The Quad 2008 - Day 1...

The 'Quad' is a biennial event involving RSGC, RBSC,HKGC and SICC, this year's event being hosted by SICC at the Laem Chabang Golf Course, Pattaya. Each team was represented by 24 players playing on 2 days, the first day being a team competition and the second an individual contest.

With Singapore's management efficiency and Thailand's famed hospitality, we were welcomed upon arrival at the Laem Chabang by a parade of event management liason officers who kept our body temperatures rising immediately.

The RSGC team mascot 'Lisa' with pakdokter

Each team had its own mascot and the team of liason officers were kept busy making sure that the players were never short of 'rehydration' and 'dehydrating' fluids on the golf course and after the game during the post game cocktails.

The liason officers on patrol with rehydration fluids for the golfers

At the registration we were given our bag of goodies which included a dozen of Tietlist Pro V balls, Laem Chabang Cap, the official Quad face towel and other mementoes from Singapore Island Country Club. At the Welcome reception we were briefed on the programme and our team mascot and the bevy of liason officers were individually introduced to us

Mr Ian G McLean, A Scot (RSBC) who has made Pattaya his home since 1944, Mr Jimmy Pun of Hong Kong in a 'family photo-shoot'...

It was a pleasure to meet up with old friends from the other clubs some of whom I have played with in previous inter-port matches.

Pakdokter partnered Uncle Lim to play against Royal Bangkok's Mr Nattasin ( an investment banker and a committee member of RBSC) and Mr Chanchai ( a businessman against whom I had played in Bangkok 2 years ago)

Mr Nattasin, pakdokter, Uncle Lim and Mr Chanchai Hanthanakul

Laem Chabang is a 27-hole golf course, and we played the Lake and Valley courses from the blue tees which measured a total of 6271 yards. This was very long for many of us when compared to the Phoenix Golf Course we played yesterday and to make matters worse the green speed was cut to 11. The positions of the holes were made difficult as many were on slopes which easily caused some of us to putt 3 or 4 to hole the ball.

1st tee-off at the hole-5 Lake Course, a par-3 measuring 191 yards

There were many lakes to cross and it was costly for some who hit their precious balls into water. And the par-3's were all long especially for me.

Chanchai teeing-off at the hole 8 Lake Course par 3 ,measuring 165 yards over water

hole-5 Valley course, a par-3 measuring 195 yards

Considering the level of difficulty of the course, I must say that we played quite well. I returned a score of 53/52 with 2 pars to boot. Uncle Lim (handicap 20 returned the same 53/52 with also 2 pars). Mr Nattasin (handicap 17) scored 47/48 with 3 pars and Mr Chanchai carded a score of 54/51 and only understood what a par meant after playing 12 holes. He said he was sufferring from a hangover after a 'very hard work' the night before.

Uncle Lim introducing Mr Rin Lee (HK Golf Club Captain) to Mr Lee Tak Suan ( RSGC Captain)

The post game cocktails had free flows of beer, wines and whisky which kept everybody happy while discussing how good or bad their games were. And the event management liason officers added more colour to the evening.