designed Treasure Hill today and found the course in good condition, with the usual firm greens and well grassed fairways.  There was no letup in the heat and very high humidity though.

Surprisingly the scores were very good as Ken Hole, obviously unsatisfied with Monday’s third place finish, decided to put the pedal down and his fine 39 point effort was rewarded with the top podium spot and the man of the match honours.  Ken was two strokes clear of Jimmy ‘two shots’ Elphick while two Aussie stars went to a count back to decide who closed the flight; Kevin Rogers battling with the newly arrived back Paul Bray and the scales of justice leaning in Kevin’s favour.

Friday, August 5, Burapha – Stableford

1st John Harrison (12) 41pts

2nd Vic Wright (17) 37pts

3rd Walter Baechli (14) 36pts

A perennial favourite, Burapha was the site of Friday’s outing and the task at hand was the C+D layouts.  The course, as always, was in fine condition with fast but true greens.  The sky was overcast and the heat and humidity was very high.

The weather did not deter John Harrison who posted the best points total of anyone in the field, a sparkling 41 points for the man of the match honours.  Vic Wright followed John up the podium steps with a fine 37 point total.

One of the most effervescent personalities, Walter Baechli, who would not look out of place on a ski slope, and Aussie Paul the ‘Thunder from Downunder’ Bray were only separated by a count back, both with steady even par rounds but Walter has been on the podium too many times to lose a count back as he left Paul with his second successive count back loss.

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 Peter on 086 139 6301.  Transport is provided.

PSC Golf from Siam Country Resort Pattaya

Monday/Tuesday, August 1-2, Soi Dao Highland – Stableford

This week we went with a group to Soi Dao Highland course.  After a 3 hours drive we arrived at the resort and saw that there has been a lot of improvement to the accommodation; really nice rooms and very good locker rooms and a good restaurant.  We were also lucky with the weather, it was quite sunny and dry.

The course was still under reconstruction, particularly on the front nine you played on half fairways, because they are returfing the fairways with new grass.  Nevertheless we enjoyed playing in a beautiful environment.

Monday afternoon we played our first round and some of us had problems with the course to get a good score.  The best on the day was Paddy Devereux (H/cap 21) with 36 stableford points.  In second was Stuart Banks (22) with 30 points and Jonathan Pratt (8) was third with 27.

The second day we started early in the morning with a nice cool breeze.  Good conditions for a nice day of golf and knowing the course better.

Neil Harvey (16) used his knowledge to the optimum and very consistently.  He won the day with 39 points ahead of Paddy Devereux who again had a good round but couldn’t reach the level of the day before.  Paddy took second with 31 points and Daniel Oshiro (20) was third with 29.

Thursday, August 4, The Emerald – Stableford

After a day of rest we went to The Emerald with 2 groups.  We had nice weather and the course was in good condition.

The results were close and the winner on the day was Jonathan Pratt with 36 points, beating Stuart Banks on count back.

Near pin awards went to Paddy Devereux, Daniel Oshiro (twice) and Owen Walkley.

Note: Siam Country Resort Pattaya is located just off Siam Country Club Rd, after going under the arch past the 7/11, turn right after 50 meters, with the venue on the left another 200 meters 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 089 253 5440 (Willem Lasonder) for scheduling or enquiries.

PSC Golf from Café Kronborg

Monday, August 1, Plutaluang N & W – Stableford

1st Kaj Aabling (22) 39pts

2nd Ronnie Ratte (21) 39pts

3rd Dave Headington (24) 29pts

Plutaluang was the game today just a short ride down Sukhumvit Road and after a swift check-in we were off N1 30 minutes early under sunny skies.  The course was in fine condition with fairly fast greens.

The winner and 76 years young was Kaj Aabling on a count back from Ronnie Ratte, both with fine scores of 39 points each.  Dave Headington came in third a full 10 points behind.

Thursday, August 4, Pattavia – Stablleford

1st Kenny Chung (24) 37pts

2nd Ronnie Ratte (21) 34 points

3rd Kaj Aabling (22) 26pts

Pattavia was the game on Thursday and the course was in fine condition with fast greens.  We had a sprinkling of rain for the first couple of holes but it soon blew over and the weather remained fine for the rest of the round.

Kenny Chung was the winner on the day with 37 points, three ahead of Ronnie Ratte in second while Kaj Aabling was a distant third on 26 points.

PSC Golf from the Tropical Golf Group

Tuesday, August 2, Khao Kheow – Stableford

It is fair to say that when we make out the courses for the following month, Khao Kheow is first on the list.  This is a Pete Dye Course that tests every shot in the arsenal, and make one mistake and it will penalise you greatly.  On this day we were soon up at the course and with the normal quick book-in were soon at the start.

The test for the day was to be the B & A nines, in that order, and we were soon away on our day out.  Not a lot to report except that the course was in good condition, it usually is, and we were able to bimble along at a good pace.  The fairways were well grassed and the rough was just that, rough.  The best thing was that the greens were fast and true and all players thought they were in fine condition.

Soon finished it was a quick bite, and then back into transport and back to home base which we reached nice and early.

Back at BJ’s it was soon into the results.  In the A Flight, 0 to 24 the winner was Mashi Kaneta with a peerless 40 points, the best round of the day.  In second place was Tom Herrington with 38 points and in third was Brian Parish with 37.

In the B Flight, the winner was George King with 38 points ahead of Don Carmody in second with 37 and Graham Buckingham in third with 34 on count back over Gordon Clegg.

Near Pins: Mashi Kaneta, Bryce Buckley, Tom Herrington

Friday, August 5, Silky Oak – Stableford

This Friday the Tropical golfers made another visit to Silky Oak.  Usually this is just a once or twice a year visit for the TG, but good rates and favorable reviews have put it in the rotation a few additional times.  It was a later than usual start and many of the golfers were able to sleep in an extra hour or so.  Others used the time for an extra cup of courage to face the many hazards Silky Oak has to offer.

Usually golf reviews in Thailand don’t mention the weather in any positive way, but this day was a rare exception.  Fairly heavy clouds with no chance of rain along with an occasional breeze made it one of the most tolerable days in many months.  Of course riding in a cart also helps.

