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

Hua Hin: The 'Other' Golf Courses

Just about all golfers in Hua Hin want to play the two area 5 star courses; Black Mountain and Banyan Golf Club. Next on the list and a notch below for most golfers are Springfield Royal and Palm Hills.

Then there are the ‘Other’ courses. Some golfers skip them altogether, and if you are one who demands pristine country club conditions, luxurious clubhouses with lots of niceties and amenities and only modern designs, perhaps you should too.  For the rest of us though these courses all have something to offer and can make for an enjoyable round of golf.

Royal Hua Hin
Thailand’s first course, dating back to the 1920s when it was constructed next to the Hua Hin train station by a Scottish railroad engineer working on the ‘Orient Express’ route. The rough is rough, the fairways are patchy, and the bunkers are true hazards. However, the Royal Hua Hin Golf Club is a wonderful old style design and the greens and collar areas are usually kept in good condition. The large mature trees lining the fairways make this course at a minimum a great days ‘walk in the park’. The monkeys roaming the course and the surrounding temples further add to the experience and the Hua Hin golf course is so close to central Hua Hin you can walk to the course.

Imperial Lake View
You can expect a warm welcome and easy smile from all the staff at the 36-hole Imperial Lake View Golf Club. The course design is good (particularly the A-B courses) and the greens are well maintained, though fairway conditions were inconsistent on a recent visit. The rolling property is quite large and the course has a park land layout that provides a feeling of isolation with nature on several holes. 

Destinations For A Thailand Golf Package

Many golfers ask me what is the best destination for golf in Thailand. My answer is always ‘it depends”.

For those who like a sunny beach destination, then the best golf in Thailand is either Phuket or Hua Hin. On the other hand, Thailand golfers looking for more authenticity and value-for-money would like golfing in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai the best.

Next up are golfers in Thailand who are here for only a short break and want  a taste of Thailand’s best shopping. In this case, Bangkok has by far the best golf in Thailand with over 60 courses to choose from all located 30-60 minutes from the city center and many local markets where everything under the sun is on offer at reasonable prices. For the best golf and partying, golf in Pattaya is the choice. The resort’s nightlife is infamous and there are over 20 Pattaya golf courses to select from.

Golf In Bangkok

Bangkok is an enchanting city with rich golf, culture and attractions. It is known as an international golf destination for its diversity of 60 golf courses, year-round golfing weather, delicious food, numerous attractions, and most of all friendly people. Bangkok was voted “World’s Best City” by Travel +Leisure magazine in 2010. The championship golf courses and vibrant streets of Bangkok never stop to amaze vising golfers.

Courses such as Thai Country Club, where Tiger Woods cruised to a 10 shot victory in the 1997 Asian Honda Classic and Alpine Golf Club where again Tiger Woods won at the 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic exemplify some of Bangkok’s best golf. Nowadays, there is Royal Gems Golf City where golfers can experience August National by day and Bangkok by night.

Not only are the famous golf courses available for visitor play, but also some of the lesser known golf courses are truly gems in their own right. Thana City is Thailand’s only Greg Norman design and is located only 20 minutes from downtown Bangkok. Muang Kaew is similarly located and is one of the best maintained Bangkok golf courses.

Bangkok offers a truly unique golfing experience in its own chaos that defines the city where anything is possible. A place where golfers from the east meets golfers from west, where flat courses configured from rice paddies meet hilly layout designed by the world’s greatest golf architects, where high-rise buildings meets enticing temples and where street markets meets high-end retail shops. There is a Bangkok golf holiday for everyone.

Phuket Golf Course Improvements

Things are changing at many on the Phuket golf courses and improvements are taking place all over the island. Loch Palm Golf Club is leading the way and the new club house is all set to be open and in place for the coming high season. The style is similar to neighbor and sister course Red Mountain Golf Club with a magnificent new locker room on the first floor that has fantastic views over the putting green and Crystal Lake. The open air restaurant on the ground floor is in the same location but refurbished in a new style. With the improvements already in place on the course, Loch Palm leads the standards for other courses to follow.

