The return of the Centara World Masters Golf Championship to Hua Hin is a boost for one of Thailand’s most popular beachside getaways, coming amid the broader easing of entry requirements and an ongoing pick-up in international tourism in 2022.
Sometimes it’s the little things that can make all the difference when traveling. It’s the small touches that together combine to make a lasting impression and stay with you long after you’ve arrived back home.
By Mark Siegel Why do golfers from all over the world choose Thailand over other destinations? The answer is as simple as ABC.
The Centara World Masters Golf Championship returns to Hua Hin in 2022 (8-14 May), and there’s a good many reasons to get excited about this year’s instalment.
With the current Google generation, golf has been competing with families, whose main source of exercise is using their fingers on a computer or mobile. How many Dad’s these days are shouting upstairs to their teenagers…Who wants to join me for a round of golf? So where is golf going into the next decade? Will we even be playing golf in 50 years’ time? So, let’s look at some facts. 33,161 Golf Courses Golf is available around the globe, and according to a recent R & A survey, there were 33,1...
Have you ever wondered about the stroke index shown on your scorecard? A common misconception is that stroke index simply gives an indication of a hole’s difficulty. Learn more.
Golfers like tradition, and who has dreamed of playing St Andrews in Scotland, arguably the home of golf. Well as the British empire expanded across the world during the 19th Century, the Scots were being employed to build new factories, bridges and railroads, and in their spare time, decided that Asia could do with a few of its own golf courses. Now according to the records, the oldest course built-in South-East Asia was The Royal Calcutta Golf Club back in 1829. Apparently, it was the oldest a...
Back home, you get used to playing regularly at your local golf club. Just arriving on the 1st tee at an Asian golf course feels so different.
Photo by Robert van der Sluijs on Unsplash Local airlines often see us golfers as rich pickings when we check in with our golf bags, happily to charge us the excess baggage charge just for a 90-minute flight. So recently I decided to combine my short vacation to Penang, with an overnight train trip from Bangkok. Instead of flying decided to let the train take the strain. Therefore, adding to the adventure, and saving a bundle as well, I decided to travel from Bangkok Thailand to But...
For many golf vacationers, they are used to playing in Phuket, Hua Hin, Bangkok and Pattaya. However, Khao Yai with over seven golf courses, is also a very special golfers paradise. Its National Park is only just over two hours north of Bangkok and covers more than 2,000 square kilometers of forest and grassland. Here there is more than 50 km of hiking and biking trails, plus twenty waterfalls including the 150m-tall Haew Narok and 20m-tall Haew Suwat. But apart from the road signs stating Bewa...
In just a few short years as a golf professional, Jazz Janewattananod has jumped into the top 30 in the World Golf Rankings, and he is only 24 years old. Jazz as he is known lives in Hua Hin and is sponsored by Black Mountain Golf Resort, also firm favorite among Golfasian vacationers. Banyan Winner I first met Jazz at Banyan Golf Club also in Hua Hin when he won the MENA golf tour. He told me he wants to get his card on the Asian Tour and amazingly he managed to chip in on his last hole at Q...
Most golfers hate to lose an expensive golf ball, but American Mark Siegel doesn’t mind, as he has a clever ulterior motive. Siegel is the CEO of Golfasian, one of the most established inbound golf tour operators in Asia. “About five years ago I had the idea of printing my own Titlist golf balls with the simple message. Reward Offered If you return this ball to www.golfasian.com”, said Siegel. Since then over five lucky golfers, who actually returned his golf ball, have enjoyed complimentary r...
According to Thai Super Star Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand’s secret weapon when playing a round of golf has to be the Thai caddies. With over 240 golf courses dotted around Thailand, you are literally spoilt for choice and can experience all types of challenges that you will never experience back home. The course notes on hole Number 1 at the popular Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin states….‘Aim for the Coconut Tree and try to avoid the Pineapples in the rough.’ If that does not ...
Ok the game of golf is known as the Gentlemen's Sport which is played in the best possible spirit and of course we all play by the rules. That said, I for one still do not always understand the complicated scoring system often used at tournaments and tend to rely on my playing partner to keep the scores. Let's find it out more...
With the high season upon us here in Asia, rounds of golf can start to take a little longer, as the clubs try to squeeze a few extra groups onto the course. Who wants to be stuck behind a five ball all busy gambling!
Amazingly according to recent statistics, golf in Asia is on the rise with 205 new courses in various stages of design and construction. This more than any other continent. Asia Leads the Way in New Courses It means that 32% of all new undertakings currently identified worldwide, are taking place here in Asia. According to a recent survey by the R & A in 2018, there were 33,161 golf courses in 208 of the world’s 245 countries. Asia currently boasts 4,570 golf facilities, 14% of the total cou...
Contrary to popular belief and Swedish regulations, golf is fun and easy to learn, as my teaching pal pro Tony Meechai often says. With an abundance of great courses and fantastic coaches, Thailand is one of the best places in the world to learn the game. Here is a primer for golf newbies. The Absolute virgin stage Don’t waste your money on something you may not like. Go to a second-hand shop, buy a 7-iron, and go hit balls at a driving range. One club. That’s it. Learning the game will come f...
