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

Gold Mountain Golf Club, Chiang Mai

 
Gold Mountain Golf Club is the latest addition to the northern Thai golf scene.  Currently it is in a ‘soft opening’ phase and conditions are a bit rough, though all 18 holes are open for play.  The front nine opened in 2009 and the back nine earlier this year.  The clubhouse won’t be finished until 2010.  For now the caddie shack serves as a limited service clubhouse and serves up a bit of Thai food along with an assortment of beverages.

Gold Mountain is located near Lamphun, just over an hour’s drive from Chiang Mai.  The location is a bit remote, and in fact they don’t even have a landline phone yet.  Finding it is not easy, as the entrance road at this time is a small and almost hidden dirt track over a hill with no indication of a golf course from the main road other than a small hand painted sign, in Thai, lying on the ground next to the dirt road.

From the very first tee you get a good indication of what is to come, as the most noticeable design element is a tree 100 yards directly in front of the men’s tee box smack in the middle of the fairway.  The fairway is otherwise fairly wide, in fact one of the widest on the course.  But you have to decide what to do about that damn tree.  Loft a shot over it.  Fade or draw your ball around it.  Hit a low liner under the overhanging branches.  Or go straight at it on the gamble that trees are 90% air plus your swing also has a high error percentage, then your chances of actually hitting it are rather low.

Three Ball Golf Thailand

In my view, and I am sure many of you will agree, the best form of golf in Thailand is a ‘friendly’ four-ball, better-ball with three like-minded pals. The amicable banter and gamesmanship all go to make for a fun round, especially if there are a few bucks, or even the post-match round of drinks, riding on the result – in particular, in Thailand, if the caddies are encouraged to join in the wagering, say by doubling the tip of the caddies carrying for the winning pair.

Sometimes people are nervous about venturing on a Thailand golfing holiday when they are single travellers, particularly if it is their first visit here. Don’t worry: firstly, most of the golf courses will try to match you up with other players – indeed, many golf courses will not allow singletons to play because they know a customer who has to wait on every shot will, most likely, be an unhappy golfer. If you are travelling with a Thailand golf vacation company, they also will do their best to link you up with other clients of a similar level. I know of golfing visitors who have made life-long friends in this way., myself included