Phuket Country Club is set to follow Loch Palm with a new clubhouse and they hope to have this in place by the start of the 2012 season. The new design will have a new location for players to check in at the Pro-Shop and the clubhouse will stretch down the 18th fairway with great views of players finishing their rounds. The oldest Phuket golf course is in need really in need of this improvement and the new clubhouse will bring the club up to the standard that golfers expect for their Thailand golf holiday.

Laguna Golf Club (home of the 2009 Thailand Open) was also hoping for a major change this year with plans for the redesign of a number of holes and the re-seeding of grass on many holes. Unfortunately this has not happened much to the frustration of the golf management. Moreover, building and investment in the new Angsana Hotel (in place of the old Sheraton) at the Laguna Phuket complex has meant that work on the Laguna Phuket Golf Club has been put back until May 2012 at the earliest.

After the 18th hole in Bangkok

A round of golf usually finishes at the 18th hole at most golf clubs. Then it’s off home for a cup of tea or a hot chocolate before bed. Well one of the pleasures of taking a Bangkok golf holiday is the fun just does not stop at the Bangkok golf course.

Bangkok not only has over 60 golf courses, but it is also known globally for its excellent shopping, great cultural attractions, great spa and massage, and of course a wide variety of restaurants and night life.

The great thing about Bangkok is it is all there out in the open. Shopping malls and local markets dot every station along the sky train making then super accessible at any time of day. A spa or Thai massage store can be found on practically every street corner. A Thai or foot massage can be a daily après golf ritual for every Thai golfer as prices are only $10 USD an hour.

Bangkok being the Thai capital has so much infrastructure, that the choices for dining and entertainment are limitless. Whether it is an authentic Thai meal, formal French meal with imported wines, or you prefer something more casual like a British pub, Bangkok has it all. After dinner, you can take in the Bangkok skyline with a cocktail at any number of bars located high above town in the city’s skyscrapers.

The Best Time Of Year For A Thailand Golf Holiday?

Actually ANY time is a good time for a Thailand golf holiday, as the courses stay green, the weather stays good, and the locals keep smiling all year round.

For most golf travelers however, travel dates are dictated by work schedules and family matters and preference is to get away to a warm sunny place when it is cold and dark back home. But if you are flexible read on…

You might be surprised that I often suggest the current season (August / September / October).  Here is why.

WEATHER
Travel guides will tell you this is the ‘rainy season’ and one look at weather averages will confirm that. What the rainfall statistics don’t tell you is that the rains are generally limited to brief passing storms in the late afternoon or early evening hours. Thus plan for morning tee times and you likely won’t have any problems.

Some days it can rain really hard … for 15 or 20 minutes.  Then a bit later the skies clear, the courses drain quickly, and golfers are back going about their business. As a result while brief delays are not uncommon, it is VERY rare that Thailand golfers get rained out completely. I have been golfing in Thailand for 15 years and only have been rained out twice.

And Thailand golf courses have on-course shelters with refreshments, tables and chairs, and restroom facilities every 3 holes. So if the rains arrive just head for the nearest one, order the beverage of your choice, and have a seat.  Chances are good by the time you finish the rains will be coming to an end.

To Bring Or Not To Bring Golf Balls For A Thailand Golf Holiday?

If you are planning Thailand golf holiday and want to stock up with some golf balls prior to your trip; DONT!

Packing golf balls with your golf clubs or in your luggage will not only encroach on your free weight allowance (if you are not overweight already), it is also less costly than you might think to buy golf balls after you arrive in Thailand.

 If you have ever been golfing in Thailand before, I am sure you may have seen locals stripping off at the end of the day and swimming around the lakes and canals that line the fairways of most Thailand golf courses. They are not doing it for fun, but are gathering all those lost balls we love to hit into the water. Some call these guys crocodiles, fish, or other such name. However, the true technical tem is “golf ball diver”, a legitimate and respected, not to mention lucrative, profession in Thailand.

