Category Archives: Thailand Golf Related Activities (Nightlife, Spas, Sightseeing)

Focus turns to SE Asia for professional and amateur golf events

Next week, the LIV Golf tour stars will arrive in Singapore with their “loud” style golf at Sentosa’s top golf course. Starting from April 28th-30th the stars will be battling it out on this iconic course playing for a mere US$20 million. Around the corner in Thailand, from June onwards also starts a wave of mega Amateur Tournaments with over 500 competitors playing in the Centara World Masters in Hua Hin from 11th-17th. This event has been sold out for months but there are still a few places u...

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...

Will Khao Yai become Thailand’s Newest Golf Destination?

Khao Yai, relatively unknown outside of Thailand golfers,  is a mere 2 hours from Bangkok and is the home of Thailand’s second largest national park. Will this area develop into a full-fledged golf destination for tourists? The short answer is maybe and here are the reasons why and why not.

Where To Golf In Thailand – A City Or A Resort?

Thailand has 5 main golf destinations, two are cities (Bangkok and Chiang Mai) and three are beach resorts (Hua Hin, Pattaya, and Phuket). Bangkok is home to over 10 million residents. However, it’s safe to say that Bangkok has the most golf courses of any destination in Thailand. There are 60 golf courses located within 1 hour from the center of Bangkok; of which 20 or so are well-suited for visitor play. Bangkok also has world-class hotels, the best restaurants in Thailand, and a wide range of...

Golf In Egypt Versus Golf In Thailand

Here are my rankings on the golfing in these 2 countries on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being best. Quality (30%) Egypt (6): Golf in the Egypt is widespread, especially in the resort areas such as Taba and Sharm El-Sheikh. Additionally, the Gary Player course at Soma Bay Resort is a sure standout. A high concentration of golf courses can also be found are in and around Cairo with the 27-hole Katameya Heights leading the pack. Thailand (7): Over 250 golf courses in Thailand are spread out across the ...

Chiang Mai Golf Magic

I am used to the frenetic pace of golf in Bangkok or golf in Pattaya, so whenever I head north get a real treat when I golf in Chiang Mai. For the best Chiang Mai golf resort, I check into The Chedi Chiang Mai where I feel always welcome at Chiang Mai’s only five-star hotel located on the Mae Ping River.  Close by, I explore the temples and check out the night bazaar, a mere five minute walk away. For the best golf in Chiang Mai, I drive out of town past rice fields, buffaloes, and mountains to ...

Après Golf Fine Dining in Hua Hin

Here are a few fine dining do’s and don’ts for Hua Hin golfers that were complied by long time area resident, gastronomical expert, and Swiss Amateur Golf Team captain Marco Scopetta. If you plan to spend few days golfing in Hua Hin, these are the best restaurants you can experience after your round. The well-established Sofitel Centara Grand Resort and Villas has become the Centara Grand Beach Resort and Villas Hua Hin. While the Hua Hin resort has been rebranded, the incredible Saturday night ...

LPGA Shines In Thailand

Thailand knows how to put on a show, and the top LPGA players will be at the Honda LPGA Thailand this month. With the worlds 59 best lady golfers in attendance, the Siam Country Club in Pattaya will be the perfect backdrop to kick off the LPGA tour season in style.This popular tournament was launched in 2006 when a certain Miss Hee-Won Han from South Korea won the inaugural event. Since then the likes of Suzann Petersen from Norway, Lorena Ochoa from Mexico , Ai Miyazato from Japan, Yanni Tseng ...

PGA Golf Tournament In Khao Yai Solidifies Panorama’s Reputation...

Khao Yai’s Panorama Golf and Country Club, managed by Quality Golf, hosted its first ever professional event in the Thailand golf course’s 18 year history. Played over 3 days in April the Thailand Senior Professional Golfers Association tournament was won by local Thai favorite Jamnian Chitprasong. Quality Golf managed to keep the usually tricky greens at a speed of 9.5 feet during the tournament. However, keeping the ball below the hole still proved to be sound advice for the top finishers. T...

