Thailand Golf Holiday, Thailand Tours, Golf Resorts & Vacation Information

How I Conquered Siam Country Club, Pattaya?

The story starts last week when I played the Siam Country Club, Plantation Course. Opened only 2 weeks earlier, this fabulous Schmidt-Curley design will set everyone who plays there back about 10 stokes off their handicap. It is easily the most difficult Pattaya golf course, surpassing both St. Andrews Golf Club and Pattana Golf Club for top honors.

After fumbling around for the front nine I realized Lee Schmidt had only one design trick up his sleeve when he laid out this course; namely elevated crowned fast greens with shaved fringes. This design feature can be very frustrating when you hit an otherwise excellent approach shot into the green and wind up some 20 yards below the bole in a deep catchment area.

On the back nine I wised up and called into action my trusted Texas Wedge on every hole; even as far as 40 feet off the greens. This shot was popularized by Ben Hogan when Texas golf courses had a reputation for very hard fairways, and I used the same principle. When my approach shots stopped short of the greens, my putter was the better choice for the next shot because of shortness of the grass on the collar.

How Fast Are The Greens In Thailand?

To answer this question a brief review of green speed measuring systems is required. A stimpmeter is typically used to calibrate and compare green speeds from one golf course to the next.  Many Thai golfers are aware of the term but how many know the history of this green speed measuring tool and just how does it work?

The original stimpmeter was developed in 1935 by Edward S. Stimpson an accomplished US amateur golfer. In the mid 1970’s the device was adapted by the USGA and became the standard for measuring green speeds. The official stimpmeter is a 3 foot long aluminum bar with a V channel. This V shaped groove supports the golf ball and allows the ball to roll down with a slight over spin, mimicking that of a normal putt.

The ball rolls down whenever the bar is raised so that there is no human hand interference affecting the speed of the ball as it begins rolling. The speeds of greens are measured in feet, so that a stimpmeter reading of 9.5 means the ball will roll 9 and ½ feet from the end of the stipmeter. If the reading is only 8.0, the ball will roll 1 ½ feet shorter, a significant difference as we all know from playing golf and a very simple process indeed!

Extra Distance When Driving in Thailand

No this is not about road driving; it is about getting the most from your driver when playing golf in Thailand.

If you find yourself hitting it short off the tee you could either buy a new oversized high tech driver at one of the many golf proshops in Thailand or before you do this follow this tip to find the sweet spot on your current driver; you will be amazed at the improvement!

On a good drive, contact is made with the middle of the clubface about an inch off the ground.  But when you set up at address, the ball should be off the toe since the club head moves closer to you when you swing.  In other words, playing it off the toe insures you are the right distance from the ball to make center-face contact.

Judging Distances In Thailand

My friend’s scoring on the golf courses in Thailand has been improving as of late, however his big concern nowadays is distance. To be honest he just doesn’t get it, he can spend days at the driving range in Bangkok, hitting buckets (actually trays) of balls and yet when he hits the golf course he loses it, coming up short or long of every green.

Here is what I figured out. Previously he was using the yardage signs at the driving range to gauge how far he can hit the ball with each of his clubs. But there are reasons not to trust those distances. First of all, those signs are probably measured to the tee area immediately in front of them, so if you are not directly in front of them, the distance is probably longer than you think. Second, the tees at grass driving ranges, like that at Thai Country Club, are moved forward or backward every day to allow the divots to repair, so that also affects the distance.

Another factor are the range balls themselves, which are probably inferior to the golf balls most people use, so the distance with a range ball is not the same as with “real” golf balls. By the way, if the range balls were as good as other balls, people would buy a bucket and take it home rather than waste them on the range, right? (Actually, I have thought of this long ago!)

Useful Thailand Golf Expressions

Do you want to be admired and respected by golf club staff, caddies and other local Thais on your Thailand golf vacation? Here’s a tip: learn a few words of Thai golf vocabulary!

Aside from hello and goodbye (sawadee), are you well? (sabai dee mai), and what is your name? (khun chue arai), good luck (chok dee) is a nice thing to say when you are leaving someone, or when having a drink and raising your glass to someone (like “Cheers!”).

Remember, though, to be polite by ending with krap if you are male (even if this grates on western ears), or kaa if you are female.

Thailand golfing terms include: golf course (sanam golf), go to play golf (bai len golf), wood (maai), iron (lek), left (sai), right (gwaa), straight (trong), uphill (tee lum), downhill (tee soong), and small or little (nid noi).