As you can imagine there is a thriving gently used golf ball resale market in Thailand. With over 200 golf clubs with on an average weekend 150 golfers per course losing an average of 4 balls a round means we giveaway 120,000 balls just on one day. That’s a lot of Thai golf balls!

It’s Not Only Thailand Golf

 
Golf for many of us is a very serious addiction. We have to have our regular fix!

Come rain or shine, family vacations, or business meetings, we all make all the excuses needed to arrange that very crucial meeting which just happens to clash with golf. That is our ‘speak’ for sod it I am going to play golf anyway.

Here golfing in Thailand, a lot of business is conducted on the golf course. Golfers in Thailand often travel with their so-called business associates and in some companies; it is seen as an asset if you play golf.

There are amateur tournaments, club tournaments, Pro Ams, weekday shotguns, and social expat clubs, all where you can join do some serious networking. In fact, I am running a couple of events myself. They are the 2011 Phuket Amateur Week, 1st Team Amateur Championship, and the 2011 Chiang Mai Amateur Week. All three are good examples of how you can make your Thailand golf tour around a  competitive golf events and ‘legitimize’ your Thailand golf holiday to the missus at the same time.

The Asian Tour and One Asia visit Thailand several times a year along with the LPGA. In fact the next event is the Thailand Open at Bangkok’s Suwan Country Club in August. These events are good for Thailand golf visitors to play in the pro-am and rub shoulders with some of the world’s best golfers.

It’s amazing how many slots on the tournament’s Pro Am’s are not taken up by the main sponsors. Case in point, last year’s European Seniors Open at Royal Gems did not have enough amateurs to fill its field. Moreover, 2 years back I managed to get slots for 12 Phuket golf visitors at the Thailand Open at Laguna Phuket Golf Club and this was undoubtedly the highlight of their Thailand golf holiday.  Pro Ams are an experience golfers in Thailand are unlikely to forget.

Airfares and Hidden Fees For A Thailand Golf Vacation

Sorting out flights and airfare for a Thailand golf vacation can be time consuming and full of potential pitfalls.  Here is some guidance based on both my own experiences and what Golfasian’s clients tell me.

In general, you will get the best options and pricing by arranging international airfare in your country of origin and booking round trip tickets.  As route and landing rights have become less restrictive and more players have joined the game, the options have opened up considerably for international golf travelers.  One hot trend in recent years has been low cost no frills budget carriers, though they should be approached with caution as quality, staff, training and equipment can vary significantly and many have not been able to stay in business for long.

When choosing among airlines to Thailand, be sure to take into account the ‘total’ cost, which is often not readily apparent.  In addition to taxes, fees and potential surcharges, Thailand bound golfers need to pay particular attention to luggage allowances especially for golf clubs. If traveling Business or First Class the luggage allowances are generous to the point where you will not encounter luggage surcharges. Economy Class travelers need to be more careful.

Thailand Golf Is Still A Game To Enjoy

Sometimes I think golfers on holiday forget that the game of golf is all about getting out in the fresh air to hit some balls and then have a cool drink with your fellow golfers afterwards.

Maybe it is because we have been brain-washed. Golf in the 21th century seems to be all about one up man ship and this is being fuelled by the manufacturers with their massive marketing campaigns.

“This revolutionary six layer ball will give you distance and those clubs made from new space-age materials will give you control. “

Of course there is the friendly banter among Thailand golf holidaymakers and the occasional wager on the match, but in general I have found playing golf in Thailand a very friendly and enjoyable experience for all who travel here for their golf vacations. Sure we would all love to play at St Andrews, Troon or Augusta, but  I bet it’s a lot more fun to have an experienced Thai caddie telling you that you have 138 yards to the middle of the green or to aim one cup left of the hole.