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

Stress-Free Thailand Golf Cuts Strokes!

Did you ever notice that right after you or your mate has that first sip of Singha on the golf course in Thailand that drives fly longer and straighter? Why is this almost always the case? The simple answer is stress, or lack thereof.

Stress on the Thailand golf course is an insidious golf "disease". Tension starts in your hands and creeps into every muscle in your body. It breaks your golf swing and it strips it of power and accuracy. When tension gets into your address position, it generates mistakes like the dreaded pull hook (which is actually the same root cause as a high slice). Eliminate tension from your body and you eliminate strokes from your score when golfing in Thailand. That is why Singha works!

On the other hand have one too many, and this will not only relieve tension, but also leave you drunk, and if not worse, dehydrated. So what is the best stress-relief solution when golfing in Thailand?

Most Spectacular Thailand Golf Course

Planning a golf Thailand holiday often involves deciding on the best type of courses to include. As part of the golf package planning I often get to discuss with those interested in a golf Thailand vacation about each course. So it is no coincidence when recently a Phuket golf tour operator and I sat down for a few Singha’s to discuss our views on the golf courses in Thailand.

We went round and around debating which is the best or most difficult Thailand golf course and ultimately could not decide whether it was Blue Canyon in Phuket (where he was from)  or Alpine in Bangkok (where I am from). However one thing we did agree on is the most spectacular Thailand golf course.

When you think about golf in a tropical and exotic land, what image comes to mind? How about a palm tree lined course carved out of the jungle on an island set high over  white sand beaches and clear blue sea waters?

Why Bangkok Was Rated Best City In The World?

Bangkok was recently rated as the 2008 World’s Best City by “Travel + Leisure”. Here is my take on the eight reasons why.

1. Abundance of world class hotels and resorts. I can not think of another city with more 5 star resorts, readily available vacancies, and costs for luxury accommodations as low as Bangkok.

2. Some of the regions best shopping including both local centers like MBK (clothes and telephones), Chatuchak Market (everything under the sun), Pantip Plaza (computers) , and Thaniya Plaza (golf equipment) and luxury shopping malls like Siam Paragon and the Emporium.

3. Mind-blowing, spicy, and healthy cuisine such as Som Tom (papaya salad), tom yum goong (spicy soup with coconut milk and shrimp), rice noodles with minced pork (a golf course favorite).

4. Efficient transportation including the sky train, subway, highways and links to airports and Bangkok golf courses.

A Thailand Golf Package With Lesser Known Phuket Resorts

When traveling on a golf tour, do you prefer a boutique resort over a larger branded property? Well here are lesser know Phuket resorts and some offering the best values in Phuket accommodations.

My personal favorite is Mom Tri's Villa Royale right on lovely Kata Noi Beach. This resort has only 26 rooms, nine of which are individually designed in a traditional Thai style. With superb views over the bay, fine dining and probably the best wine cellar on the island. After your round at Blue Canyon Country Club, enjoy a fine bottle of wine at the hotel while watching the sunset over the Andaman Sea; what more could you want?

Another small boutique style hotel, with just 21 rooms and suites, this time up in the hills over Patong, Baan Yin Dee, features a classic Thai design and a friendly atmosphere. After golf at either Phuket Country Club or Loch Palm, only 10 to 15 minutes away, you can relax and enjoy the four-tiered swimming pool or the twelve-person Jacuzzi; now that is a classy way to finish off a days golf in Phuket!

Phuket Golf Holiday Hotel Considerations

This is the first in a series of two articles about Phuket golf holiday hotels. This first post will cover some of the points to consider when choosing a Phuket golf resort as well as include some “can’t go wrong” suggestions. The second post will give some insider recommendations on lesser known Phuket hotels.

Phuket has an enormous range of hotels available. In fact there are over 2000 resorts and other accommodation options on the island on the island. With so much choice how can you be assured of getting the best as part of a Phuket golf holiday?

The first thing to be aware of is that there is a three-tier pricing system for the hotels in Phuket;
low season (mid-April to end October), high season (beginning November to mid-December, and mid-January to mid-April), and peak season (mid-December to mid-January). For high season early booking is recommended as the better resorts will be full. For peak season, early booking is essential as virtually all of the resorts are fully booked. Further in peak season, at Christmas and New Years, many of the golf resorts have compulsory dinners, which add to the cost when traveling during these holidays. For low season, only a handful of Phuket resorts will sell out and many good deals can be found, especially for longer stays (e.g. stay 7 nights, get 2 FREE).

Thailand Political Situation

For those of you planning on a Thailand golf holiday, here is the real situation as of 12:00 noon on Wednesday September 3.

A state of emergency has been declared in Bangkok city as a result of clashes between pro- and anti- government protestors which have turned violent. A number of state enterprise labor unions are to stage strikes and to selectively cut water and electricity to government offices, halt buses and disrupt train service throughout the country.

The Bangkok protests have been confined to a small area around the main government buildings and the capital's major tourist sites and all golf courses remain open as usual.

Where I live and work in Bangkok life goes on as usual. We are watching the political situation closely and hope that will continue to be the case. While it is impossible to forecast what the situation will be in the future, the history of this country is that when there is any political turmoil it is settled quickly and life goes on with minimal or no impact on golf or tourists. Lets hope so this time as well!

In the meantime I will continue to post updates as the situation further develops. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at mark@golfasian.com.

Putting When Golfing In Thailand

I have spent a lot of time watching golfers putt when golfing in Thailand. I have seen some excellent golfers putt with one hand, and I have seen some terrible golfers putt with the smoothest stroke you can imagine. Now, I have some definite ideas on putting in Thailand based on what I have seen and what works best for me.

Try the same grip as you use for all other shots, in other words what come natural and feels comfortable to you. Take a wide stance and set up with a firm tripod-like foundation. With a narrow stance, there's a tendency to sway off the ball and this leads to inconsistency. A wider stance promotes balance.

The less you break your wrists, the fewer margins there are for error. Therefore, try to hit the putt rather than stroke it.  I know this is counter intuitive, but it works! Then, play the ball just slightly forward of center; an inch or two forward will do the trick.

Stand with your left elbow well out and riding very high. The right elbow is kept close in to the right side; in that position it restricts taking the putter back too far. Start the stroke by pushing the left elbow back. This movement of the elbow feels like an imaginary hand is pushing it back.