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

Golf Girls and Equipment in Thailand

For anyone looking to purchase the latest golf equipment available, then Thailand can certainly satisfy your needs. Just look at the photo on the left, read the rest of this post, and you will see what I mean.

Golf is becoming a huge sport here, and to accommodate both the local demand, and with so many visiting tourists from such places as Europe, United States, Japan, and China, the golf retail market is very much alive and flourishing. From the major department stores, to more specialist shops selling particular brands, there is no shortage of choice.  Major brands such as Callaway, Taylor Made, Ping, Titliest, and Nike, are especially popular, but many other brands, including all the leading Japanese manufacturers have their products for sale. All the latest models of drivers, irons and putters can be found, together with all the usual accessories including shoes, balls, gloves and clothing. Golf bags, travel bags, holdalls, and really anything else you can relate to golf is available.

Apart from the United States, where it is fair to say that equipment is cheaper than anywhere else in the world, you will find the prices very competitive compared to Europe and other parts of Asia.

Do-It-Yourself Thailand Golf Tee Times (Part 2 of 2)

I trust everyone had a nice weekend and along with some great golf. Well here is the second part of the post I started last Friday.

The final 4 points to consider, when making golf bookings in Thailand are,

1. Prior to your arrival, you will need to again confirm your booking in order to avoid any mistakes such as double bookings mistakes that may have been made by the course’s reservations staff. This is a common situation I regularly encounter

2. Upon arrival, how do you select the best travel arrangements to get to and from the course? If you are not familiar with the exact location, how to you allow for time? Local taxis are a very cheap option, but often the drivers will not know the way and may not speak English. If the course is busy and you are late for your tee off time, chances are you will not be allowed to play. Hotel transportation is a good option, albeit expensive.

3. Course maintenance. How do you ensure there is no maintenance work being undertaken at the course. Unless asked, the course is unlikely to give any details or warnings. Please be sure to phone the golf course ahead of time to ensure satisfactory playing conditions. Getting help form a Thai speaking person would greatly facilitate this. 

Do-It-Yourself Thailand Golf Tee Times (Part 1 of 2)

  Many tourists who visit Thailand on a golfing holiday, like to be responsible for organizing their own affairs, from hotel reservations to booking golf tee off times. Over the next two posts (today and Monday,  weekends will be golf not writing days from now on) I will point out the 7 things to consider before choosing this route. By getting familiar with the in’s and out’s of making tee time reservations in Thailand you can ensure yourself a great golfing vacation, whether you choose to do things yourself or not!

There is no doubt that the Internet is both a valuable and very useful source of information, providing you with the opportunity of being able to make reservations and payments on line.

However, with regards to making golf tee off reservations, there are many areas that you must take extreme care with, in order to not be disappointed during your visit.

Here are the first 3 of 7 points to consider, when making golf bookings in Thailand.

Deep in Thailand

Any guess what this post is about?

Well it has nothing to do with being in the jungle or "deep south".

What I want to talk about is how to recover from a lie , deep in the rough, "semi-plugged" in the fairway, and also out of a soft sand. These lies are very common when playing golf in Thailand as the courses get lots of rain being located in tropics.

Playing from a deep  lie is a challenge if you let the lie intimidate you. Usually, a buried or "plugged" lie results from hitting a high lofting shot that drops heavily into long grass, a fairway which may be soft from recent heavy rain, or also from soft sand. Regardless of what caused it, you can extricate yourself using the right technique.

With this shot, you must make changes to a normal shot to get out. Keep these 5 changes in mind when playing from a buried or plugged lie.

Thailand Security Update (Part 2 of 2)

In this second and final part of my post I will cover 2 specific topics that you may have come across in the news lately.Theses topics are the recent political demonstrations, with regards to the removal of the prime minister, and the ongoing conflict in the extreme southern region of the country.

The political situation is of no worry to any prospective visitor to Thailand, and all demonstrations have been of a very peaceful and democratic in nature. Many people in Thailand are unhappy with the leader of the current political party in power, not the party itself. Due to certain business dealings, they are seeking to have fresh elections without this individual involved. These demonstrations have now stopped, following the decision to run fresh elections over the coming months. There is no threat at all of any of this affecting tourists visiting Thailand, and all protests are very much of a peaceful nature.

