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

Red Mountain Phuket To Add Driving Range +

Here is a snippet of news from Red Mountain Golf Club in Phuket.

Work has just started on a new driving range at Red Mountain Golf Club in Phuket. Work has just started on the 16 bay practice area and should be complete in about 6 weeks.

This together with the planned resort hotel, luxury villas, and integrated shopping center will have Red Mountain challenge Blue Canyon as the premier Phuket golf resort!

In the meantime, stayed tuned for some new about lower green fees at the course. They are coming trust me. Reported by, Ian Morgan, the man on the ground in Phuket!!

Krungthep Kreetha Sports Club

Krungthep Kreetha golf course is reviewed here by long time Bangkok resident, Dwight Tichenor.

Krungthep Kreetha is one of the older Bangkok golf courses and although it is located pretty much in town, it seems to be passed over by many local golfers:  they are missing a fine, challenging golfing experience. 

Well maintained, with some of the finest fairways and greens in the area, it posses a fine test for every golfer.  Never unfair, it brings out the best in your game, or the worst, depending how you are striking the ball.  The caddies are excellent and diligent and know the twists and turns and rolls and slopes of the greens.  I have always had the same caddie for our weekly 4-ball and she’s affable, knowledgeable and good fun on the course (although she does seem to say “mai pen rai” far too often but perhaps that is because my game occasionally deserts me).

The front 9 starts off with a pleasing par 4, a nice dogleg left with water on the right and left.  A short drive to the dogleg turn puts you in position to go for the green, a flat, easy target.  The second is a longish par 5 demanding a straight drive to avoid the water on the right and the trees on the left.  It’s a lovely hole.  These are followed by a short par 4, an island par 5, and another longish par 4.  The 6th hole is a fun par 5 demanding shots over water 3 times.  A birdie chance for the long hitters, a par chance for me! The front finishes with three nice holes, a par 4, a 3 and a final 4:  A nice way to start your round.

Relief For Thailand Golf: Perspectives From Both Tourists and Locals

Golf in Thailand measured by numbers of players, rounds played, and equipment sold could be generously described as flat this year. While some golf tour companies are seeing increases in arrivals, the number of rounds played at Thailand golf courses overall are 30% off from last season. Why the slowdown in the game’s growth and where is it headed?

First of all, the good news for golfers who like to take golf vacations. Just look at how many people are discovering Thailand as the premier affordable Asian golf destination, if not the world, in spite of instabilities. For example, over the past 3 months more than 35% of Thailand golf tours originated from the USA. This compares to only 15% the year earlier and is amazing considering the ongoing economic crisis in the States. Traditional golf vacation destinations for Americans such as Scotland, Ireland, and Spain have become prohibitively expensive for those getting squeezed by the faltering economy and/or are unattractive for golfers seeking the best golf holiday deals.

So if Thailand is such a great destination for golf traveler, what is causing the declining interest locally?  In my view this centers around three challenges.

1.    The increase in the cost of golf. There is no doubt about it, while still a great deal by international standards, the cost of golf in Thailand is high for local Thais and foreigners living here on fixed incomes. Building and running championship quality courses means more money for land, equipment, suppliers, and staff. Just look at Red Mountain, the most spectacular course in Phuket, if not all Thailand. On a normal day this $160 US Dollar course gets only 20-30 golfers, while it’s sister course Loch Palm costing only $40 US dollars for locals gets over 100 golfers a day.

Khao Yai Golf Update

Last week I visited Khao Yai golf courses and get a general update on the golf scene in Thailand’s largest National Park and gateway to Issan.

First up on my visit was Sir James Country Club. While the course is one of the closer ones to Bangkok I had difficulty finding the golf course as the highway sign still reads the old name, Forest Hills.  Now it seems that the golf resort has gone down hill and retains hardly any of the good service that was prevalent when it was Forest Hills. This is too bad since I enjoyed golfing at Sir James in the past.

Next I toured Voyage Panorama. I was a bit concerned about this course as I had heard a rumor that it was for sale, which can mean lax upkeep. To my pleasant surprise the golf course was in good condition and remains my favorite areas course. Set in a valley overlooking Korat, the course reminds me of playing in green forests in the southern part of the USA rather than in Thailand’s jungle.

The third stop on my trip was the 27 hole Moon City Golf Resort. Never heard of this golf course? Well that is because it is still under construction. Being built by the same owner as Lakewood in Bangkok the course looked quite good with well defined fairways, elevated greens, and nicely contoured bunkers. In fact, to save some costs the grass is being transplanted from Lakewood which should make it that much more hardy and well suited for Khao Yai’s temperate climate. I can’t wait until Moon City opens at the end of this year.

The rest of my day was spent touring the 3 premier courses in Khao Yai. Kirimaya Country Club, which is the resort course attached to the 5-star Kirimaya resort was in fantastic playing condition. The greens were close mowed and fairways double cut. In spite of the high green fees and mandatory electric golf carts this Nicklaus designed golf courses will appeal to the widest variety of Khao Yai golfers as the conditions and scenery are nothing short of spectaular.

Phunaka: A New Phuket Golf Course

Ian, our man on the ground in Phuket and up-and-coming golf reporter has this to say about Phuket’s newest golf course; Punaka Golf Club.

I have just come back from visiting Phuket’s latest golf development in the South of the island and was very impressed with what I saw.  Really, I should not be surprised as the designer Jonathan Morrow is the man behind the very impressive Red Mountain Golf Course also in Phuket. However, in Mr. Morrow’s latest project the only similarity between the two Phuket golf courses is the same Novotec grass used on the greens at Red Mountain and Phunaka. Other than that, there is a very different feel about this course from Red Mountain and indeed many other golf courses in Thailand.

I got the feel of a Scottish style links course with wild grass allowed to grow and big wooden sleepers (railroad ties for those American out there) on the tees, both of which is very unusual for Thailand, Vietnam, or even Cambodia golf courses. The links look will be especially vivid during the windy part of the dry season when the "dunes" become a sea of swaying grasses. (ed. Nice description Ian!)

The nine hole par 31 Phuket golf club has some great par 4’s interspersed with 1 par 5 and the rest challenging par threes. Phunaka will open in June adding to the on site golf academy. Not only will it be an excellent teaching venue for those interested in golf lessons in Phuket, but Phunaka Golf Club will be an affordable addition to golf in Phuket. Locals and golf tourists alike will be able to play Phunaka as green fees start at 750 baht for nine holes.

(Ed. I am glad to see the price of Phuket golf going down for once!)