Silky Oak likes to make golfers nervous with several tee shot water carries, but they really aren’t as long as they seem.  Relax and hit it and you’ll be fine.  Fairways were in their usual excellent condition.  The greens were in mostly good condition, but a few are in need of some TLC.  Silky is also a scoring course!  Shoot high or be left out of the presentation.  This day was no exception.

First place went to newcomer Dave Headington (course h’cap 24) with a sizzling 39 points.  Welcome aboard Dave.  After Dave came organizer Dick Warberg (22) with 37 points, beating Don Carmody (25) and Peter Blackburn (17) on count-back.  Then came the 36’s, 35’s and so on.

Near Pins:  Tommy Marshall, Don Carmody.

PSC Golf from the Bunker Boys

Monday, August 1, Bangpra (white tees) – Stableford

1st Colin Gregg (12) 37pts

2nd Les Cobban (8) 37pts

3rd Geoff Parker (15) 36pts

Near Pins: Les Cobban (3), Colin Gregg.

Eleven players made it to Bangpra for the first game of the new month.  It was glorious golfing weather and the course was in pristine condition, back to the usual fast true greens.

Colin Grieg, in only his second game back from his summer break but with a new swing, quickly made his presence felt with a fine 37points, with 20 on the back nine to take first place on count back from Les Cobban who managed to claim three of the near pins.  The ever-reliable Geoff Parker claimed third with 36 points.

Wednesday, August 3, Patavia (white tees) – Stableford

1st Tony Robbins (15) 42pts

2nd Les Burns (32) 40pts

3rd Peter Habgood (23) 40pts

Near Pins: Neil Carter (3), Jimmy Carr.

Thirteen players made their way through the 331 repair works to Patavia again in great golfing weather.  We virtually had the course to ourselves, ensuring a reasonably quick trouble free round.  The course was in very good condition with the greens excellent, probably not quite as fast as in the past but quick enough.

The day resulted in excellent scoring with 7 of the players bettering 36 points.  Colin Grieg felt pretty good following up his 1st place on Monday with 39 points, only to end up in 4th place.  Peter Habgood walked into the club house grinning from ear to ear only the find his 40 points put him in third, place losing on count back to Les Burns.  Honors of the day went to Tony Robbins whose score of 42 points (25 on the front nine) was the standout performance.

Special mention also to Geoff Cox and Gerry Cooney, both 38 points, and Rab McDonald with 37.  Interestingly none of the near pins went to the best scorers, Neil Carter snaring 3 and Jimmy Carr the other.

Friday, August 5, Mt. Shadow (blue tees) – Stableford

1st Mashi Kaneta (16) 39pts

2nd Neil Carter (16) 37pts

3rd Jimmy Carr (15) 34pts

Near Pins: Ross Scheifer, Tony Robbins, Geoff Cox, Les Cobban.

We had 12 players turn out for our game at one of our popular courses on a perfect day for golf and were greeted with a course in great shape with reasonably fast greens.  The weather was kind and the cool day eventually turned into light rain as we were finishing our round.

The winner on the day with a fine 39 points was Mashi Kaneta, followed by Neil Carter on 37 points.  Welcome back to Ross Scheifer who managed to bag a near pin.

Note: The Bunker Boys (affiliated member of the PSC) organizes friendly competitions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and plays out of The M Club located 100 meters up Soi 14 off 3rd Road and no prior bookings are required. We welcome new players who can merely turn up by 9.30 a.m. and enjoy a game with us.  Transport is arranged which departs at 10 a.m. for a booked tee time at 11 a.m.  For inquiries contact Neil on 084 758 9907.

PSC Golf from The Outback Golf Bar

Monday, August 1, Burapha – Stableford

A record turnout of 45 players making use of our Burapha Monday promotion set off on a 2-tee start on the tough C&D courses.  Reports are that the course was in great condition, with the greens mostly in excellent shape.

Arriving still tipsy after an all night bender in not unusual to see at the Outback, but Beau Mete made it to the 4th hole before he though he couldn’t play any further.  However, some prompt attention by his lovely caddy and another beer or two got him going again until he reached the Outback, where he passed out for a 2 hour nap on the lazyboy in our air-con restaurant.  Fresh as a Norwegian Salmon he was after that nap and reports of a quiet early evening was received.

Normally a group of 45 players require 3 divisions, however with eight ‘2’s needing some decent rewarding we restricted the comp to two divisions.  In Division B, Adrian C Shelley scraped into 5th place on 36 points.  John Leonard and Barry Macintosh both had 36 points and with the count back going to the last six holes, these gentlemen finished in 3rd and 4th places respectively.  Dutchie (Darren Vanderham), scored a good 37 to finish 2nd and in 1st was Kenny Chung, scoring a very impressive 41 points.

In A division, Colin Goon (35pts) pipped Per L๖vgren for 5th place on count back, with Wez Smart (4th) losing in turn to Bobby Driggs (3rd) on count back, both on 35 points.  Swiss Boy Urs Stegman scored 37 for 2nd and Robbie Barnes took the 1st spot honours with a great 38 points.

Peter Nixon, Robbie Barnes, Tom Novak, Colin Goon, Peter Stonebridge, Ainthira Phisetrit (caddy from Laem Chabang), James H. Little (Jimmy), and Greg Smith each recorded a ‘2’.

Tuesday, August 2, Laem Chabang – Stableford

With another good line up for Tuesday golf at Laem Chabang, the Aussies almost made a clean sweep and would have done so were it not for Ron Dickie spoiling the parade with his 3rd place.  The course was in great nick and Laem Chabang caddies are some of the best around.

Acco has since left us to go back to the cold Aussie weather, but he came in with a 5th spot on 33 points, losing on count back to Dutchie in 4th.  Third spot went to Ron Dickie with 34 points, 2nd to big hitter Wez Smart (36), and top honours were taken by Darren Scraige with a fantastic 41 points.