Wedge Sets When Golfing In Thailand

Wedges are called the scoring clubs in Thailand for a reason. With a shorter shaft, more loft and shorter shot distances, golfers should be able to get the ball closer to the hole. In addition, wedges have more versatility than all other clubs as they can be used from tight lies, sand bunkers, and fluffy lies as well as for a variety of shots from full length pitch shots, to mid length and short chip shots, bump and run, soft sand bunker shots and hard sand shots.

In order to maximize ones scoring efforts, golfers should pay careful attention to the number of wedges they carry,  their lofts, and also to the degrees of bounce (angle at which the trailing edge of the club sits lower than the leading edge).

While golfing in Thailand this is important as golfers will encounter varied grasses (Bermuda, Zoysia, Paspalum, and Tifdwarf) as well as both dry and wet conditions depending on the season. With some courses like Blue Canyon, one should use higher loft wedges as the fairways are soft, sand fluffy and rough very severe. At Thai Country Club where fairways are harder and the rough easier to get through, one might want to consider lower loft wedges.

Long Game Equipment When Golfing In Thailand

I notice from the groups which my Thailand golf vacation company hosts, that these days there is an ever-increasing choice of long game equipment. Nearly everyone has a different approach to their long game set-up, with varying combinations of fairway woods, utility clubs and long irons.

Even golf professionals use diverse equipment. Traditional long irons are now complemented by fairway metals in 13°, 15° and 18° options as well as utilities or hybrids (‘rescue woods’ or if you are golfing in Thailand  a “katoey”) in 17°, 19°, 21° and 24° loft. Each of these clubs offers a different trajectory and ball flight option to each player. So, in Thailand, what is the best option that gives you a playable trajectory for your game at preferred yardages?

The answer is that your ball flight, yardage, and courses you are playing will influence your choice of long game equipment. A number of factors come into play when changing your long game golf clubs.

How I Improved Past Bogey Golf In Thailand?

During the last 6 months golfing in Thailand, I've been hitting the ball better due to a lot of practice and some great golf tips from my friends, but until recently I still found myself stuck in the 92-95 range.

It seems like every time that I pitch from 5-20 yards off the green, say when playing at Thai Country Club, I end up leaving myself an 10 foot putt.  My short game (for example several 9 irons last month at Amata Springs) were fine, but I felt that if I could get the ball closer when pitching, that I'd probably have a better chance to break 90.   

Lately I learned a way to pitch more accurately and this has led to me breaking 90 on all but one of my last 5 rounds. Just a few weeks ago at Blue Canyon Golf Club I managed an 86, with 8 tap-ins for par saves. This is how I did it.

Practice Or Luck: Good Golfing In Thailand

How would you feel about shooting a net 69 on your first round golfing in Thailand? Well to score well, you either have to be very lucky or you have to practice prior to and during your Thailand golf holiday.  Everything being equal, practice is the only thing that can give you an opportunity for a great score.

With warm sunny weather in Thailand, some golfers might think anything beyond a 5 minute putting warm-up might be injurious, how incorrect. Can you imagine a professional golfer showing up at the course 5 minutes before his tee time? It just does not happen!

Do you know why the Korean women are so successful at golf? During the 1980’s the Korean government wanted to obtain world recognition in golf.  They selected young women that had golfing talent and sent them to the USA for training with top instructors. Practice was instituted as a full-time daily procedure. Now, Korea has produced world renowned lady golfers, many of whom now do their winter golf training in Thailand!

Christmas Presents For Thailand Golfers

With the Festive Season approaching at breakneck speed, like me, you may be in a state of panic as to what presents to buy. Here are six ideas for your Thailand golfing loved one:

1. For his/her next golfing holiday in Thailand, a new travel golf bag will be well received. One of the best I have seen recently is the OGIO Mammoth (US$330.00). This sturdy golf travel bag stands upright and glides effortlessly in transit thanks to four sturdy, swiveling wheels. The OGIO Mammoth has a wide mouth opening that unzips the full length of the bag. Once inserted, your golf bag stays securely in place.. There is a shoe pocket,  carry handle, hat pocket, plus four exterior pockets for rain gear or other last minute check-in items.

2. Very handy when you are golfing in Thailand on a hot day is the Golf Club Kooler Klub (US$49.99), the best way to discreetly carry beverages with you on the Thailand golf course. This high-tech cooler club holds 48oz of hold or cold beverages (enough to satisfy a thirsty foursome). It looks like an ordinary golf club, however just a few taps on the dispenser is all it takes it fill your glass or flask. The shaft of this Golf Club Kooler Klub fits easily into your bag takes ice cubes, carbonated beverages, or alcohol. Just do not tell the club officials, as outside drinks are frowned upon at most Thailand golf courses.