Lady Golf Stars Shine In Thailand Once Again

Thailand knows how to put on a show, and the top LPGA players were all on display at the Honda LPGA Thailand this weekend. With virtually all the star names in contention, the Siam Country Club in Pattaya provided the perfect backdrop to kick off the 2011 LPGA tour season in style. This popular tournament was launched in 2006 when a certain Miss Hee-Won Han from South Korea won the inaugural event. Since then the likes of Suzann Petersen from Norway, Lorena Ochoa from Mexico and Ai Miyazato fro...

Bangkok Dining

Many on a Thailand golf package spend at least a few days in Thailand’s capital during their golf holiday as it offers convenient flight connections to around the world in addition to great golf, high standard accommodation, shopping, dining and entertainment. I am often asked for restaurant suggestions and while I do not claim to be a foodie, I know what I like. Here is a brief list of some of my favorites: ITALIANThere are many good Italian restaurants all over Bangkok in various price ranges...

Top Non Golf Thailand Attractions

Want to plan an Asian golf vacation but also need to make sure your non-golfing travel partners are happy?  No problem.  Below are some of the more popular non-golf activities to include on your Thailand golf holiday itinerary. All Over ThailandMassage:  Thai massage, Swedish massage, sports massage, foot massage, neck & shoulder massage, fish massage, aroma therapy, hot stone therapy and more.  You are never far from a spa in Thailand.  Most good hotels have t...

Top Non Golf Thailand Attractions

Want to plan a Thailand golf vacation but also need to make sure your non-golfing travel partners are happy?  No problem.  Below are some of the more popular non-golf activities to include on your golf holiday itinerary. All Over ThailandMassage:  Thai massage, Swedish massage, jet lag massage, sports  or golf massage, foot massage, neck & shoulder massage, fish massage, aroma therapy, hot stone therapy and more. You are never far from a spa in Thailand. Most good ho...

Best Place For A Relaxed Thailand Golf Retreat

Chiang Rai is away from the crowds and still offers a great golf holiday.  Thailand’s northern most city of significance, Chiang Rai may not have a quantity of golf courses but with Santiburi Chiang Rai Country Club it certainly has quality.  And with conditions at Waterford Valley Golf Club having improved in recent years there are now two courses well worth checking out.  A variety of cultural attractions in the area also add appeal with the Golden Triangle, the Queen Mother...

Best Place For a Thailand Golf With Nightlife Holiday

Depends on what you are looking for.  For raw and wild “in your face’ action Pattaya is the place for many. Golf lovers can play the 2 excellent Siam Country Club courses in between visits to the infamous Walking Street.  Be prepared though, for some the action is just too much and it spoils the otherwise wide selection of reasonably priced Pattaya golf courses For those Thailand golfers who can do without the bar scene but a Jazz Festival sounds appealing?… Hua Hin is it. Man...

Honda LPGA Thailand Ladies Golf Event Comes Back To Pattaya

The Honda LPGA golf tournament will return to Pattaya on February 26. After a 1 year absence, the event will be held once again at Siam Country Club. However, this time the golf tournament will be held on the more challenging Siam Country Club, Plantation Course instead of the 2007 tournament site, the Siam Country Club Old Course. The new venue should make for some great golf, even if the scores are on the high side. Two young pro golfers from Thailand, Thidapa Suwannapura, and 13 year old Mor...

Asian PGA Tour a Frequent Visitor to Thailand in 2009 (part 1 of

 Asian PGA Tour players would do well to brush up on their Thai language skills, as the tour will be making several golf stops in Thailand during 2009 with the season beginning and ending in the Kingdom and more events along the way. Great Thai golf courses and weather, combined with world class accommodations and famous Thai hospitality have apparently charmed the Tour into coming back again and again, much as it has for growing numbers of international holiday golfers and travelers....

Hole-In-One Prize When Golfing In Thailand

 What have you wished for if you could get a hole-in-one on your Thailand golf vacation? Well how about this fitness guarantee? Last week while golfing in Pattaya I ran across this great hole-in-one prize at Rayong Green Valley Golf Club. What better way could the golf club owners think of  to reward the most accomplished (lucky) golfers in Thailand with a prize to guarantee the winner's longevity and golfing career. On the other hand, a check up at the most expensive hospital in...

Thailand: Golf and My 2008 Ryder Cup Plans

If you are planning a Thailand golfing holiday later this year, you may wish to consider being here at the same time as the Ryder Cup. The 2008 USA versus Europe shootout is scheduled for the weekend of 19-21 September at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Thailand is a great place to catch all of the action on TV at one of the many sports bars in the main golfing centers. Valhalla is the Jack Nicklaus designed course where Tiger Woods beat Bob May in a thrilling US PGA play-off in 2000...

Junior Golf Tournament, Phuket Thailand

If you are enjoying a family golfing holiday in Phuket at the end of this month, it is still not too late for your children to enter the The KTO Junior Golf Challenge which will take place at Laguna Phuket Golf Club on May 29 and 30. There are 10 categories in this international 36-hole junior tournament. It is open to boys and girls aged from six to 17 years old who hold a current recognized handicap card, or certificate of competence for children aged eight years old and under. The format wil...

Siam Country Club, Pattaya: Site Of Honda LPGA Thailand 2007

The new Siam Country Club in Pattaya, a par-72 that will play at 6,469 yards, will be showcased during the Honda LPGA Thailand, October 25-28.This will be the first professional golf tournament held at the Siam Country Club, Pattaya after renovations were completed in 2007. Siam Country Club, Pattaya, one of the best golf courses in Thailand, has been opened for more than 35 years and is the oldest golf course in Pattaya. It is situated among breathtaking views on an 800 rai land pl only 15 min...

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, ...

Ladies Golf in Thailand

Whenever I am traveling overseas and extolling the attractions of golfing in Thailand, sometimes I hear men whining, “Oh, my wife would not let me go on a Thailand golf trip”.  In fact, I am seeing a growing trend where couples are favoring a Thailand golf tour over more traditional destinations. Also, my Thailand golf travel company is hosting more and more dedicated lady golf groups. Thailand is indeed a ‘Paridise For Lady Golfers‘, not just because of its wide range of golf ...

Pattaya Golf Societies: Part 2 or 2

Here is the continuation of my post on Pattaya golf social clubs, staring with the conclusion on the Pattaya Sports Club (PSC) and then covering some of the lesser clubs in Pattaya. Weekly PSC Golf is run through several member groups operating from different venues in Pattaya, notably Cafe Kronborg, Tropical Bert’s Bar and Lewinsky’s Bar/Restaurant. This is to accommodate the large number of golfers who want a wide range of golf courses, competition formats and starting times.  PSC also or...

Pattaya Golf Societies: Part 1 or 2

Golf in Pattaya and the Thai eastern seaboard is some of the best in Thailand. As such it is no coincidence that Pattaya also hosts numerous regular golf societies and has by far the largest in Thailand, The Pattaya Sports Club, founded in mid-1979. At that time, Pattaya was a quiet, out-of-the-way seaside fishing village. Weekenders came mostly from Bangkok to enjoy the beach, water sports, and breezy outdoor seafood restaurants. The locals were mainly fishermen and small shop owners. Among the...

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 ...

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 societi...

Thai Golf Societies

As with many other places in the world, Thailand has its fair share of golf societies (clubs). There are many regular golf groups in the main Thailand golf destinations for travelers, especially Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Hua Hin. Apart from the natural tendency for golfers to play with the people they socialize with, there is one other very good reason for this. Thailand golf club memberships can be very expensive, even though memberships can be traded or sold. In any case, most golfers wan...

Thailand Guest House, Is It Suitable For A Thailand Golf Vacation

Some of you planning a golf trip to Thailand may wonder about staying in a guest house to save costs during your Thailand golf holiday. Unless you specify a particular location, I usually suggest that you would be better staying in a recommended and, if possible, internationally branded hotel. Let me explain. In Europe and the USA you are likely to find a wide selection of bed and breakfasts, which are most always clean and comfortable at a reasonable cost. This is not the case in Thailand. In t...

Insider’s Guide To Non Golf Activities in Bangkok Thailand

Here are the final 8 of my best suggestions for non golf and non tourist activities to do while winding down or taking a day off from your Bangkok golf. 9. Take a walk in the park. Lumpini Park, at the intersection of Silom Road and Rama IV, is the city’s oldest and most popular park. It’s location near the centre of the business district means that is attracts an upscale early morning crowd of exercisers and Tai Chi practitioners from the time it opens at 6am until around 8am. The p...