Author Archives: Thailand Golf Tour

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Thailand Golf Courses and Playing Conditions
Posted by - April 11, 2016

What makes Nikanti Golf Club an unusual golf course?

It seems like the golf architect Pirapon Namatra (Ope) of Golf East listened quite a lot to Tina Turner’s famous song ‘Break every rule’ when he designed Nikanti Golf Club, Asia’s first 18 hole, par 72 golf course comprising three six-hole layouts each with two par-threes, two par-fours and two par-fives. Thailand’s 291st golf course was opened in May 2014. The Nikanti Golf Club is almost adjacent to Suwan Golf Club. When Pirapon Namatra (the designer of Banyan Club and part of the construction ...

Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Posted by - April 4, 2016

Amateur Weeks – Spice up your Golf Vacation

Golfasian, Thailand’s largest Inbound Golf Tour Operator, has been bringing clients to Thailand for amateur tournament golf since 2012. In the following year, for their Amateur Golf Weeks the venues were expanded to include Cambodia and Vietnam. Although the company has been providing Asia golf packages to clients throughout the world since the late 1990s, including transport, accommodation and golf, a gap in the market was recognised for a 5-star offer with an additional element…competition. Im...

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Thailand Golf Courses and Playing Conditions
Posted by - March 29, 2016

What makes Asia’s 1st replica golf course unique?

The Gary Roger Baird-designed Royal Gems Golf City’s life and operations did not start smoothly (in the 1960s and early 1970s Baird worked as a senior architect with Robert Trent Jones). Right after the opening in 2011, it suffered significant flooding in December. However, they were able to reopen the golf club in 2012. Royal Gems Golf City is Asia’s first replica golf course and combines 9 of the best holes in the world (see list below) like TPC Sawgrass, St Andrews and Oakmont. The back 9 of ...

Golfer Testimonials
Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Posted by - March 22, 2016

Your Holidays in Focus

  Hi, my name is Joe. I started playing golf in 1992 as a club member at Amstel Golf Club, but am now playing off a 10 handicap at Drouin Golf and Country Club at Drouin Victoria in Australia. The Drouin course is predominately couch fairways set amongst a picnic day racecourse, quite picturesque. My lowest playing handicap has been 7. Before this trip, I had travelled to Thailand twice before, backpacking, and not staying in any one place for any length of time. A local Drouin member had t...

Golf Events
Golf Tournaments
Posted by - March 16, 2016

What is like an ultimate golf championship in Pattaya?

It seems like we are looking forward a very busy month in June. The next tournament, the Mercure Pattaya Ocean Resort 2-Ball Golf Championship ,will be held between June 19-25. Unlike the Centara World Masters Championship, the Pattaya event will be played in 2-ball format for each of 4 rounds, adding a new dimension to the concept. The championship will be held on 3 golf courses of the Siam Country Club and at the Laem Chabang International Country Club. Shall we use all of our annual holiday d...

Golf Events
Golf Tournaments
Posted by - March 10, 2016

7 reasons to play on the Centara World Masters Championship

How do you decide on which amateur golf championship is worth to participate? Based on the positive responses from golfers from 23 countries who played in the first Centara World Masters Golf Championship in 2015, I can strongly recommend to you to come and play this year. The Centara World Masters Golf Championship is Asia’s largest and richest amateur week of golf. The Centara World Masters Golf Championship will be hosted in the royal city of Hua Hin (Thailand), between 12-18 June 2016. Entr...

Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Posted by - February 10, 2016

Thailand Golf Trips – Not Just for Golfers

My name is Steve Hall.  I am originally from England but migrated to Australia just over 8 years ago.  We live on the beautiful South West Coast of Australia in a small place called Australind, approximately 2 hours South of Perth.   Here we are fortunate to be able to enjoy the outdoor life; lovely beaches, many BBQ’s, beach fishing, numerous wineries and of course golf. I started to play golf with my sons when we first came to Australia and later, when we made friends with others who enjoyed t...

Golfer Testimonials
Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Posted by - January 18, 2016

The perfect Father/Son golf trip – Hua Hin

My name is Aki Mustonen. My father, who accompanied me on this very special father/son trip is Timo. We come from Finland; Dad lives in Helsinki and I live and work in Beijing. My father started playing golf in Finland at the age of 35. Once my sister and I arrived he stopped playing but once I became old enough (aged 10) he got me a couple of modified clubs and I was able to practice with him occasionally. At that time I was more interested in football and ice-hockey so one day I informed him I...

Travel
Posted by - January 18, 2016

Worry-Free At The Golf Tee: Enriching A Well Protected Golf Lifes

The popularity of golf has skyrocketed across the world with several unexpected countries emerging as world-class golfing hubs. While the sport was previously confined to the shores of Europe and North America, the modern game has taken a turn towards the Orient with Asia emerging as a key travel scene for golf lovers. Paying tribute to the budding attractiveness of this sport in the region, unbeatable golf courses have rapidly sprung to life across Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singa...