Wednesday, August 3, Treasure Hill – Stableford

Just a small group of brave hearts took on the 331 motorway to Treasure Hills today – thanks to Peter Nixon taking care of the arrangements.  Reports are that the course was in great condition and lush, with the greens in good shape as well.  With the best rate on offer anywhere in Pattaya, this is definitely worth the occasional trip.

Andy Makara once again clinched top spot with an awesome 38 points playing from the yellow tees, with Peter Nixon coming in 2nd place on 34.

Tony Pattison and John Cogan each scored a 2.

Friday, August 5, Green Valley – Stableford

Another good turnout at Green Valley brought the total number of rounds played with the Outback last week to 143, not bad for the low season!  Feedback was that the course was playing average, so obviously not as good as the week before when we had our medal there.

Some really good scores came in though.  In division B, Aussie tourer Beau Mete scraped into the prizes with his 36 points on count back.  Andy Makara, who has been in the prizes far too often in the last two weeks, got into 4th spot, just losing on a count back to William Peach who continues his good and consistent form, also on 37pts.  In 2nd place was Edward Beilby (Eddie), playing some splendid golf for his 40pts, but it was Sunanta Eng Cotterell who had her very best game in a long time with a splendid 45 points for the win.

In A division, we welcomed back Yuri Murakami and Yasu Arakawa, with Yuri scoring 36 points to come 5th on count back.  Aussie Steve Della-marta came good to finish 4th with 37 points while Jack Butler joined us for a game from the Village Hackers Society and immediately recorded a 3rd place with his 38 points.  We also welcomed back our Outback friend Wally Brown who recorded a remarkable 40 points to finish 2nd.  Peter Nixon allowed his handicap to deteriorate over the last few months but his gross 77 for 42 points put him back in the driving seat and no doubt, we’ll see his handicap come down again shortly.  Great going Peter!

There were quite a few ‘2’s today – Peter Nixon scoring two on holes 5 and 8, Jean-Philippe Maffray on hole 5, and William Peach on hole 12.

Once again beautiful weather prevailed Friday, August 5, with overcast skies keeping down the heat for the 18th Annual Jackalope Open played at Burapha Golf and Country Club.

Jason Manley shot one of the best rounds of his life, scoring 44 points to be crowned the winner of the 18th Annual Jackalope Open.

Over 85 golfers teed it up for the “fun” charity event, and most impressively the first group made it back to the clubhouse in just 3 hours, 45 minutes. The average time for all groups was an equally impressive 4 hours.

The turnout was somewhat less than expected, most likely in part due to the economy and the low price of oil and gas.  However, those that did take part were able to collect their anniversary golf shirt, which this year paid homage to the loss of good friend and fellow Canadian Wayne Ogonoski.  Sadly, Wayne passed away this year.  He was always a big part of the Jackalope, keeping scores at the tournament, as well as running the charity’s website and always being on hand to help the needy when funds and goods were distributed.

Along with the golf shirt, golfers were given quality Jackalope towels donated by Retox Game On and emblazoned with “Jackalope Open 2016 The Fun Tournament 18th Anniversary” and the distinctive Jackalope logo.  Entrants could also pick up tees, stickers and ball markers after the 10 a.m. registration, on their way to the Caesar table.

After the traditional noon shotgun start, on course refreshments were handled by JD Crowley on A4 and Blue Moose on B7, plus four liquid refreshment carts that circulated throughout the course.

Once back inside the clubhouse, hungry golfers were treated to a delicious buffet provided by the Burapha staff while they waited for their scorecard to be checked and tabulated by John Emmerson and his team.

Once the technical prizes were announced and presented there was one final prize to be awarded, the Jack Levy – Macallan Insurance Broker Longest Putt Challenge on hole B9.  This welcome addition to the charity event features a 20,000 baht prize, with 10,000 baht going to the winner and 10,000 baht to the Jackalope charity.  Joe Sullivan sunk the longest first putt, earning 10,000 baht, of which he gave back 5,000 baht to charity.

After the flight winners were announced and trophies handed out, the excitement built throughout the raffle, leading up to the 50/50 draw which this year featured a pot of 180,000 baht, with 90,000 going to the winner. The lucky winner was none other than birthday boy Mark Gorda, who immediately donated his 90,000 baht winnings straight back into the charity coffers. Well done Mark!

In all, early estimates showed the amount raised during the event would be enough to ensure the Jackalope Open would once again be able to donate 400,000 baht to the Jesters Care for Kids charity drive.

Special mention goes to the Global Top Group who donated 50,000 baht towards the Jackalope/Camillian Centre. Thank you.

Thanks go to Mike (the manager of the golf course) and all the staff at Burapha Golf & Resort for their excellent service provided on the day.  Thanks also to the following businesses and individuals who either donated their time and staff or helped to raise an outstanding amount for the 2016 charity fund: John Kennedy, Colin Mearns, Retox Bar, Macallan Insurance, Jack Levy, TQ, Jesters, Pattaya Sports Club, The Haven Hotel, Indian By Nature, JD Crowley, Blue Moose, Pie Guy, The Clubhouse Jomtien, Q Car Rentals, Pattaya Mail, Rick Moren, Todd Moren, Mike Peters, Stacey O’Toole, Joe and Glenna Ernst, Ryan Woods, Wayne and Anthony Stennes, Alan Vick, Danny Omlund, John Thowsen, Mike O’halloran, Pen and Neil Sandilands, Paul Erb, John Emmerson, Wade Oldenburg, Rob Kennedy, Murray and Mamo Kerr, Doug Campbell, Glenn Unflat, Glen Fiala, Pattaya Pickle, Mark Robbins and Chris Oxley, Bill Freeman, Pinky, Stewart and Randy ‘The Beer Cart Bunch’, and a host of other helpers too numerous to mention.

Overall Winner

Jason Manley 44pts

Division 1

1st Charles Murray 40pts

2nd Rob Barnes 39pts

3rd Neil Skilton 38pts

Division 2

1st Fred Birch 39pts

2nd Darren Stanto 37pts

3rd Dave Dairah 36pts

Division 3

1st Bennie Hansen 38pts

2nd Bernie Morris 36pts

3rd Mike Lovell 35pts

Ladies

1st Noodle Russell

2nd Pigawan Vincent

Rabbits

1st Joe St Laurent

2nd Chris Balislie

3rd Paal Imhof

Technical prize winners

Joe Sullivan – long putt on #9

Near Pin A3: Ladies: Rong Carungay; Rabbits Julian Arawec; Div 3 Chris Harkins; Div 2 Paal Imhof; Div 1 Simon Philbrook.

Near Pin A6: Ladies Oyjai Wilanan; Rabbits No Winner; Dive 3 Mike Lowell; Div 2 Barry the Bookie; Div 1 Bob Newell.

Near Pin B3: Ladies Noodle Russell; Rabbits No winner; Div 3 Bernie Morris; Div 2 Lumpy Russell; Div 1 JB Russell.

Near Pin B8: Ladies Noodle Russell; Rabbits No winner; Div 1 No winner; Div 2 Darren Stanton; Div 3 Andreas Greenacher

Long Drive: Rabbits Rob Kennedy; Div 3 Joe Sullivan; Div 2 Peter Thomas; Dive 1 Tyson Dunlop.

Andy Evan Memorial Best Sportsmanship Award

Bob “Scar” Taylor.

Allen Swift (1908 – 2010) drove the same car for 82 years. The car was a Rolls-Royce Piccadilly-P1 Roadster he had received new as a graduation gift from his father in 1928. To save you getting the calculator out, he drove the car until he died aged 102 years!

He was the oldest living owner of a car that was purchased new, and by the time of his death, the car (and Mr. Swift) had covered 1,721,998 kilometers.

This would have been one of the Springfield Rolls-Royces, manufactured up until 1932.

After his death, the car was donated to a Springfield museum.

Jomtien Golf with the IPGC

Monday, August 1, Green Valley – Stableford

Our regular one monthly booking here and only one more before the high season kicks in as we don’t like the 11.30 am start schedule offered to us from October onwards.

There were two divisions out today with the cut at 8-15 and 17+ in division 2 and back with us for a three week holiday the Vanuatu ferry captain Peter Davies won the second flight with 38 points.  Charlie Charalambous came in second nine points behind Peter, beating Kai Anda on a 14/12 back nine count back.

Sid Crawley was the winner in division 1 with 36 points and Jerry Sweetnam took second after beating Tony Bless 20/12 on the back nine after they both came in with 35 points each.

Near pins went to (Div 1) Paul Butler, Jerry Sweetnam and Wichai Tananunsorn (2).

Jerry Sweetnam birdied the 12th for five rollover ‘2’s pot in division 1 and in division 2 there was a double rollover to Treasure Hill on Wednesday.

Wednesday, August 3, Treasure Hill – Stableford

A very busy course here today with one group out in front of us and a four team and six team placing after us. There were only three groups out with us in one division and Khalifa Nasser returned the best score of the day, winning with 31 points.  Curtis Hessler placed second after beating Terry Madsen 14/13 on a back nine count back, both coming in with 30 points each.

Terry Madsen and Jerry Sweetnam were the only near pin winners on the day and there were no ‘2’s recorded.

Friday, August 5, Eastern Star – Stableford

Another slight improvement in the course today and the numbers are creeping up again and with seven groups out today the equal cut was 8-17 and 18+ in division 2.

Scoring 22 points on the front nine and playing off 17 Paul Hartley won division 1 with 41 points.  After two weeks in the doldrums Chris Voller bounced back to take second place on 34 points and there were two 32’s fighting for third place; Mikael Andersson beating Bill Bertram 6/4 on a back three count back.

In division 2, Tony Thorne edged the organizer 20/18 on the back nine after they both came in with 37 points and Juergen Heinzius was third on 34 points.

Near pins went to (Div 1) Paul Butler, Jerry Sweetnam and Chris Voller, and (Div 2) Kai Anda, Paul Hartley and Frank Kelley.

After four weeks , unbelievably there have been no two’s here in division 1 and for three weeks nothing in division 2, so all to play for next Friday.

Pattaya NNK United’s players appear to be setting up another dramatic end of season for their supporters.  In their last campaign it was promotion as the team’s major goal – now it is a fight for survival and staying in the Thai Premier League, though the Dolphins are currently 12th in the 18 team division with still eight games remaining.

Last Saturday, August 6, the Dolphins lost 2-1 away to Super Power Samutprakan FC (formerly Osotsapa M-150).  Pattaya took the lead in the 42nd minute through Wichan, who followed up smartly on a rebound and some scrappy defending to tuck the ball into the net and give his team a 1-0 halftime advantage.

The second half started frantically and Samutprakan were rewarded in the 46th minute for their positive play with an equalizer coming via a header from Solep.  Pattaya held their own and gave no quarter with some tenacious play until the last 10 minutes of the game, receiving all five yellow cards in the second half and a red to Chayawat in the 84th minute.

With frustration building from some of the officials’ decisions, the Dolphins finally started to lose some discipline and suffered another setback in the 85th minute when Settanan scored the hosts’ winning goal with another decisive header.

The match showed once again that playing well and winning can be two entirely different things.

Pattaya United’s next game is at home on 13th August, hosting BEC Tero Sasana and the return of former player Milan Bubalo in another team’s colours.

PSC Golf from Siam Country Resort Pattaya

Tuesday, August 9, Greenwood – Stableford

On Tuesday we drove down the 331 to Greenwood and played the A & C courses which we found to be in good condition, but the greens were slower than normal.  The weather was good and not to hot so all the circumstances were set for a good round of golf.

Today Stuart Banks (H/cap 22) dominated the competition and won with 41 stableford points.  Daniel Oshiro (20) had a good back nine, but not enough to overtake Stuart for the win, and came in second with 39 points.

The near pins went to Stuart Banks, Paddy Devereux (21), Jonathan Pratt (8) and Daniel Oshiro.

Thursday, August 11, Burapha – Stableford

We went to Burapha on Thursday and played the A & B courses which were in excellent condition and the greens fast and fair.  We had a nice breeze and sunny weather, so again perfect conditions for good scores.

Paddy Devereux was the man of the day and played very consistently to win with 40 points.  The fight for second place saw a battle between Martin Hayes (18), just back from UK, and Jonathan Pratt, with the former just edging Jonathan on count back, both with 37 points overall.

Near pins were claimed by Jonathan Pratt, Daniel Oshiro and Paddy Devereux (twice).

Note:  Siam Country Resort Pattaya is located just off Siam Country Club Rd, after going under the arch past the 7/11, turn right after 50 meters, with the venue on the left another 200 meters 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 089 253 5440 (Willem Lasonder) for scheduling or enquiries.

PSC Bunkers Boys Golf Society

Monday, August 8, Khao Kheow – Stableford

1st Geoff Parker (15) 36pts

2nd Gerry Cooney (18) 34pts

3rd Colin Greig (12) 32pts

Near Pins: Geoff Parker, Les Cobban

Where better place can a golfer be than in Pattaya, playing low season golf on great courses fully recovered from the dry spell at discount prices?  Today we went to Khao Kheow and played the A & B nines for THB 1,000 for green fee and caddy fee.  The weather was perfect and the course was in good shape, there being just one slight disappointment, not enough rakes on the course and none of the caddies carried rakes either so the bunkers were not properly repaired.  It’s a pity as the ground staff had done a good job in presenting the course and bunkers so well.

The course was almost empty and 13 players enjoyed a fast round.  The ever reliable doyen of the Bunker Boys, Geoff Parker, scored an excellent 36pts to take first place.  This also included two near pins and a 3-foot tap in birdie on the island green.  Gerry Cooney, revelling in his 17.6 handicap, came second with 34pts and Colin Greig (32pts) beat Ross Schiffke and Tony Robbins on count back for third place.

Wednesday, August 10, The Emerald (white tees) – Medal

1st Gerry Cooney (18) net 70

2nd Geoff Parker (15) net 70

3rd Jimmy Carr (17) net 73

Near Pins: Rab McDonald, Jimmy Carr, Gerry Cooney, Geoff Parker

At 6,024 yards off the whites, Emerald plays like a course twice its size.  This was attested to today as only two of our fourteen players were able to equal or better their handicaps.  Well, the excruciatingly slow greens and cement clad bunkers may have had something to do with it but, nevertheless, it is a tough little track – for its size.

Gerry Cooney took the honors by a nose over Geoff Parker, each with a net 70.  Both men fired-up the back nine; Gerry posting a 41, Geoff a 43, with Gerry winning on count back.  In addition to his second place finish, Geoff just missed a hole-n-one on the 131-yard par-3 16th by a fraction of an inch, and that’s not an exaggeration.  It would have been his second on said hole.

Soft spoken, lead-footed Colin Greig couldn’t buy a putt.  Never seen Mr. Putter Man miss so many makeable putts.  Besides the putting, the bunkers were causing him quite a bit of distress, as well.  It would be disingenuous to deny a bit of schadenfreude on seeing a low handicapper struggle like us regular guys.

The real action was taking place with the approach shots.  Raleigh Gosney, fresh in town from a working holiday in Japan, proceeded to drill two twenty-five foot chips for birdies on the 1st and 10th holes: the only thing he did right all day.

A special thanks to Rab McDonald for continuing to contribute to the Bunker Boys kitty by not showing up to collect his near pin prize.

Friday, August 12, Treasure Hill (yellow tees) – Stableford

1st Les Hall (23) 40pts

2nd Neil Carter (16) 35pts

3rd Colin Greig (12) 34pts

Near Pins: Colin Greig (2), Neil Carter, Jimmy Carr.

Treasure Hill is a lovely course, indeed.  One could almost argue that the struggle up Route 331 during roadworks is worth it, but that would be stretching the truth.  Being stuck in a 45 minute traffic jam makes you wish you had never gotten out of bed.

Les Hall must have arrived by helicopter as he was off to the races upon hitting the ground.  No one was even close, and he finished with an outstanding 40 stableford points.

Neil Carter, our gracious host at the always entertaining M Club, took second place, and Colin Greig knocked Raleigh out of the dough on count back for third.

Mr. stick it close and miss the birdie putt, Jimmy Carr, continues to rack-up the near pins recording another today.  Jimmy has been lobbying the committee to institute something similar to the Golfer of the Month, i.e., Near-Pinner of the Month, but no decision has been made as of yet.

PSC Golf from The Billabong Golf Bar

Monday, August 8, Phoenix – Stableford

The Phoenix course just gets better and better and its quality was reflected in the scores today.  The greens on the Lake side are really starting to come right, although there are still some pin placements that are very difficult to get at.

With 4 groups playing, we were away on time and just flowed around the course in about 3ฝ hours.  It was a perfect day for golf with a lot of cloud cover to keep the heat out and the sweat off.

Out of 16 players there were only five golfers that didn’t reach 30 points or more.  Third place today went to John Cogan with 39 points and it was a count back between Louis Ventimiglia and Glyn Davies for top spot, both having the rounds of their lives with 41 points each.  But it was Louis that got the nod for the day’s honours with his 23 points on the back nine to Glyn’s 21.

There were two ‘2’s, coming from George Barrie and Mike Lausch.

Wednesday, August 10, Green Valley – Stableford

Flying in the face of all the evidence by experts, and particularly the professionals that play at Green Valley confirming that the present absurd layout is unsuitable, the management seem to continually disregard all alternative opinions.  On most golf courses the hardest hole (index 1 for mere mortals) is likely to be hole No. 5 – not the first hole as at Green Valley.  The second hardest hole is likely to be hole No. 16 – not the 18th as at Green Valley.  And guess what, the 18th hole is right by the side of the clubhouse.  Well would you believe it!  Come on management, acknowledge all the evidence around you and return the course back to the layout that all the professionals, when they visit Green Valley, insist on.

The day started with no breeze and was hot and steamy but the round finished with an ever increasing breeze which cooled the temperature to something that was acceptable.

