Category Archives: Golf News

Golf Events
Golf News
Posted by - September 4, 2017

2018 Centara World Masters – Entries Now Open!

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...

Golf Events
Golf News
Posted by - June 11, 2017

World Golfers Arrive in Thailand for 2017 Centara World Masters C

Hua Hin, Thailand, 11 June 2017 — Golfers from every continent have started arriving in Thailand for the fourth running of the Centara World Masters Golf Championship, Asia’s biggest and richest tournament for club golfers. Franking Thailand’s golf tourism appeal, more than 500 visitors from 21 countries will arrive this weekend in Hua Hin for the start of the Championship on 11 June. The tournament has attracted big numbers from Australia, New Zealand, India, Myanmar and UAE. ...

Golf News
Posted by - April 21, 2017

Thailand Golf Tour Operator Golfasian Teams Up With Golf Hideaway

Bangkok, Thailand & Hong Kong, China — Golfasian, Asia’s largest inbound golf tour operator has teamed up with Hong Kong’s most popular indoor golf lounge Golf Hideaway to provide exclusive golf holidays and prizes to Hong Kong golfers. “The aim of the partnership with Golf Hideaway is to expand Golfasian’s reach to the Hong Kong market while at the same time offering the golf lounge members with exclusive Asian golf holiday deals, Thailand golf tournament slots and prize sponsoring,” ...

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 19, 2011

Young Thailand Golfers on Winning Trail

Golf in Thailand‘s youth policy especially in golf seems to be paying off. First a 15 year old Thai player wins in the USA, and Thai Juniors are confident of winning in Asia too next month. Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand won the 63rd U.S. Girls Junior championship recently, scoring a 2 and 1 victory over Dottie Ardina of the Philippines at Olympia Fields Country Club in the States. It was the first victory in a match-play tournament for the 15-year-old, who captured the AJGA Girls Junior ti...

Posted by - September 14, 2011

Caddie Championship in Thailand

Thailand is well known as a hot golfing destination with over 260 great golf courses and those ever smiling Thai Caddies. Come rain or shine they read the greens, give you the yardage, hold your umbrella and if you are lucky even give your shoulders a quick massage too. After putting up with us holiday hackers, you would have thought they would have had enough of the golf course, but a large number actually like to play a round themselves. Smart thinking General Managers encourage them to play ...

Posted by - September 6, 2011

Secret Thai Golfing Gem

Kanchanaburi is perhaps better known as the centre of Thailand’s gem industry, where mining has been going on for a number of years. Many tourists also head there to visit the River Kwai and the railway made famous in World War 2. However soon Kanchanaburi will add a new attraction, when the Blue Diamond Resort opens next March. The brainchild of Dr Prachin Eamlumnow, who has made his fortune organizing the Bangkok International Motor Show, Blue Diamond, is a huge 2,000 rai project, with a five...

Posted by - August 8, 2011

Young Guns in Thailand

On May 11th-13th 80 youngsters will line up at the Rose Garden Country Club near Bangkok to contest the 9th Mercedes Trophy Junior Golf Masters. These juniors aged between 12 and 18 years old have had to win through seven qualifying rounds held at various courses around Thailand, to get into this final and the winners will be then flown to Portugal for the Oceanico World Kids Golf Championship in July. Everyone keeps saying for golf to survive, we have to encourage youngsters into the game. Wel...

Posted by - May 9, 2011

Masteritist at Fever Pitch Here in Bangkok

Well I did try everything to kick this dreadful disease…..but in the end the power of seeing a certain 21 year old from Northern Ireland win a green jacket, meant I woke up at 1.45hrs this morning in Bangkok and turned on the TV to watch the 75th Masters. If you were a Hollywood script writer I don’t think you could come up with such a dream finish. At one stage there were seven players tied for the lead! Of course initially I was rooting for Rory McIlroy, but he seemed to disintegrate on...

Posted by - May 3, 2011

Major Winners in Asia

Sometimes everything just falls into place and as a journalist, all the travelling and waiting around just pays off. Being based here in Bangkok, the big names on the professional circuit tend to side step playing in our local tournaments, perhaps with the exception of the popular Royal Trophy. Therefore twice a year I need to stock up with pictures and stories by covering the bigger events here in Asia. On Tuesday I therefore flew to Kuala Lumpur. This week was very unusual, as the 50th running...

Posted by - April 25, 2011

Masteritist… a Very Serious Golfers Disease

I thought I was really suffering big time over the past five days, with what I thought might have been the dreaded Asian flu. Blame it on the changeable weather we have been having over here in Thailand, but I had the mother of all coughs, a cold and just lost all my energy. Swallowing all antibiotics under the sun, it just would not go away, and I was really getting concerned. One of the problems that goes with flu and a bad cough, is you really don't get into a deep sleeping pattern, so I ...

