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

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.

Eagle Par Birdie Welcome From Thailand

To start the week off on a high note I thought I would let you know about the great golf site which I came across the other day. Eagle Par Birdie is a multi-media blog site devoted to amateur golfers. It’s written by Chris Henry, a veteran Canadian broadcast journalist and golf writer with more than 30 years experience covering international news and sports.

Eagle Par Birdie touches all the bases for the amateur player: equipment news, instruction advice, tour news, course reviews, golf travel destinations  and golf interviews. In the future you may even see some posts on Thailand golf! The audio interviews can be listened to right at your computer by simply clicking the hot link indicated in the body of the text.

In keeping with the openness of this Thailand golf golf blog,the Eagle Par Birdie blog also welcomes feedback, so you can post your comments at will.

Phuket, Hua Hin, and Chiang Mai Golf Societies

Here is the continuation of my posts about Thailand golf societies, which can be an excellent choice for frequent Thailand golf travelers.

Golf societies also thrive in Phuket and Hua Hin. The Phuket Expat Golf Society (PEGS) was established some 12 years ago and has grown to a membership of over 500 golf enthusiasts from many parts of the world and different walks of life.  There is a  program of regular tournaments on golf courses on and around Phuket whilst periodic challenges with other societies take place in various parts of Thailand, notably the Pattaya Sports Club and the Hua Hin Golf Society. Golf tourists are not allowed to join , but Phuket golf visitors are invited to participate in all of the PEGS competitions – go to the Island Lager Bar, Soi Lion, Patong Beach and make enquiries.

The Mulligan Golf Society was founded in Phuket in 1999. It is the brain child of two of the most colourful characters on the island, Bepy Graziani di Ceneda, owner of Toto's bar and Restaurant & Peter Tkac, whose calling cards describe him as a “Free Lance Human Being”. After four years playing a weekly 9-hole competition at The Laguna Golf Club, the Mulligan Golf Society now hosts an 18-hole competition every Tuesday at the Blue Canyon Lakes Course. No membership is required, just walk into the pro shop, and they will take care of you. After golf, a party and prize-giving is normally held at one of three establishments at the entrance to the Laguna Resort (Toto’s Italian Restaurant & Piano Bar, Toto’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar, or JJ'S Irish Pub). You can't help liking the Mulligan Golf Society’s events in Phuket with its cheerful adaptation to the island's relaxed lifestyle.

Bangkok Golf Societies

For those of you who are frequent golf travelers to Thailand, you might want to consider joining one of the local golf societies. Not only is it a good way to meet and socialize with like minded gofers in Thailand, it also can be a significant savings on green fees. Most Thai golf clubs are non-profit organizations and receive substantial group green fee discounts from the Thailand golf courses here.

As might be expected, Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, boasts the highest number of golfing societies of the country’s main golfing locations. There is even a Societies Golf League, founded in 1995. Participating clubs and societies have included Thunderbirds (now O'Reillys), the British Club, the Bangkok Wanderers, The Golfers Cocktail Lounge, The Japanese Society, the Lighthouse Golf Group, the British Embassy Golfing Society (now The Londoners), the American Embassy Golfing Society, Delaneys, Dynasty, Larry's Dive, Soi Dogs, Bourbon Street Gators, R.S. Scandinavians, Gee Gee's, Doug's Hoodlums, Dunlop Duffers, the Bangkok Irish and an additional club from the British Club, the BC Lords.

Phuket Golf Road Show

Are you planning a Phuket golf holiday and do you live in one of the following countries: Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Korea, Hong Kong, UK, Sweden, Russia or India? If so, read on!

Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit announced recently that to promote Phuket to foreign tourist markets the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will be going on a 14-country road show. If you can attend this, you will have every opportunity to find out all about accommodation in Phuket, things to do and see, and of course, golfing on Phuket’s six fine golf courses, Blue Canyon Country Club, Phuket Country Club, Loch Palm Golf Club, Laguna Phuket Golf Club, Thai Muang Beach Golf and Marina, and Mission Hills Country Club. It is possible that representatives from these clubs will be on hand to provide any information you need.

Johnnie Walker Classic 2007, A Great Phuket Golf Tournament

Those of you who were in Thailand last week and were lucky enough to be able to get to the Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket for the Johnnie Walker Classic would have enjoyed a fantastic tournament. The final day in particular lived up to all expectations as a new star was born when South African Anton Haig won his first European PGA Tour event in a dramatic playoff.

