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

4 Golf Holiday Destinations To Combine With Thailand

Many people ask me to suggest non-Thai golf destinations that can be combined together with a Thailand golf holiday. Here are a few of the most common locations outside Thailand that can easily be part of a two or three centered Thailand golf holiday.

1. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam: Low cost hourly non-stop flights between Bangkok and Saigon and numerous international connections make Saigon an easy destination to combine with any Thailand golf holiday. I suggest 4 days in Saigon including 2 golf outings and 1 or 2 days sightseeing. Be sure to schedule golf on weekdays though as the Saigon golf courses are very crowded and mostly for local members on weekends.

2. Siem Reap, Cambodia: Home to the Angkor Wat Temples (one of the world’s seven wonders), Siem Reap now boasts 3 international standard golf courses. There are 4 daily flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap and I suggest 4 days golfing in Cambodia as a perfect add-on extension to any Thailand golf holiday. The combination of golf and history will make you glad you took time to visit this fascinating country, albeit an unheard of golf destination.

3. Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia: In stark contrast to Thailand’s “Sabai Sabai” (relaxed) approach to life, KL is a fast-paced and modern city. The golf in Kuala Lumpur is excellent and you can play courses which regularly stage USPGA, European Tour, and Asian Tour events. Also, KL is easy to get to with direct flights from Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Phuket. Onward connections to most major cities of the world are easy to arrange and sometimes even less expensive than flights into/out of Thailand. Hotels are very reasonably priced and a wide range available to suit any budget and style of travel.

4. Bali, Indonesia: This might be stretching it a bit as the flying time between Thailand and Bali around 4.5 hours. Anyway, I thought I would mention Bali as the courses at the New Kuta Golf Resort and Nirwana Bali Golf Club taken together are the most spectacular duo in all of South East Asia. Add to this that Bali is an amazing tourist destination in its own right and you have what might just be the best island golf experience anywhere.

If you are looking for a Thailand golf holiday and wanting to try something different this year, check-out one of these destinations at the beginning or end of your Thailand trip; you might just be surprised how good the golf is and gaining an appreciation for 2 cultures in one vacation is always a good thing!

Bangkok's New Replica Golf Course

Damaged by the great floods in December 2011, Asia’s first and only replica course, The Royal Gems Golf City, is now reopened in Bangkok’s outskirts. Imagine playing famous holes as the ‘church pew bunkers” at Oakmont Country Club, the “Island Green” at TPC Sawgrass, Royal Troon’s “Postage Stamp”, and the “Road Hole” of St. Andrews Old Course?

If they are not enough to tantalize your appetitive for great golf holes, then maybe the back nine of Augusta National including “Amen Corner” will.

Last week, when playing Royal Gems Golf City with some friends, I had a laugh and I placed a ball in the exact spot off the right of the #10 fairway that Bubba Watson hit to win the playoff in The Masters. Not only is it difficult to get the ball back to the fairway, but I have no idea how Bubba could possibly make the green to get up and down in two. This is really impossible and goes to show you what an amazing shot Bubba hit.

Then two holes later I tried to hit the green on the short par-3 12th. As Tom Watson once said “this hole was made for suckers who insist in going for it.” Add me to this list as after 5 attempts I could only manage either getting stuck in the bunker over the green or worse short and wet.

Here is the complete hole-by-hole rundown of the new Royal Gems Golf City.

1- Oakmont #3 (Church pew bunkers)
2- Bay Hill #16
3- TPC Sawgrass #17
4- Doral #18
5- Royal Troon #8 (postage stamp)
6- St Andrews #17 (road hole)
7- Bethpage Black #7
8- Winged Foot #10
9- The Belfry #10
10-18- Augusta Natonal #10-18

Anyone golfing in Bangkok should have a go at The Royal Gems Golf City. The real holes might be better, but I bet you will have a blast playing these 18 replicas.

Note as of May 2012 a temporary clubhouse is in use. While adequate for Thailand golf visitors, the permanent facility will only be fully operational towards the later part of the year.

Thailand Golf Gloves

One of the most important but overlooked pieces of golf equipment in Thailand is the glove.  With hot and oftentimes sweaty tropical weather conditions the only thing stopping a golf club from flying out of a Thailand golfers hand is the glove. If the glove is wet or slick, it will not grip the club and a mishit is very likely.

Moreover, one of the most important parts of a good Thailand golf swing is the grip. That comes as no surprise. If a Thai golfers grip is off, then the swing will probably be off.  I see many golfers in Thailand slice, hook, and otherwise mishit the ball. That's because their hands are the prime mover of the shaft and the controller of the clubface. If the hands aren't doing their job, a poor shot will always result.

How can you tell if your glove is correct? I recommend an all-weather type that does not get slippery when wet, or at least holds some of its tackiness.  Sometimes I use 3-4 gloves during a round alternating between gloves to keep them dry and fresh. Moreover,  I always check the wear patterns on my golf glove.
Here are three common wear patterns and what it means to my golf swing.

Hua Hin’s Hidden Golf Gem: Kaeng Krachan Country Club

Everyone knows the best regarded Hua Hin golf courses are Banyan Golf Club and Black Mountain Golf Club.  How about other Hua Hin golf courses for the more adventurous?

Located an hour north and 40km inland from Hua Hin in the Thai Kaeng Krachan Estate lies what might just be Hua Hin’s least known, most under rated and best valued golf course? The 27 hole Kaeng Krachan Country Club is hardly known by the locals, no less Thailand golf holidaymakers.

After travelling due north from Hua Hin and leaving the main highway, the road to Kaeng Krachan deteriorates into virtually a dust path. Don’t be put off by this or worry you have taken a wrong turn, just keep following the signs to the Kaeng Krachan Estate. Sure enough fifteen minutes later the Kaeng Krachan golf course can be seen and first impressions of a natural parkland course are excellent.

How To Judge Green Speed Of Thailand Golf Courses

Recently I have seen green speeds on Thailand golf courses run from a slow 7 on the stimpmeter at Majestic Creek Country Cub in Hua Hin to a speedy 10 at Red Mountain Golf Club in Phuket.  At other times, like after a professional event, green speeds can run as high as 11 or 12. Siam Country Club Old Course was like this in February after the Honda LPGA.

With such a great variation in green speed and importance on distance in lag putting, how can the visiting golfer in Thailand be successful in judging the green speed at each Thai golf course?

Well fortunately all of the golf courses in Thailand have practice putting greens and I find that hitting some long pouts just before starting my round helps allot to be successful on the golf course.