Over the last several years I have rarely ventured to the Eastern Seaboard, and found myself quite out of touch with what is going on there. Recently this has changed and experiences over the last couple of months have reconfirmed three of my long-held beliefs, and updated my knowledge base: Pattaya is a great place to play golf. Period. Nobody does golf like Pattaya. The entire region is interconnected and is a golfer’s paradise. Not so long ago the hotels were a collection of a hit-...
As many of the readers here know, Hua Hin is home to some of Thailand’s best courses, and the best time of year to play here is during the annual Hua Hin / Cha Am Golf Festival, which has taken place every year during the months of August and September since the Tourism Authority of Thailand kicked it off 15 years ago on 31 July, 2004. It has grown to be a very popular event, with courses offering heavily discounted green fees and hotels joining in to offer reduced room rates to entice golf...
So you’ve decided to take a golf trip to Thailand and enjoy playing a few games on your vacation? You couldn’t have chosen a better location. Fringed with stunning coastal beaches, lush hinterland greenery, cultural richness and the most spectacular golf courses in the world, what could go wrong? Plenty if you’re not careful. Here’s how to make your holiday amazing… and avoid these mistakes. Inadequate Accommodation Research There are plenty of great golf hotels in...
For those who enjoy treating themselves to nature’s beauty, historical culture, and even a little golf while on holiday, Vietnam is the unanimous choice. The tranquil beaches of Danang; the historical pathways of Hanoi; the rocky islands of Ha Long Bay, there isn’t a part of this country that isn’t worth exploring. And when you combine that with a game or two of golf, you know you’re in heaven. With so many Vietnam golf courses at your disposal, you’ll double the fu...
Since time immemorial, Bali has been known for its glittering seas, exotic cuisine, and golden sands. But that’s just the tip of the ‘sand’ berg. There’s much more to Bali than just resorts and beaches, especially for golf lovers who will find everything they’re looking for in this tropical paradise – from challenging courses to easier ones for beginners. Draped with stunning natural beauty and different degrees of difficulty, Bali golf courses are some of the fines...
Can’t decide whether to head to a golf course or go on vacation with your family? Why not do both? Thailand is the premier golfing destination of choice with its spectacular courses, incredible facilities, and exotic holiday offerings. You’ll fall in love with the many Thailand golf courses – giving you the chance to combine an exciting holiday with your favorite sport. Combining The Best Of Both Worlds… In The Most Unique Places On Earth Showcasing the rare opportunity to ...
Hua Hin, Thailand, 4 September 2017 — Registrations are officially open for Thailand’s Most Enjoyed Week of Golf! Even though the event was recently launched on 1st of September the event has seen a record number of entries in comparison to previous years. Golfers were quick to rate the fourth annual Centara World Masters Golf Championship hosted in Hua Hin as the best-organised event ever so it came as no surprise to tournament organisers the moment entries started sweeping in. R...
I have always loved surfing (although I am a high handicapper at it) and thought it was a fantastic escape from golf. Until today that is, as surfing a wave just brought the golf swing into a brand-new perspective. When you are out waiting for that perfect wave, everything is calm, peaceful and relaxing. Then, all of a sudden you start to feel the energy from the ocean beneath you. You turn to start slowly paddling to catch the wave, but instead the wave is actually going to let you ride it. As ...
When thinking of Indochina, it is easy to conjure up thoughts of peaceful relaxation, Buddhist Monks, iconic temples and a deep-rooted history that awakens the soul and takes you back in time. It is true that one can find all of this in the various countries that make up Indochina: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia, but did you know that it is also a great golfing destination for a perfect getaway. These very things that make Indochina unique add to your golfing ...
We all want to play our best golf, whether at home, or especially if we are away on a Golfing Holiday in Asia. The one thing that can bring a sour type mood to a beautiful Golf Vacation is playing poorly, as this not only upsets your day on the golf course, but all of a sudden, the food does not taste as good, the bed is not as comfortable, the sights and sounds all feel a little off. Yes, playing poorly affects us in many ways as we feel frustrated and wonder if this vacation was the right ide...
One of the most frequent questions we receive before guests book their Thailand golf holiday with us is “Should I bring my own clubs” or “Are the rentals at the courses any good?”. The answer to this question has a lot to do with you as an individual golfer, but here is what I can share. As far as the quality of rentals goes, the majority of Thai (and other Asian country) courses and resorts that we deal with will have new updated equipment from a top of the line club company. Most c...
We all love a golf getaway with our friends, one full of laughs, experiences and memories that last a lifetime. Every time you meet afterwards, a story will come up and whisk you all back to the holiday, rekindling happy thoughts of the fantastic adventure you shared together. However, from time to time there is always “that guy”. The stories seem to take a different tone, a “I can’t believe he did that” or “how embarrassed he must be” comment instead of bringing back joyful memories. Who is “t...
Emerging from the lush greenery like a beacon in the night, Alpine Golf Resort rests among the rolling hills outside the beautiful city of Chiang Mai. As soon as I made my first steps into the entrance hall of the hotel I was unexpectedly hit with a sense of awe as the foyer led itself to a gorgeous rocky backdrop that disappeared into a tranquil water garden teeming with vibrant colorful fish. Now, like most of you, I try to find the “wow” factor on each of my new adventures, and I was pleasan...