Golf Events
Golf Tournaments
Posted by - January 8, 2016

Great Thailand Golf Tournaments to Participate in During Spring/S

There are a slew of great amateur Thailand golf tournaments to participate in during the spring/summer of 2016. Some of the best tournaments are those located in southeastern Asian countries like Thailand & Vietnam. If you don’t mind a little traveling, you can enjoy some of the best golf experiences often at a rather low cost. Amari Pattaya & Hua Hin Golf Weeks (March 6-12 & 13-19, Pattaya/Hua Hin, Thailand) Almost 100 club golfers from 10 countries are expected to participate...

Golfer Testimonials
Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Posted by - December 21, 2015

Thailand Golf Holiday Experiences

Hi, my name is Bob Wood. I am from the Sunshine Coast, just north of Brisbane in Australia. I have played golf for over 50 years but have become more serious in recent years after my retirement from Secondary School teaching. I play off a handicap of between 6 & 8, depending on the benevolence of the golfing Gods and am a member of Caloundra Golf Club a parkland course north of the town of Caloundra and just a few kilometres inland. I usually play competitions at my club 3 times a week. Rece...

Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Travel
Posted by - December 17, 2015

Surprising Chiang Mai

Having reviewed the superb Chiang Mai Highlands golf course recently, I just got back from another short trip to Chiang Mai, this time with visitors doing the tourist “bit”. Courtesy of blogs like this, for those of you who are novices to Thailand in respect of golf I’m guessing the destinations most familiar to you will be Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin (less so) for something that combines golf and other holiday-typical activities, in their case the beach. Chiangmai Highlands Go...

Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Travel
Posted by - December 15, 2015

Golfing on the Enchanting Island of Phuket

When you contemplate booking your next golf holiday, the superior courses of Thailand are beckoning to you to come experience some of the best golfing in Asia. Thailand, known as the Land of Smiles, features excellent golf courses dotting the kingdom, and none of them is more in demand than those of Phuket. Thailand’s largest island, Phuket is easy to get to and a proven destination point for tourists of all stripes. For golfers in particular, Phuket’s array of amenities makes trave...

Thai Culture and Thailand Country Information
Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Posted by - December 11, 2015

Top 3 Reasons to Golf in Thailand

For the true golf aficionado, distance means nothing unless it pertains to judging which club to grab from your golf bag to make that sweet shot on the back nine. As such, the world is your oyster when it comes to locating the next great golfing destination, and Thailand is the pearl you will find when you schedule your Thailand golf holiday. A fully inclusive Thailand golf package puts you directly on the green for some of the best golfing that the world has to offer. With more than two hundred...

Thailand Golf Courses and Playing Conditions
Posted by - November 3, 2015

Chiang Mai Highlands – Just got better

This month I was invited by the General Manager, Derek Schade, to review Chiang Mai Highlands’ new nine holes which opened to the public on November 1st. Derek had only taken up his post at Highlands recently after a successful period running Lotus Valley Golf Resort. There was a “return of the prodigal son” element as he had previously managed the Golf Club and enjoyed working closely with the inspirational owner Khun Vichai who persuaded him to re-join the Team.  As I hadn’t played in th...

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Posted by - September 23, 2015

Golf Club membership in England versus Thailand

Last Sunday I turned up to play alone at Lam Lukka and was sensibly paired by the starter with 2 Thai gentlemen. After a few polite introductions we completed the first 3 holes and at the first drinks stop started a more involved conversation. This was about the differences between being a member of a club in Thailand versus England where I come from.  First of all I need to say that this is my experience and there are some generalisations, but in the main I believe the following are valid obser...

Golfer Testimonials
Thailand Golf Holidays and Vacations
Posted by - September 21, 2015

Your Views of Golf in Thailand

My name is Steve Madden and I live in Sydney, Australia. I have played golf since I was a young boy, however it’s only in the last 4-5 years that I have had time to play on a regular basis. My current GA handicap is 13 and I am a member of Pennant Hills Golf Club in Sydney. With its roots established over a hundred years ago Pennant Hills is considered a “Private” A Grade golf course, featuring tree-lined fairways and rolling terrain. Whilst not long by modern standards the par 71 course is stil...

Thailand Golf Playing Tips
Posted by - August 31, 2015

Which golf ball should I play in Thailand?

Of all the variables that determine a golf ball’s performance compression may be the most mysterious. You’ll know it as a number on the ball, usually 90 or 100. If you see slow motion videos of balls impacting the club face you’ll see it as the ball deforming or “mushing”. The ball launches as this compression releases. Generally, professional advice says the faster you swing the less compression you need but there are way more issues to consider namely spin speed g...

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Posted by - August 13, 2015

Is Thailand Golf Good for the Blood Pressure?

Two things have happened to me in the past several days, neither of them very good and both I regret. First I became frustrated that a Golfasian client wasn’t appreciating Thailand golf for what it is, an overall experience rather than the ultimate golf environment, like say Myrtle Beach in the States. Then stupidly I fell into a very similar trap albeit subtly different, even after 15+ years of playing here and almost 8 living in the country. The ingredients for the client’s frustration were no...

