Thailand Golf Holidays, Phuket Golf Packages, Hua Hin Golf Vacations

Golf Caddies of Thailand (Part 1)

  Over the next 2 days I will be writing about an amazing aspect of golfing in Thailand, namely the caddies. I often speak about this with friends and we all have the same conclusion, playing golf with a Thai caddie adds a whole new dimension to the game of golf and is a MUST experience for all golfers.

What can I say? For anyone who has not played golf in Thailand before, then the famous Thai caddies will be without doubt one of the unique and wonderful experiences of your golf holiday. However, be forewarned that when you return home you may never enjoy the game the game of golf due to the absence of Thai caddies!

Thailand Golf Driving Ranges

Here is a topic you hardly hear anything about because most people are so busy playing golf they do not think they can also get in some practice when on holiday. Well there really are some great choices and here are a few ideas.

For anyone looking to spend a bit of time working on their golf game in Thailand then you will certainly not be spoiled for choice of driving ranges to visit.

In Bangkok alone, there are over 80 within a 20 km radius of the city centre, but I would warn that with the infamous Bangkok traffic they are not all easy to access.

In the other popular tourist areas such as Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin, there are only a few ranges available, but the courses in these locations all have their own facilities for you to practice.

Thailand Golf Holiday and Travel Budgets (Part 2)

In this second part of “Thailand Golf Holiday Travel Budgets” I will give some examples of typical costs for golf holidays. These costs are approximate and will vary depending on time of the year. I have included the top and best golf courses in each area along with private transportation to and from each of the courses.

Examples of such packages including accommodation golf and transport are as follows.

In Bangkok, a one week stay at a nice 4–star accommodation in a central location, together with 4 days golf at leading courses, should cost you around $700 US dollars.

Read more about other examples and specific prices of food drinks and shopping in the continuation of this post.

Thailand Golf Holiday and Travel Budgets (Part 1)

For anyone considering a golf holiday in Thailand, it is important to know the potential costs of your whole package in order to help you budget accordingly.

In order to help you with this, I have detailed below some information including the choice and costs of hotels, golf & transport, and additional expenses you will likely incur during your visit.

When selecting your holiday the most important aspect for most people is their accommodation. If they are traveling a long distance from home, they wish to ensure that the accommodation is the best possibly suited based on their budget. After all, you are on holiday, and it is important you relax and enjoy things as much as possible.

The Thailand Waggle

Waggling consists of moving the club back and forth before striking the ball. You see it most often on the tee, although professional players use it on other parts of the course as well. To produce the waggle, you need to lighten up on your grip and arms. It is also a good antidote for players who tend to "freeze" over the ball or who start the back swing too early.

Waggling is a technique professional golfers, such as Arnold Palmer, often use to relieve tension. Palmer, for example, gives the club that one final, aggressive waggle before launching his shot. The key is making sure the waggle mirrors the intended path of the swing.  But waggling can do something else as well. It can serve as a swing trigger, encouraging a smooth first move away from the ball.

The swing trigger illustrates the idea that it's easier to perpetuate motion than it is to start it.

Try experimenting with the waggle. Developing an effective one can make a difference in your golf handicap.

Tiger Played Here!

Have you ever dreamed of standing on the tee box where the professionals play to see what it is like? Well here is a photo from the Thai Country Club (TCC), Bangkok's finest golf course. It is here where Tiger Woods in 1997 drove the green at the 380 yard, 10th hole. The only problem was that Tiger not only missed the eagle putt, but also the birdie and had to settle for a 3 putt par 4.

He walked off the green so angry that he actually cursed at a few of the spectators. Locals who were at the event remember this as only one of the many temper tantrums he threw that weekend thus adding to Tiger's unfavorable reputation among the Thai people.

In any case, TCC is a must play for anyone visiting Bangkok for golf, in spite of the higher than normal green fees. Like the saying goes you have to try everything in life at least once. If you or any of your colleagues are planning a trip to Thailand and would like any help setting up a round at TCC, please drop an email to Golfasian.

Golf Festival or County Fair

Wouldn't it be neat to be the first on your block to attend world's first and only golf festival?

August will mark the first golf festival that I have ever heard of. That is, not only in Thailand, but anywhere!

You ask what exactly is a golf festival, so did I when I first found out about it, and I even living here in Thailand where it is being held.

I know that you are now dying to know about the festival and you can find out exactly all about the golf festival as described by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Also do not worry if you can not read Thai, I used the the English version of the announcement for the continuation of this post.

How to choose a Golf Travel Agent

Here is a summary of an article I wrote for the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). It gives some great advice on choosing a golf travel agent both here in Thailand and also the rest of the world. The original post can be sen at the TAT web site.

For anyone selecting a golf holiday, choosing the right golf tour operator is of paramount importance.

With the internet now providing so much information, and more and more transactions being completed in this manner, the lack of ‘face to face’ communication means that you should ensure you are dealing with a reputable and well established company.

There is no doubt that the internet is a great source of information, but it also gives some less scrupulous companies the opportunity to try to market their services, although not quite providing a product that you were promised. This can leave you both disillusioned and out of pocket after spending on an over priced product.

However, by simply making some careful background checks, you can ensure you select a company that will give you a golf holiday of great value.

Exclusive Phuket Blue Canyon Country Club

Here is a great photo of the 18th hole at Phuket's famous Blue Canyon Country Club. This is the course where in 1994 Tiger Woods won the Johnny Walker Classic coming from behind to overcome a 9 shot deficit and beat Ernie Els in a sudden death playoff.

The photo will be part of an upcoming campaign from Blue Canyon and to my knowledge this is the first posting anywhere on the internet! It is even not on my Golfasian web site yet.

This is a "must play" course if you visit Phuket and while being a championship venue it also is a fantastic example the Southern Thailand total golfing experience.

Checking the Grip with the Clubhead

You may not realize it, but the simple step of aligning your hands with your club face will do wonders towards ensuring that each shot goes, where you intend.

Some famous pro once said "I never play a shot without first glancing at my hands. What I check before address is the alignment of the grip with the face of the club. They go together."

Give this tip a try and I will guarantee that it will shave 3-4 strokes off your score.

Read more about this great tip in the continuation of this post.