Some familiar names appeared on the podium, for the ladies with Miss Karn losing out on a count back to Miss Wan on 38 points, but that steady performer Miss Da came through again, this time with room to spare with an excellent 42 points.

Many of the white tees were as far back as could be before they became blue tees but despite this Colin Goon edged JP Maffray for fourth place with 35 points.  Bill Peach went one step further with 36 points, losing out to John Deardon with 37.  Wayne Cotterell said he only had one game when he was in Australia for 6 weeks but somehow he has returned with renewed vigor and outstripped the field with 38 points.

There were three 2s today, going to Miss Karn, JP Maffray and Pete Le Noury.

Friday, August 12, Burapha – Stableford

Burapha on a clear day and the course was playing tough on the C and D loops.  These loops always play harder than the A and B loops and the greens have been recently sanded but they were still good to putt on, although a bit bumpy in places.

With 6 groups playing we were away a little early and back in record time.  There were good scores and a count back between Bob Philp, Gentry Harrington, Tony McDonough and John O’Keefe saw John getting the nod for fourth place over the others with a better back 6.  Third place went to Rick Culley with 35 points and second to Kevin Wild with 38, but going one better in top spot was Freddy Starbeck with 39 points.

There were two 2s recorded, coming from Auke and Rick Culley.

PSC Golf from The Outback Golf Bar

Monday, August 8, Burapha – Stableford

With 16 players taking on Siam Plantation, our smaller than usual Monday Burapha group battled it out in one division, playing mostly from the white tees today.  With cloudy overcast weather and not too hot, it was a perfect day for scoring well, and a third of the field played better or equal than handicap.

Playing from the silver tees, Bill Peach again scored well to finish with 38 points in fourth while Jimmy Little played great to finish in third after losing a count back to John Fitzgerald, both with 39 points each.  The big winner of this day was Barry Copestake whose 40 points got him to top spot.

Pat Regan and Barry Copestake each recorded a ‘2’ to share a decent pot.

Tuesday, August 9, Laem Chabang – Stableford

It was another beautiful day at Laem Chabang with 10 players taking on the A & B course.  In third place came Darren Yates with 30 points then we had a gap of five points to Wez Smart in the runner-up position on 35.  Ron Dickie redeemed himself from Monday’s bad round at Plantation to win the day with a great 77 gross and 37 points.

Friday, August 12, Green Valley – Stableford

Our usual Friday outing at Green Valley is greeted by changes on a weekly basis on the first tee.  A shortened carry was evident this day and signs of grass being planted after the shorter carry will make our higher handicappers happy.  For the time being, we treat the area as GUR and give anyone who lands in that area relief to the red tee or nearest point of relief, without penalty.

Our Green Valley field was a bit depleted since we also had a parallel tour group playing St. Andrews, so with the B division being 18-handicap and up, we had 12 players contesting that division.  Scores were generally very good today and in third place on count back was Bruce McAdam.  Eng Cottrell continued her good form and scored a great 39 points, even though her handicap has reduced from last week.  Edging out Eng on count back was Bob Mattes who played great to finish in first place with his 39 points and 19 on the back nine.

In the A division, Jack Butler had his second outing with the Outback and played well again, scoring a great 37 points to finish third.  Beating jack on count back was Wally Brown who scored well again.  The day however belonged to Peter le Noury, scoring a great 40 points to take top honours.

Saturday, August 13, Burapha – Skins

Our pot & skins Saturday format is gaining good traction and what a great bunch of regular Saturday players they are.  This format encourages a great bit of camaraderie and is not serious at all.  The rules are a bit more matchplay lenient and it’s allowed to give your playing partners a ‘gimme’.  Don’t be surprised if you hear David play a bit of rock music, or be offered a San Miguel on the first tee.

Whilst the game is played in earnest, be willing to have a bit of good laughter as you make your way around with a great bunch of blokes. Another feature of our Saturday golf is that (by popular choice), winnings are drunk at the bar, and if you are not there, the boys will have a few on your behalf!

From the 14 players this week, the lowest score was by Wez Smart who had a tremendous game albeit from the girly tees by his standards.  He scored an awesome 77 gross to finish with 42 points.  What makes things even better is that he scooped up 8 skins, and the big win combined with the skins off course prompted a bell ring, which set the tone for the rest of the day (and ended up with Craig Blacklock and Shaun Pullen doing 80’s soul rock shuffles by 9pm!)

Other skins: Duncan Rocchi (3), Darren Yates and Daryl Clark (2 each), Neil Farrell, Per L๖vgren and Craig Blacklock (1 each).

IPGC Golf from The Tara Court Golf Society

Sunday, August 7, Green Valley – Stableford

Back at Green Valley for our usual Sunday game today with a reasonable sized group for this time of year.  The scores weren’t quite as good today as we had last week but considering that a lot of the tees were placed well back, especially on the par threes, they were still ok.

The first shot here was always a daunting shot over the water but now it is even more so as they have done work on the fairway and it takes an even better effort to carry the GUR.  Actually, I think it is a bit unfair as there is no indication of where you are supposed to take a drop if you go in the GUR.  If you follow the rules of golf and take relief at the nearest point it could mean having to drop in to the trees on the right from what would have been on the fairway.

The course was in very good condition on this day except for a few of the greens which had some bare parts and some places where they have been doing repairs but no markings indicating that you have relief.

None of this seemed to affect Ged Foy, who despite losing a shot after last week’s score, was the winner again today with thirty eight points.  Russell Gilroy took the second spot with thirty six points and he also had a birdie 2.

Francis McGuigan was having his last game for this visit and he didn’t go home empty handed as he got the third place and a ‘2’ and he also got money from one of our locals in a side bet which helped to reduce his losses for this trip.  Paul Pavloff lost out to Francis on the count back but he took the fourth and last place with thirty four points.

1st Ged Foy (17) 38pts

2nd Russell Gilroy (17) 36pts

3rd Francis McGuigan (14) 34pts

4th Paul Pavloff (5) 34pts

2’s: Francis McGuigan and Russell Gilroy

Tuesday, August 9, Khao Kheow – Stableford

We were back at Khao Kheow today, a course which we hadn’t played in a long time.  I still think that overall it is the best course in the area, especially when it is in the condition which it was in today, which was excellent.