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Posted by - July 23, 2015

Don’t get carried away

It’s all relative, but we’ve all had that “banner” golf round, when everything clicks…when we’re “in the zone”. It may be scoring less than a hundred for the first time or breaking par, but all of us had to keep going right to the 18th to reach that milestone, keep the concentration, the rhythm and the focus. I was engrossed by Eddie Pepperell at the Open Championship on Sunday. One of England’s brightest new talents, he was having a fabulous day, remorselessly chasing down the leader’s score of...

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Posted by - July 2, 2015

My Kanchanaburi Adventure

By Ian Morgan –  Golfasian’s Hua Hin & Phuket Manager Having played golf all around Thailand over the last 11 years, there are very few areas I haven’t seen. So living in Hua Hin it’s amazing I have never taken the road north to look at Kanchanaburi and the surrounding area. The main attraction was to see Grand Prix Golf Club which so many of my friends have talked about; surely it wouldn’t be as good as they said? On this occasion my journey started in Bangkok and I decide...

Posted by - June 20, 2015

What do you think about golf in Thailand?

My name is David Rendall. I recently travelled to Thailand with a golfing party of 12, the majority from Scotland & Ireland, however a couple of our group are based in Dubai and Thailand. Pumpherston GC 16th Most of the guys are members of the same golf club, Pumpherston, which is 10 miles from Edinburgh. Pumpherston is a lovely parkland course but also features a lot of water; it’s a very modern design considering its age. I have been a member for the last 25 years and currently play off 12...

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Posted by - May 23, 2015

The Opening Tee Shot – Some trickier than others

I can’t remember when I lost my first tee traumas. I remember having them; feeling super conscious about people watching and living in fear of a top, shank, massive slice (probably) or a huge pull. But they’ve gone, not because I’m a superb golfer but rather I have definitely gained in confidence since those days and as a single figure player I’m not supposed to have traumas…nerves maybe but not traumas. Importantly, I have also conditioned myself to be more positive in my approach to any shot, ...

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Posted by - April 22, 2015

Is Innovation in Thailand Golf Tourism Possible?

Every commercial organisation is looking for an edge, something different, unique; golf tourism is no different. The stock formula has worked for decades because the market has very identifiable requirements with a few adjustments around the fringes, namely the location, style and class of the offering which therefore dictates the price. Historically, the USA and likes of Spain/Portugal have dominated as preferred golf holiday destinations with the UK close behind due to its association with the...

Thailand Golf Courses and Playing Conditions
Posted by - April 17, 2015

Pattaya Golf – Take the rough with the smooth

Undoubtedly Thailand golf is gaining in profile and quality thanks to a growing golf tourism market and increased television exposure of tournaments such as the Thailand Classic (Black Mountain) and Thailand Championship (Amata Spring). These 2 courses compare with some of the best in the world but understandably with that comes a price premium. I can see that someone arriving to play in Thailand probably will be looking for something special but perhaps they might wish to look further for an ex...

Thailand Golf Courses and Playing Conditions
Posted by - April 9, 2015

Thailand’s rainy season – How does it affect our golf

Thailand’s rainy season runs from approximately May to November when it gives way to the cool season ending in the particular hot and humid month of April. Both terms are slightly misleading (we will deal with rainy) given Thailand has a tropical climate so temperatures are generally high throughout the year although the high ground in the north around Chiang Mai can produce genuinely frigid weather. Rainy season is influenced by the south west monsoon, but Thailand does not actually exper...

Interesting Thailand Golf Snippits
Posted by - March 30, 2015

10 Reasons Why You Should Never Choose Thailand as Your Next Golf

Thailand is a truly bad choice for your next golf holiday destination. Here’s why. Note: Please don’t tell your friends. 1) The golf courses in the north of the country are plain ugly: Alpine Golf Resort in Chiang Mai 2) …and in the center: Thai Country Club in Bangkok 3) …as well as in the south: Mission Hills Phuket 4) The Thai caddies don’t know how to smile: 5) It’s almost impossible to find a massage or spa: 6) Nightlife is non-existent: 7) Nor ar...

Posted by - November 8, 2011

Does Phuket Need to Reconsider Its Golf Strategy?

Phuket Golf has always been a major attraction for tourists from all over the world who love to spend their time staying in first class resorts on this beautiful Thai island. The same can be said for golf, and even the likes of Tiger Woods and Greg Norman have played here at the islands only true Championship course the famous Blue Canyon. For such a small island, it is unusual to find such a wide variety of golf challenges, from seaside to mountain layouts, and all within a maximum of 45 minut...

Posted by - October 26, 2011

Playing and Staying on a Thai Golf Course

There is no better feeling than waking up to the sound of wildlife and knowing that you are about to experience a great round of golf. Many of the 250 golf courses across Thailand offer first class accommodation along, with sports facilities, bars, swimming pools and restaurants. With the high cost of golf course maintenance many clubs now also rely on real estate to help their cash flow, and several courses offer luxury villas and condominiums beside the course too. Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin ...