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

Hole In One Thailand

At my Thailand golf vacation company, we are always happy when one of our golfers achieves a hole in one – if only because we can celebrate with them!

Last week, there was a double cause for celebration: one of our guests at Blue Canyon Country Club, Phuket, a 28-handicapper from the US tee’d off with a 3-wood and aced the 221-yards, par 3 17th hole on the Canyon course, described by Fred Couples as "one of the best par 3's anywhere in the world".

The next day, another of our clients, a 10-handicapper from Germany, hitting a 5-iron, holed out on the 167-yards 14th hole of the A-B course at Laem Chabang International Country Club in Pattaya.

What a week hey!

This set me wondering about the odds of holes-in-one. In a recent issue of Golf Digest I discovered many great nuggets of information about the subject, even breaking the odds down by quality of play:

Does Your Driver Conform?

Here I am not speaking about the merits of your chauffeur or taxi driver, but rather the golf club you use to tee off on 14 of the 18 holes when playing golf in Thailand.

Recently in the Caltex Masters, Chinese player Liang Wen-chong was disqualified for using a non-conforming driver. Liang was using a driver (Mizuno 300 SII) that contravened the Coefficient of Restitution (COR) rules. Liang claimed to be unaware of the contravention.

The issue of COR was amicably settled in last year when after much discussion, golf’s two governing bodies - the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) finally agreed to have a unified set of regulations for golf equipment ensuring uniformity to the game worldwide.

COR means the speed with which the ball jumps off the clubface on drivers. A joint proposal between the governing bodies confirmed from January 1, 2008, the Rules of Golf worldwide will be changed, limiting the COR limit to 0.83. Up until December 31, 2007 a Condition of Competition, targeted at competitions for “highly skilled players” (i.e. Professionals and top Amateurs), enabled the Committee in charge of the competition to apply a COR limit of 0.83 – this was the ruling Liang fell foul of.

Montgomerie Golf Invades Asia

While not exactly about golf in Thailand, I thought you would want to know about this new Vietnam golf course. Today, The Montgomerie Links Vietnam broke ground on the clubhouse near the storied sands of China Beach. This destination is already part of our Vietnam Golf Trail tour, so once opened, it is sure to add a great day of golf to the already action packed trip.

The Montgomerie Links Vietnam is the only Colin Montgomerie-designed and branded course in Vietnam or Thailand. Located just off famed China Beach and minutes from Da Nang’s international airport, The Montgomerie Links Vietnam has been routed to capitalize on its close proximity to both the warm, tranquil South China Sea and striking Marble Mountains — which are clearly visible from various points on the course. The golf course plays over a striking landscape of wispy casuarina pines and sand dunes and includes an exciting mixture of wooded and links style holes which will cater to players of all abilities.

3 More Last Minute Thailand Golf Presents

Here are 3 more ideas for presents for the Thai golfer who has everything.

1. The WOW Putter (US$59.95) claims to have “Everything you ever wanted in a putter” It boasts: a tape measure to accurately measure the distance from the ball to the hole; a compass to keep the ball on course and avoid getting lost in the woods; a bike horn to quiet others before you putt (can also be used to celebrate great putts), a plumb to check the lay of the land and to eliminate scuffed putts, and, a rabbit's foot, since we all need a little luck now and then. As they say: everything you ever wanted in a putter.... and more!

2. And, so that you can have lots more chances to use the horn on the WOW Putter to celebrate your great putts, the Potty Putter (US$18.99) golf game still allows the golfer in Thailand to golf, even when suffering from a mild case of “Delhi Belly”. The unique putter set includes a specially designed putting green, a plastic cup, a special mini-putter, two practice golf balls, and a "Do Not Disturb" sign for uninterrupted practice. And you thought your game was in the toilet! Be your best on the Thailand golf greens on your own throne.

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.

Thailand Professional Golf Update

Congratulations to the Thailand team that won the Fortis International Challenge at the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club, Malaysia two weeks ago. Thai hotshots Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng put on an outstanding exhibition of golf with a final round eight-under-par 64 to win this prestigious event. Thailand had a great start to the tournament by firing an 11-under-par 61 for the joint first round lead.

The pair then produced a battling two-under-par 70 to take a one-stroke halfway lead, and carded a bogey-free 63 in the third round, thanks to a sparkling performance from Prayad who sank eight birdies. They finished the qualifying event for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup with a staggering 30-under-par 258 aggregate, three shots in the lead.