Posted by - April 9, 2011

It’s not all golf you know…..well almost

Golf for many of us is a very serious addiction. We have to have our regular fix! Come rain or shine, business meetings or trade exhibitions, we will make all the excuses needed to arrange that very crucial meeting which just happens to clash. That is our ‘speak’ for sod it I am going to play a round of golf anyway. Here in Thailand a lot of business is conducted on the golf course and in some companies, it is seen as an actual asset if you can play golf. There are corporate tournaments, amateu...

Posted by - March 21, 2011

Asian Golf Hits a New High

The conclusion of the 2011 Avantha Masters at the DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi was just the result everyone was hoping for, when India golfer SS P Chowrasia won his second European Tour International Schedule victory in his 74th European Tour event. This is a huge boost to sport in the region, where golf is now the fastest expanding sport in India, normally the home to Cricket. SS P made European Tour history with his first win at the 2008 EMAAR –MGF Indian Masters, by winning on his f...

Posted by - March 14, 2011

Westwood to join Jaidee in Asia

Asian golf legend and three-time Asian Tour number one Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand will compete in the inaugural US$750,000 Indonesian Masters next month, joining world number two Lee Westwood of England in the elite field at Royale Jakarta Golf Club. Organisers announced today that PNTS, one of Indonesia’s fastest growing off shore bulk cargo handling companies, Garuda Indonesia, the national flag carrier, and Mercedes-Benz have also signed up as sponsors of Indonesia’s newest Asian Tour tour...

Posted by - March 8, 2011

Thai Golf Balls Launched

Well do you have a favourite golf ball, or do you just tee off with any old brand? Of course if you are lucky to be a professional on the PGA, European or Asian Tours, the manufactures are keen to give you loads of their balls for free. Maybe that's why they theatrically like to throw a brand new golf ball into the lake after a double bogie. However for us happy weekend hackers here in Thailand, golf balls can be a very personal purchase. Maybe you get sucked in by the manufactures marketin...

Posted by - February 10, 2011

Thailand Golf Attracts the Big Stars

Most countries are lucky if they can attract one major golf tournament a year. Thailand on the other hand seems to be able to host more than its fair share of major golf events. In November a certain Mr Tiger Woods made an emotional return to his mother country along with Casey and co. Then along came the Asian Tours Masters in December followed in early January by the Royal Trophy both hosted at Black Mountain in Hua Hin. Now the 2011 season is about to start with most of the top 50 woman in t...

Posted by - February 7, 2011

Where to next? Young Golfers in Thailand

In many countries around the world, golf is suffering from the global recession, and the industry will really begin to suffer unless it starts to focus on its future. You can play a game of football with your mates after school with a ball and a couple of posts for goals. Same for Cricket, you can play the game just with sticks for stumps. But for kids to play golf, they first need to persuade their parents to actually take them to the course, and then they need to rent or maybe buy a set of cl...

Posted by - January 11, 2011

Royal Trophy Cliffhanger Ending!

After the amazing scenes at the 2010 Ryder Cup with Greame MacDowell putting to win, I thought I'd seen it all! Obviously not!!! The Royal Trophy looked like a gimme for Asia, after Europe failed to win one of the four matches on day two at Thailand's Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin.  Asia were needing only two and half points from the eight single matches to clinch victory. Team captain Colin Montgomerie was shell shocked! Monty bravely put on a good front at that evenings pr...

Posted by - January 6, 2011

Back To The Sixties! – Titanium Club in Bangkok

I have to admit I do like to relax after a day on the golf course, perhaps with a cold beer listening to some great music. Once you have discussed all those great shots you thought you made around some of Bangkok’s many wonderful golf courses, had the massage, eaten, then it’s time to hit the town. Bangkok's night life has literally hundreds of bars, night clubs and discos to choose from, ranging from a roadside vans blasting out the hits, to the swanky hotel clubs. Personally I am not into ...

Posted by - January 6, 2011

Media Scrum at Royal Trophy Press Conference!

Interest in the Royal Trophy is already extremely high, with over 250 journalists from Europe and Asia keen to get their pictures and stories, at yesterday’s press conference. Although Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie OBE is here in Thailand, along with a host of top stars, the media’s attention was focused on super star Rio Ishikawa, the Japanese pin up boy. In 2010 Rio made a World record closing round of 12 under par 58 and is returning to represent Asia at the Royal Trophy for a third suc...

Posted by - January 5, 2011

Ryder Cup Fever Comes To Thailand!

