Drink a lot of water or you'll dehydrate quickly - Fotheringham

NORTH-EAST PAIR GET
THAILAND WARNING
FROM FORRES PLAYER
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Scottish amateur international Bryan Fotheringham from Forres has been warning Newmachar’s Graham Gordon and Euan McIntosh about the dangers of playing golf in the heat of Thailand at this time of the year.
Graham and Euan, who is almost Meldrum House Golf Club champion, are in the field for the First Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School at Pattana Golf & Sports Resort, Pattaya from Wednesday to Saturday this week.
Bryan, pictured right, knows what he is talking about because he came through the First Stage in Thailand last year and almost figured among the Asian Tour card winners at the Final School which follows on with only a week or so between them.
“Obviously the heat in Thailand has to figure in the plans of guys going out there from Europe, particularly Scotland, which is a pretty cold place at this time of year,” said Bryan.
“The difference in temperatures can take your breath away – literally. Graham and Euan will have to drink a lot of water throughout each round. I was drinking about 500mls (about one small bottle) per hole!
“As the guys will have been told, I’m sure, keeping your hydration levels up is a BIG must because of the humidity levels! They have to walk slower between shots, not rush around using up energy. If they do, they will feel drained very quickly.
“If they have a contact over there in Thailand, then they should use them as much as possible if they are going out and about. They will find it much easier to communicate with the locals when they are buying stuff because you are expected to haggle over prices!
FRIENDLY THAIS
“But I am sure Graham and Euan will enjoy it. The people over there can’t help you enough.”
Graham Gordon left Scotland for Thailand with a spare driver for Euan who has been having problems with his one. McIntosh, who spent some time at college in America, has been over at Pattaya for a few weeks.
Already he has met Barry Silver, a fellow Newmachar member who is based in Singapore, and Michael Moir, a former leading North-east boy player who has a scratch handicap and stays in Bangkok.
Euan and Michael teamed up to win a four-ball better ball competition held by the American Embassy. Their score was 10-under-par 62 and they won by 10 strokes. That must have put a strain on international relations.
Euan has met up with and is staying with a couple from Turriff he met quite by chance over there.
Another North-east face at Pattya to welcome Euan and Graham has been former Nigg Bay low handicapper Neil Cameron. He has specialised in club repairs for a decade.
The First Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School will start on Wednesday and end on Saturday. From a field of 297 players, the leading 135 qualifiers - 45 from each of three venues - will join an already exempt group of 129 to contest the Final Stage from December 13 to 16.