Prayad Marksaeng, born January 1966 in Hua Hin is one of Asia's finest players. He was a member of Thailand's winning golf team at the 1987 South East Asian Games and turned professional in 1991. He has been a member of the Asian Tour since it began in its modern form in 1995. He has won five events on the tour and was one of the first ten men to reach a million U.S. dollars in career earnings on it.

Pete Dye in Thailand Golf

Here is the first in a series about famous golf course architects and their activities in Thailand.

Pete Dye, through Dye Designs Inc., is associated with three golf courses in Thailand: Subhapruek Golf Club in Bangkok, Khao Kheow Country Club in Pattaya, and Thai Muang Beach Resort in Phuket.

All three feature Pete Dye trademarks: tough par 4’s (especially the closing holes) where you need to hit straight, tricky par 3’s, the subtle use of water hazards and, of course, the railway sleepers (tires) in and around the bunkers.

Pete Dye is reputed to have never finished a golf course. His courses may be open to play, they may host major championships, but he continually returns to these famous designs to fine-tune them – improving the playability for the typical resort player while ratcheting them up for the tour professional.

Unique Thailand Golf Balls

In the past I described how you can save money by buying used golf balls at Thailand golf courses. So it got me thinking last week after loosing a few balls in the water at Thai Country Club if the new golf balls that I was using were really helping my game?

Then, a friend drew my attention to four unique Thailand golf balls- well, five really if you include the one from Ted Hoz from the USA. Ted says that he has everything from a ball with the Lord’s Prayer written on it, to a ball advertising a brothel. Now there is a new Thai marketing idea for places like Annies, Emanuele or Poseidon, and probably best left for the subject of another post all together.

The four other unique Thailand golf balls are:

1. The Nike Juice ball which is frozen - resulting, it is claimed, in up to an extra 10 yards on to your drives. You ship the balls to Nike USA, Thailand is too hot for this procedure, where they go into a freezer at minus 300° Celsius. The balls stay in the freezer for 72 hours before being brought back to room temperature. Nike says that this process changes the molecular structure of the ball, making it stronger and more durable. I want to try one on my next round at Alpine Golf Club.

Happy Birthday Golf America From Bangkok!

Being an American golfer in Thailand I thought to devote this post to a good cause. First of all, to all golfers in the USA, Happy Independence Day!

American golfers celebrate this day not only with a morning round of golf, but also with afternoon family outings like backyard barbecues, picnics, trips to the beach, summer concerts and hot dog eating competitions, and of course glamorous fireworks displays held in both major cities and rural towns alike..

Second for those American golfers serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other combat zones thank you for all your efforts. And what relaxes a golfing soldier after hot sweaty duty better than a round of golf?  Well most can not afford the time for R&R in a golf oasis like Thailand, but they can do some driving at several makeshift ranges in Baghdad or even play at the TPC at Mosul South, the only golf course in a Middle Eastern combat zone.

The golf clubs used in Iraq have been scrounged from many sources: people's personal collections as well as donations. Besides clubs, a whole lot of golf balls are used, as it is easy to loose balls in the desert setting.

Can you imagine that, a driving range and a golf course in the desert? Well these patriotic golfers need a little relaxation, exercise, and recreation and as such need your help. Read on!

Newest Thailand Golf Blog

Have you ever wanted a place to share your Thailand and Asian golf stories or just read about the antics of an expatriate Thailand golfer who knows more about golf in Thailand than anyone in the world?

Well look no further. The word is out; Thailand’s newest golf blog can be read at where else than http://www.thailandgolfblog.com, what an appropriate name indeed!

The Thailand Golf Blog author has lived, worked and played golf for over 30 years all around the Far East, with spells in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and, of course, Thailand. He first visited Thailand in 1977 and eventually relocated to the Land of Smiles in 1991, setting up and running one of the first inbound Thailand golf tour agencies, with offices for golf in Bangkok and golf in Phuket. He now spends most of his time in his native United Kingdom, living with his Thai wife, and is a frequent visitor to Thailand, where he intends to finally retire.

He has made regular contributions to this blog and since then I have invited him to author Thailand Golf Blog in his own inimitable style. You are welcome to post and comment on the new Thailand Golf Blog, preferably in the same light hearted way as the author. Or you can email him at nifteenev@golfasian.com.

Enjoy the reading and let me know what you think!