The Royal Trophy, the brainchild of the great Seve Ballesteros, arrives in Hua Hin Thailand this month, with a steela cast of top golfers from Europe and Asia. The European team’s captain is none other than the 2010 triumphant Ryder captain, Colin Montgomerie, and when he calls the players can’t wait to play for Europe. Peter Hanson, Thomas Bjorn, Johan Edfors, Matteo Manassero, Henrik Stenson, Pablo Martin and Rhys Davies make up Monty’s team. Rhys Davies emphasised his eagerness to enjoy a tas...

Posted by - April 6, 2010

Golfing in Thailand

I had a chat the other day with my friend Mark Siegel of www.thailandgolfzone.com about golfing in Thailandand he started with a very surprising comment – if any one just wants to play golf, he suggests they stay at home and play golf and not come to Thailand because really it is just the same so what is the point.     However if you want to immerse yourself in a new culture, experience eating food from a different continent every night, spend $1 on dinner one night then $500...

Posted by - March 19, 2010

Should you go to Phuket or Hua Hin (or both)?

   A not uncommon question I am asked is where a person/couple/family should head to – Phuket or Hua Hin – for their golfing holiday. There are a number of issues to look at before the best answer is uncovered. Firstly when do you plan to go? Hua Hin is the driest place in Thailand of all the golfing destinations and is often a better destination to give yourself every chance to play under bright blue skies. Most of Thailand gets a good drenching at some point or anot...

Posted by - March 17, 2010

Thailand Golf Blog is Back in Virtual Print

Hey guys, we are BACK! After a 2 year hiatus the Thailand Golf Blog will become an active golf chat site again with a weekly blog by me, Graham the golfnut, and hopefully other posts from you the golfing public. What can you expect from the new and improved – and well rested – Thailand Golf blog? I will be putting up a lot of new content about what happens on the golf courses around Thailand, where you have to play and where you must not. There will be a few course reviews on brand n...

Posted by - August 2, 2007

Thai Tigresses

My thanks to Mark for his comments on my earlier posting where I talked about the US Women’s Open Golf Championship and commented on the strong showing of Asian lady golfers, particularly the Koreans, the “Seoul Sisters” of golf. Mark asked: “And what about the Thai lady golfers? Maybe a separate post on their progress as this would be very interesting”. So here goes: Whilst no lady Thai golfer has reached prominence yet on the LPGA Tour, there is a whole crop of very talented Thai youngsters c...

Posted by - July 31, 2007

Wet Week In The UK

My recent sporting experiences in the UK confirmed why I prefer to be in Thailand, especially for golf. The week-end before last I went with some friends on a mini golfing break. We had booked a great deal at the Tewkesbury Park Hotel, Golf and Country Club, five minutes off the M5 motorway and about 75 miles from my home in the UK. Two rounds of golf, with buggies, one night’s accommodation, dinner and breakfast, all for £80 (about 160 US$, less than 5,000 baht). On arrival, we were told that ...

Posted by - July 5, 2007

GorgeoUS Golf

As per my previous post, last weekend I watched the Golf Night programme on satellite TV. Having followed the very exciting finish to the European PGA Tour Open de France, I was dissuaded from switching off and going to bed by the sight of some stunning lady golfers gracing the US Women’s Open Golf Championship. Wow! What a change from the days when lady Pro golfers tended to look like retired hockey players! The event was more like a fashion show and many of the participants would not look ou...

Posted by - July 3, 2007

French Connection

This last weekend on satellite TV I caught the Golf Night programme – mainly to ogle the divine Di Stewart. Featured were two events: the European PGA Tour Open de France ALSTOM played at Le Golf National near to Versailles outside of Paris; and the US Women’s Open Golf Championship. The French Open was won by England’s Graeme Storm, a former Amateur Open winner who holed Britain and Ireland’s winning putt in the 1999 Walker Cup match against America. Otherwise, he is best known for crea...

Posted by - June 21, 2007

Golf’s Worst Foursome

An assortment of golfing items for your pleasure today: First, a golf trivia question for you (answer below): For all golfers in the USA who have established official handicaps, is the average handicap over or under 18? Second, congratulations to Tiger Woods (whose mother is of course Thai) and wife, Elin on the birth of their daughter, Sam Alexis Woods, born early Monday morning, June 18th only hours after the very exciting ending of the US Open and Tiger’s missed birdie on the final hole. H...

Posted by - June 15, 2007

“I See”, Said The Blind Man

My attention was drawn this week by a visiting golfer in Thailand, to a golf tournament held earlier last month at Downfield Golf Club in Dundee in Scotland. The tournament was attended by over 20 partially sighted and blind golfers, including Tayside and Fife Blind Golf Society. Most players were accompanied by a guide who assisted in describing distance, direction and characteristics of the hole. They also helped with club alignment. I guess most participants would have thought they would ha...