We had an unusually early start and teed off at 8.00 am.  Although there was a caddy competition out in front of us we still got round in three and a half hours and were finished at eleven thirty, a time which some of our group would be more used to getting up than finishing a round of golf.  You would think that being behind forty-four caddies would mean that it would be a slow round but these ladies could teach a lot of us the pace that golf should be played at, especially one local farang group we have had the misfortune to be behind a few times.

Today we played the A and B nines and had three players on thirty seven points, with Joe McArdle losing out on the count back to come third but at least Joe had the consolation of getting the only ‘2’ of the day.  Declan Kelly took the second place and John Dearden came out on top on the count back with an excellent twenty two points on the back nine.

1st John Dearden (20) 37pts

2nd Declan Kelly (13) 37pts

3rd Joe McArdle (13) 37pts

2’s: Joe McArdle

Thursday, August 11, Burapha – Stableford

We played the A and B nines here again today at Burapha on what was a very quiet course, especially as it was a Sport Day.  For the first twelve holes we had the course to ourselves and were flying round but then we caught up with a few groups in front which slowed it down a bit, but we still got around in three and a half hours which is great.

As golfers are very scarce this year it seems like a lot of caddies are giving it up and moving to regular jobs where they can get a regular income, and that was the case here today when a few ladies who have been with us for years were no longer there.

Although the group was not too large you still had to play good golf to get in to the prizes, with Mark Armstrong playing to his handicap to take the third place with thirty six points.  We had a count back for first and second places with two players on thirty eight points, Declan Kelly lost out and came second and Russell Gilroy, who is playing very steady at the moment, came out the winner.  We had no 2’s today.

1st Russell Gilroy (17) 38pts

2nd Declan Kelly (13) 38pts

3rd Mark Armstrong (24) 36pts

Note: The Tara Court Golf Group play every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, leaving O’Gara’s Bar and Restaurant in the Tara Court on Pratamnak Rd. around 10.00 a.m. Sign up either in O’Gara’s or ring Joe on 0892491364.

The Sattahip Naval Base organized a walk-run to commemorate HM Queen Sirikit’s 84th birthday.

Vice Adm. Wipaks Noi­chinda opened the Aug. 10 race with 1,200 sailors, government officers and employees.

Wipaks said the event was organized to show loyalty and gratitude to HM the Queen for her dedication to her work for Thai people.

He said the joint activity also would foster better relations between the military and private sector and promote the benefits of exercise.

Pattaya United hosted fellow mid-table strugglers BEC Tero Sasana in the Thai Premier League last weekend and the two teams put on an entertaining display in front of the 2,600 fans in attendance at the Nongprue Stadium.

The first half started slowly with both teams being intently cautious.  Pattaya’s counter attacking game did lift the tempo in spurts and the Dolphins had all the better chances, though they were unable to put away the opportunities.

Just when it appeared as if both teams would go into the break with the stalemate maintained, United’s on-loan striker Soony Said capitalized on a mistake by the visiting goalkeeper to put the ball into the back of the net and give the Dolphins a 1-0 lead.  The home team’s advantage would last precisely 60 seconds though as from the restart BEC equalized via a Lukasz header from a set-piece move.

Pattaya made one attacking substitution during the halftime interval, with forward Pumin coming on for midfielder Kittisak and the change was noticeable with the game’s tempo slowly increasing as the second half progressed.

BEC were also starting to show more signs of attacking intent but it was Pattaya that got the go-ahead goal following a superb run down the center by Pinto Junior, fending off his marker to fire a low bullet into the visitors’ net.  Pinto Junior had a man-of-the-match performance and his ball control, passing, reading of the game and persistence were all exemplary.

United’s defence drew the fire out of the BEC forward line and it appeared that the home team was coasting to victory and a valuable three points. That was until Tanasak’s defensive header saw the ball fly backwards over the head of goalkeeper Tossaporn and into the back of his own net in the last minute of regular time.

There then followed three minutes of added time that saw more excitement than in the entire first half of the match, with both teams have opportunities to take full points.  BEC’s Jaturong had the best chance but waited too long and had his shot smothered.  At the other end Wichan, who had uncharacteristically wasted several earlier opportunities, shot straight at the BEC keeper after being given a clear path to goal by Pinto Junior.

After the match, United’s Soony Said commented that it was the little lapses that undid Pattaya but that the team will get better over the next few games.

United will certainly need to be firing on all cylinders this coming Saturday (20th August) as they travel to Bangkok to take on the current league leaders Muangthong United.

PSC Golf from The Golf Club

Monday, August 8, Green Valley (white tees) – Stableford

T1st Dave Ferris (20) 38pts

T1st Pat Ryan (15) 38pts

T3rd Peter LeNoury (13) 35pts

T3rd Jered Sawyer (7) 35pts

T3rd Andy Makara (25) 35pts

Pardon the absence from last week’s column as I was hit with carpel tunnel syndrome and the right arm was out of commission for some 10 days.  On the mend now thanks to some aggressive massage so we carry on!  It has been just great weather for golf as overcast skies and a fairly low level of humidity has made our courses very enjoyable.  Some days we found a good strong breeze that only added to the pleasure.

Green Valley was again in great condition, but only two players bettered their handicap today.  Maybe it was that wind keeping the scoring in check as three golfers were stuck on the 35 point mark for third place.  Locals Peter LeNoury and Andy Makara ended up in the three-way with visiting single-handicapper Jered Sawyer.

Pat Ryan is over from Ireland and visiting us for a few weeks and found his stride straight away.  Not only did Pat shoot well, but he also won the Caddy Smile near pin as well.  Our regular Dave Ferris has been turning in some strong scores of late and it’s no surprise he did so well here today.  No birdies, nothing special, just a solid 18 front and 20 back took Dave to the podium pinnacle this time.

