Thailand?

[Ben Voelker]

I'm heading to Thailand this upcoming June and would like to know if anyone knows anything about golf in Thailand?  Is there anyone here who would be able to recommend some courses over there?  Thanks in advance.

[Micah Woods]

A listing of most Thailand courses is available at the TGA website: www.tga.or.th

Royal Hua Hin Golf Club is the oldest course in Thailand and is on land well-suited for golf.

On the northern slopes of Ko Samui, the Santiburi Samui Country Club has spectacular views and some unforgettable holes, most notably the downhill par 5 17th which consists of a blind drive over a ridge to a plummeting fairway that descends perhaps 40 meters from the landing area to the green.

For a country with so much coastline, there are few courses right along the ocean. The course with the most ocean frontage is the Tublamu Navy golf course, and it is opening this month after rebuilding from the devastating damage of last December's tsunami.

Schmidt-Curley have been building and renovating a few courses in Thailand recently, and the renovated Muang Kaew GC is close to Bangkok and has challenging approach shots on a really flat piece of property. The new 9 at Springfield CC near Hua Hin looks to be really good, and the private Amata Spring CC can be seen on television in January when Asia takes on Europe in the Royal Trophy.

[rjsimper]

I played Santiburi in Koh Samui this past May.  It's a fun design, though really of little architectural significance, of course.  

Set in the mountains high above Maenam Beach, it terraces its way up and down the mountain (though surprisingly, some of the holes are set to go straight up or down the hillside).  There are some SPECTACULAR views, and some holes that defy logic - nothing overly unfair or goofy (well....maybe a couple), but there were definitely a fair share of memorable shots.

It's around 90 bucks to play, and it was in perfectly playable shape when I was there.  The all-female caddie corps is universally clad in pinkish mauve jumpsuits and white hats.

Here are a few pictures of note, but the course was a feature story for one of the (the only?) major Thailand or southeast asian golf publications.

I apologize if my memory fails me on the hole numbers-


2nd Tee - and I thought it appropriate to include the hilarious rental clubs that they gave me (Hippo woods and Yuki Irons)



One of the par 3s on the front nine



This was a really cool hole - maybe 6 or 7... one of the best from a design standpoint on the course - it reminds me of that one hole at Ekwanok (Brad Tufts will ream me for forgetting the number...5 I think) but standing on the tee, you dont know if you are supposed to go around the hill, or over it - I figured any self respecting designer would want to tempt the big hitter to fly the hill...so thats where I went, on a leap of faith.  The caddie told me (in broken English) that I should reload.  So I did.  But we got up there and I caught the downslope off the back side of the hill and sent it to within 75 yards of the green (410 yard hole)




The drop-shot par 3 8th (I think?)  Site of my only birdie.



The goofy and visually intimidating 14th (I think...)




The view from the 17th - that's my tee ball in the fairway, 320 yards from the green.  I went for it in two (it is THAT downhill)


Here is the view looking back up the 17th fairway - they always say pictures don't do hills justice, and this is little exception - I had to laugh at the golf hole, but it was a hell of a lot of fun!

Anyhow, I enjoyed myself - I played like crap, but c'mon, it's Thailand - what are you doing on a golf course anyway?  

[Brian_Ewen]

Ben
I have spent the last umpteen Scottish Winters in the Far East , and I am presently golfing on the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand .

What area are you travelling to , and I will advise more .

Ask away .

Brian

[Mick]

Hey Brian,

I'm heading out to Thailand on the 1st.  I've been quite a few times before but not for about 5 years.  Any golf I'll be playing will be in and around Bangkok for the most part.  I've played a few of the courses around there such as Green Valley, Thana City, Bangkok Golf Club, Panya Indra & Hills, Krungthep-Kreetha, the Air Force Course, and Laemchabang.

Is there anything of note that you'd recommend I play or replay?  I played most of these before I had any clue abour course architecture.

Cheers

Mick

[Brian_Ewen]

Mick
Well of those you mention .

Green Valley, Thana City, Bangkok Golf Club, Panya Indra are all pretty poor in my opinion .

Krungthep-Kreetha is always worth playing .

If we are thinking of the same Air Force course , at Don Muang airport ? , then it may be closed to Foreigners at the moment , due to security concerns .

Panya Hill , after two name changes , is now known as Crystal Bay   . Considering its Ronald Fream , its not too bad , and I know a lot of people are raving about just now , because its in unusually fab. condition .

Have'nt played Laem Chabang in 4 years . They jacked the price up and made it mandatory carts and caddies , which totally puts me off . Also between Dec. and Mar. it is pretty much full of visiting Koreans , who like that Jack Nicklaus type thing .

I really prefer the old courses , which there isnt many off , but I do recommend Bangphra on the eastern side , south of Bangkok. An old style course with some lovely holes played through mature land with loads of wildlife .

Siam CC , is the closest course to Pattaya , and another of the older courses in the area . It may be worth playing as it will only be open until March before closing , and being dug up and redesigned by Curley & Schmidt .

On the western coast , south of Bangkok , I love Royal Hua Hin . The oldest course in Thailand built by a Scotsman . It has some mundane holes , but again its a wonderful mature setting , and its in the town itself , so very easy to get to .

Do you mean you will here on the 1st of Jan . ? . We are all heading to Amata Spring CC , just south of Bangkok , on the first weekend of Jan. for Asia vs Europe comp. Should be fun .

Best Regards.
Brian

[RJ_Daley]

While I can't tell you anything about where to play there, it sounds pretty good to listen to a regular playing companion of mine.  He is a retired-disabled firefighter who is single and mid 50s.  He has been going to Thailand every year from Dec-April for the last several years.  He says he lives there cheaper than he does in Green Bay.  He pays about $1200 for a seasonal membership, plays every day and has some reciprocal playing privledges at a couple other courses.  He was there last year during the Tsunami and said where he was in the inland area, nothing was affected and you would have never known a catastrophe was going on down on the coast.  He called the courses he plays there adequate, not as good as most we play here.