Twenty-year-old Haig joined the likes of Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Nick Faldo to become a Johnnie Walker Champion. Haig’s sudden-death playoff victory over Oliver Wilson and Richard Sterne was spectacular as he birdied the 18th hole in regular play and followed up with a birdie in the playoff to take away the US$404,993 first prize. Sterne and Wilson tied the playoff hole as well, each earning US$213,688.

A Winter Golf Thought

When was the last time you picked up your golf clubs?

The winter has finally hit the USA and Europe and the short cold days means that golf is, at best, difficult. More likely, even for the die hard golfers, playing has become a difficult experience, practicing is out of the questions, and instead of being in the trunk of your car, your golf clubs reside in some closet at home. Late March and longer days will be evident;  warmer weather cannot come quick enough!

What is going to happen in April?

You are going to get all excited when you get an hour’s more sleep because you know that the spring is on the way. You dust off the clubs and make sure the grooves are all cleaned up (probably the only time in the year that you perform this task). You make it to the golf club and spend the next 2 weeks to a month trying to get your game back. Isn’t it amazing how bad your putting and short game can be after a winter layoff?

6 Best Phuket Golf Vacation Activities

Here are my six suggestions to insure complete Phuket golf vacation satisfaction:

1. Golf: Well what else would be number one?

The magnificent seven! There are no less than 7 (or 8 depending on how you count) golf courses in (or near) Phuket. They are, in specific order of my personal preference;

1. Blue Canyon Country Club Canyon Course (18): expensive, nevertheless a famous must play.
2. Loch Palm Golf Club Old Course (18) and New Course (9): new course maybe the best in Phuket as of February 2007, one of only 3 courses with golf buggies.
3. Blue canyon Country club Lakes Course (18): now even better after the 2006 renovations.
4. Phuket Country Club Old Course (18) and Country Club Course (9): both courses are great, probably most under-rated of all Phuket courses.
5. Thai Muang Golf and Marina (18): takes 1.5 hours to reach but worth it, spectacular golf adjacent to the Andaman Sea.
6. Laguna Phuket Golf Club (18): balanced resort course with mostly average golf.
7. Mission Hills Phuket Golf Resort (18): fairways unplayable, avoid for a while.
          

Although all the courses deserve more of their own mention, Blue Canyon Country Club Canyon Course is by far the most famous being the site where the site of the 1998 Johnny Walker Classic -- won by Tiger Woods who came from a last round 9 stroke deficit to beat Ernie Els in a sudden death playoff, one of the most spectacular finishes in golf ever. Blue Canyon will again host the Jonnie Walkker Classic, from March 1-4, 2007

Rent Or Bring Your Own Golf Clubs To Thailand?

Most Thailand golf courses and Thailand golf travel agents offer rental golf sets and there is quite a difference in quality.  At all but the best courses, like Thai Country Cub or Blue Canyon, the available golf clubs are generic brand clubs. The same is true for the Thailand golf agents. If you are booking a Thailand golf vacation through a golf tour operator, many of them carry their own rentals.

However, being in the business I can tell you without exception and contrary to what may be advertised, the branded rental clubs from agents are 100% fakes! While not disastrous, you should nevertheless be aware of the situation. These clubs usually look new and very good. The irons are practically indistinguishable from the real clubs, but you will probably notice a difference in performance, especially with the woods.
 
Thailand golf course club rental fees range between 600 and 1,000 baht a set a round. If you are planning on playing multiple rounds in Thailand and are on a tight budget, it may make financial sense to bring your own clubs. For left-handed golfers the choices are limited, and calling ahead to make sure the course has left handed rental sets available is a good idea. Some Thailand golf courses require a deposit or passport for renting clubs and few will reserve clubs in advance. So again, it’s a good idea just to check on the day of play if there are any tournaments or large groups that may have taken all the rental clubs.

Thailand Golf Pigs

No, I do not think Thailand golfers are “pigs”, read on:

A popular time to be in Thailand for a golfing holiday is in February, which often coincides with Chinese or Lunar New Year. This year is the Year of the Pig and the start of the New Year falls on February 18.

The first-time Thailand golf visitor may register a bit of confusion as to why the timing of some important Buddhist and traditional holidays seems to float across the calendar rather than occurring on fixed days each year as is customary in the West. The answer is such holidays are scheduled according to the ancient Thai lunar calendar, rather than the western Gregorian calendar which has been official in Thailand for many years.

However, the traditional lunar calendar is very much in use for determining Thai holidays. Rural Thais still mostly count the date according to the phases of the moon, and Thai calendars commonly show both the western date together with the Thai lunar date. Astrologers also use lunar calendars to fix auspicious days for weddings, journeys, new houses, and similar important occasions.