The ongoing conflicts in the south are based on the Muslim denominated population wishing to retain ownership of this part of the country, and are extremely localized. The affected area is the 3 most southern provinces and is very much away from any of the tourist destinations. The Thai government continues to oversee this situation. Over the last couple of years since the emergence of this problem, at no time have any tourists ever been involved in any aspect of these matters.

Thailand Security Update (Part 1 of 2)

In recent times, you may have heard, or read, various different reports with regards to security in Thailand. The political events in Thailand have reached the world news and give an image of the country that may be more sensationalism than reality. As such, I have taken the liberty of explaining the situation as well as a more general view of security and safety in Thailand.

I would like to highlight that this is my totally independent and unbiased opinion, and its purpose, is to simply give you as much information to assist you in planning any holiday and deciding whether or not Thailand is right for you. I will split this post into 2 parts. The first part gives a general overview of security in Thailand while I will discuss specific current events tomorrow.

First of all, one very strong statement I would like to make is that I consider Thailand an extremely safe place for tourists to travel. For many years now Thailand has been considered one of the leading tourist destinations in the world, and this remains no different today.

Alpine Golf in Bangkok

Have you ever heard of this course? Have you ever played it? Well as the name implies it is a hilly golf course near Bangkok with very pleasing hole to hole elevation changes. However, in addition to the “alpine” setting, what sets this course apart from others in the area is the immaculate conditions and maintenance. Alpine is in such good condition that is ranks right up there with the Thai County Club as one of the 2 best courses in Bangkok.

I had the opportunity to play at Alpine last weekend  and the more I play the course the better I like it. The greens are rolling around 9.5 which is unbelievable considering it is the “rainy” season, and all of the ongoing maintenance is limited to one or to tee boxes. In these cases the blue tees are being used in place of the whites, or visa versa. Also, with all the elevation changes from hole to hole, one has to think about not only the landing spot for each hit, but also which way the ball will roll and where it will come to rest.

10 Best Reasons to Come to Thailand to Play Golf (Part 3 of 3)

Here are the last 3 of my best reasons to take a golf holiday in Thailand.

8. The food. From local Thai dishes to those with other Asian influences it is truly amazing. There is such a variety in choice with the local cuisine I find I am constantly changing my favourite dishes! In addition, there is a huge selection of international cuisine for those who prefer a bit of something closer to home.

9. The culture & customs. Thailand is a unique country with its own identity unrivalled in any other part of Asia. As a predominantly Buddhist country, it is steeped in amazing culture that you will unlikely find anywhere. A very polite and respectful country, you will be amazed how different things can be. Trust me, this alone will leave you truly amazed.

10 Best Reasons to Come to Thailand to Play Golf (Part 2 of 3)

Here are the next 4 great reasons to choose Thailand as your most favored golf holiday destination.

4. The locations. Thailand is a beautiful country and offers a number of totally different destinations to play golf. From the bustling capital of Bangkok, to the beautiful mountainous countryside of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. From the stunning beaches in Phuket and Koh Samui, to the bright lights and amazing nightlife of Pattaya. From the quieter seaside town of Hua Hin, to the waterfalls and stunning scenery of Khao Yai, Thailand has a location for everyone.

5. The people. Without doubt I find the Thai people to be the friendliest I have ever found throughout the world. Always with a smile on their face (it is not called the ‘land of smiles’ for nothing) I find them very humble and always extremely welcoming towards visiting tourists. You will be stunned by their hospitality and how much they are prepared to do for you.

10 Best Reasons to Come to Thailand to Play Golf (Part 1 of 3)

As an expatriate living and working in Thailand, I cannot think of many better places to come and play golf.

I have been fortunate to play golf all over the world including the most popular golf tourist destinations, such as the United States, Scotland, Spain, Caribbean, and Mexico. I have also played in several other Asian countries, like China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and Australia, but still find Thailand a pretty difficult experience to beat.

Over the next few days I will explain my 10 best reasons why I think Thailand is the best place in the world for a golf holiday. i would love to get some feedback and opinions, both supportive and contrasting.