Thursday, August 11, Burapha (white tees) – Stableford

1st Gary Emmett (19) 42pts

2nd Gary Billingham (26) 40pts

3rd Dave Ferris (20) 39pts

Moans and groans from the returning golfers today as heavily cored and sanded greens were on the C and D circuits here at Burapha.  Yes, I requested to play this loop as last time here we played A and B.  It would have been nice to know the maintenance schedule so we could have played a pristine A and B, or is that too much to ask?  NO, I don’t thinks so as last week I received an email from the perfect Lotus Valley alerting me to their schedule of coring and sanding for early October.  It can be done!  Siam lets us know when they are working on their courses so please take note, not just for Burapha but all courses should post or inform the PSC so we can make adjustments.

As rough as the conditions were, some good scores were posted today.  Dave Ferris won with a 38 on Monday and today shot a 39 for third place, and continued his good run.

Visiting us for the first time from Dundee, Joe Duncan won the Caddy Smile near pin and is now just getting used to the weather and grasses we have over here.

A couple of Aussie Garys were next up the ladder and Mr. Billingham’s 40 points won sole second while Mr. Emmett topped the table with his 42 for the win.  These blokes have been playing with us for years, but we also have had loads of new Aussie and Kiwi lads join up with us, escaping from the winter down under.  They sure have helped our low season, so thanks gents!

Note: The Golf Club is located in the Heart of Pattaya on Soi L.K. 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!

PSC Golf from Lewiinski’s Golf Society

Sunday, August 7, Green Valley – Stableford

1st Mashi Kaneta (16) 43pts

2nd Connie Walsh (15) 37pts

3rd Kevin Hamilton (19) 36pts

It was a fine day this Sunday, hot and humid with a slight breeze to help cool it down.  The course like most was damp with all the recent rain of late and meant there was little or no run on the fairways, but the greens were at a good speed and running true.

Old friend Mashi Kaneta San, who we don’t get to see much, was a sight for sore eyes, or at least that is until he spoiled his welcome by carding the best score of the day, a splendid 43 points that gave him the man off the match honours.

Six strokes behind Mashi was Ireland’s favourite son Connie Walsh.  This left Kevin ‘the big easy’ Hamilton to close the flight.  Don ‘the ladies man’ Lehmer just missed the podium on 35 points.

Monday, August 8, Crystal Bay B & C – Stableford

1st Mogens Melander (24) 46pts

2nd Derek Briton (30) 42pts

3rd Paul Bray (8) 40pts

A fair sized high quality crowd took to the road to play the tough and very popular Crystal Bay B & C nines, and again it was mad hot and humid.

When you score 39 or 38 points here you are almost guaranteed to be on the podium, but not today so spare a thought for Joe ‘sat nav’ Tynan (39 points) and Brian Byrne and Bernard Green (both 38 points) who all returned with nothing.

The reason why was Mogens Melander who shot the lights out a fantastic 46 points as he picked up the man of the match honours and top spot in A Flight, plus a trip to the handicap secretary.  Mogens outburst was four strokes clear of Derek Britons excellent 42 points.  Aussie star Paul Bray put his recent run of count back losses behind him as closed the flight with a splendid 40 points.

Tuesday, August 9, Laem Chabang A & B – Stableford

1st Mogens Melander (25) 42pts

2nd Marcus Earp (29) 39pts

3rd Ryuichi Kkuguro (20) 38pts

4th Connie Walsh (14) 38pts

A tidy yet passionate group took on the Jack Nickolas designed masterpiece Laem Chabang.  The task at hand was the Mountain A and Lake B layouts, and the scores were superb.

Ryuichi Kkuguro and Ireland’s Connie Walsh must have been happy with their 38 point returns until Marcus Earp came in with 39 points that only managed second place.  Ryuichi took the count back over Connie by the narrowest of margins for the third podium spot.

The winner for the second game this week and the man of the match was Mogens Melander with a spectacular 42 points.  Mogens last two games point total adds up to an incredible 88 points.

Friday, August 12, Parichat – Stableford

1st Brian Byrne (18) 37pts

2nd Peter Henshaw (23) 37pts

3rd Connie Walsh (13) 34pts

Well it seems that the troubled times we are experiencing at the moment are truly having an effect on people’s decisions as to perhaps not to visit us in Thailand.  I have never seen quite so low numbers at this time of year.  Despite all this Lewiinski’s still soldiers on.

One group who had things go their way today was the Irish Mafia as they filled the podium with co-men of the match Brian Byrne and Peter ‘the silver surfer’ Henshaw, both tied on 37 points.  When the divots had settled it was Brian who got the top podium spot, with Peter a step down.  The man who made it his third pay window visit this week was the inform Connie Walsh with 34 points in third.

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 Peter on 086 139 6301.  Transport is provided.

There were plenty of bare mid-drifts, but the focus was on the feet at the first Pattaya Bikini Run.

Pattaya City Council Chairman Anan Angkanawisan kicked off the Aug. 6 race at Central Festival Pattaya Beach with city leaders and tourism officials and Jiranat Suwanchuen of sponsor Singha Thailand.

The race was intended to drive tourism by putting lots of skin on display while promoting exercise as well.

Three- and nine-kilometer races were held, both taking routes through Beach and Second Roads between the mall and the Amari Orchid Resort & Tower.

Those watching were also entertained by musical performances from bands including Playground, plus the crowd was invited to join in warm-up and stretching exercises.

The top three winners in each bracket were in descending order:

Men’s (16-39) 9km – Sutat Kalayakithi, Thanakorn Ket­prayul, Tachapol Sirikanya.

Women’s (16-39) 9km – Karath Khamsrong, Somkit panaengpetch, Pattama Nakprieng.

Men’s (Open) 9km – Saman Kaewkiew, Rossone Osvaldo, Sombat Worath.

Women’s (Open) 9km – Pikul Thonglue, Nathiya Sangketkij, Pranee Pansatin.

3km Fun Run (Open) – Piya Boonriew, Ciisa Maija, Maria Weckman.

First-place winners took home 800 baht, a bikini set from Tojina and a skin-care kit from Sira Spa.  Second-place winners took home 500 baht and the same prizes.  Third place was good for 200 baht and a bikini.