For repeat golf visitors or first-timers, Thailand continues to be the best golfing destination in Asia, offering numerous outstanding courses and a huge variety of locations and other activities that add extra value to every golf vacation.
Golfers have plenty of choices of where to play. English golf pro Steve Kirk, who has been teaching golf in Thailand since 1975, has compiled a list of more than 250 courses. Approximately 120 of these are well designed, high quality courses with outstanding facilities and clubhouses. The remaining 9-hole and third tier courses dotted around the country ensure that wherever you are in Thailand, there's always a chance for a quick game of golf, any time
More importantly, these top courses are clustered around Thailand’s most popular vacation destinations, ensuring an abundance of quality accommodation and non-golfing activities. These ensure the emphasis is very much on “holiday” in any golfing vacation in Thailand. While serious golfers always enjoy playing on a good course, mixed groups of golfers and non-golfers may well prefer a beach location (Hua Hin, Pattaya, Koh Samui or Phuket), countryside (Chiang Mai, Khao Yai, Kanchanaburi) or Bangkok itself for the wide range of activities each type of destination offers.
Even though Thailand prides itself on offering all-year-round golf, seasonal considerations must be taken into account. Northern hemisphere visitors – for example, Americans, Chinese, Europeans, Japanese and Koreans – escape the cold and snow of their homelands, for the pleasure of playing golf in Thailand from October through to March. Thailand’s high season offers cool, ideal golfing weather. Courses can get a bit crowded, however, and hotel rates are higher.
Despite a greater probability of rain, the low season offers great value vacations. According to Golfasian’s International Sales Manager, Jim Mullet, “The hotel rates are lower, the courses are less crowded, and golf travel agencies offer some very enticing packages. In reality, rain showers are usually fairly brief, maybe giving a delay of 30 minutes or so.”
The key to a successful golfing vacation is a golf travel agent. Don’t try to organize golf holidays on your own, advises Parichote Sukriket of World Splendour Holidays, pointing out the difficulties of communicating with Thai-speaking staff at courses, getting booking confirmations – and even sometimes finding the golf course. “Travel agents take the headache out of organizing a game of golf – confirming tee times, arranging caddies, ensuring smooth transfers. The client can just concentrate on enjoying a great round of golf.”
Leading travel agent Golfasian Co. Ltd organizes packages for singles as well as groups of 2 or 200. It always tailors vacations to suit a client’s requirements and provides advice on accommodation, courses and destinations for repeat golfers looking to conquer new courses or newcomers wanting to experience Thailand’s reputation as a vacation and golfing paradise. (See www.golfasian.com)
Golf tours are not aimed solely at serious golfers. Thailand’s tourist attractions invite mixed groups as well. “We can set up parallel activities for golfers and non-golfers,” Golfasian’s Managing Director Mark Siegel explains. “During the day, non-golfers get to do sightseeing, shopping, spa massage, lazing on the beach or some sort of soft adventure, while the golfers are on the course. They meet together in the evening. So they all get to enjoy a good holiday.”
For large groups, Golfasian will arrange a tournament with welcome dinner, practice rounds, awards ceremony and farewell party, as well as accommodation, sightseeing excursions and a host of other activities that make for a very special tour. “It usually works out well for the client as Thailand is still a very economical golf destination,” says Siegel. As an example of cost, he points out that a US$2,000 golf vacation in Thailand would be $4,000 in Spain and $5,000 in Hawaii. Daily golf rounds are roughly $100 and double that for the top courses.
Golfers in the know prefer the professional assistance of golf travel agencies where they are assured of good value, good service and reliability for their precious holiday. So how should one select the right agent? “Shop around on the internet,” advises Siegel. There are websites for a variety of agents, offering different areas of expertise. Some focus on the Asian market – China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore – using their cultural and linguistic backgrounds to target the needs of these specific markets.
Others like Golfasian serve western tourists, using good knowledge of courses and hotels, coupled with Thai-speaking staff, to put together fixed and tailor-made golf packages to suit individual needs. Siegel suggests using the internet to find out what agents have to offer: ask questions, check testimonials from previous clients, and ask for a proposal from different agents. “Go with whatever proposal suits your needs and budget.”
Visiting businessmen with a day to spare in a hectic schedule can usually organize a quick game of golf through the hotel concierge, many of whom have contacts with regular golf suppliers. Alternatively, World Splendour Holidays offers daily golf packages through tour counters in many Bangkok hotels that include green and caddie fees, transfers, English-speaking coordinator and even free use of golf sets. (see www.worldsplendour.co.th/). For a touch of luxury, Golf a la Cart Ltd specialises in very high-end services for discerning golfers looking for that extra special touch. (see www.golfalacart-thailand.com/)
Based in Pattaya and Chiang Mai, Coco Golf Thailand has a reputation for inexpensive, tried-and-tested golf tours usually of 12 to 14 days duration between October and March. These cater primarily to British and European golfers in their winter off-season, and include accommodation, golf at different courses on half of the days, all transfers, welcome and farewell dinners, plus options for excursions and extra golf – as well as advice on restaurants, spas and entertainment spots. As an example of cost, its January 2008 tour targets Pattaya with 12 nights’ accommodation and 6 days of golf starting from 28,500 baht (465 pounds sterling) depending on the hotel of choice. (see www.cocogolf.net/)
While every golfer comes to Thailand wanting to play great courses, a surprising number also want coaching. “No matter what their standard, we get many requests for coaching from visiting golfers,” explains teaching pro Steve Hamilton. “One of the main reasons is to get their game into shape for the start of their home golf season.” He rates Bangkok as the best location for coaching because of the large number of golf courses around the capital, all with practice facilities. There are also numerous golf schools and golf travel agents with in-house professionals to handle golf instruction packages.
For players wanting some friendly competition during their golf vacation, there are a number of interesting golf societies in major destinations that welcome visiting golfers for contests with strong social sides. (See attachment).
To aid golfers planning their golf vacations, Golfasian and World Splendour Holidays both produce golf maps, providing concise details of each course, including a brief description, green fees, contact information and location. Golfasian’s “Thailand Golfmap 2007” is a downloadable e-map, concentrating on 120 top courses with special roadmaps. It retails at $9.95 through its website.
“Golf Thailand Guide Map to 250 Courses” for 2008, is now in its 5th edition, painstakingly compiled by English pro Steve Kirk and retailing for $9.95 through bookstores in Thailand and the World Splendour Holidays website. Kirk believes in detailing information on every single golf course in Thailand, from tiny 9-hole layouts to superstar international courses, giving golfers the widest possible choice of where to play, even to the extent of getting off the beaten track.
For the final word on golf in Thailand, www.thailandgolfzone.com is a blog covering everything you need to know about golf vacations in Thailand – how to plan them, where to go, reviews of top courses, golf playing tips, the latest golf news, plus information on non-golfing activities, Thai festivals, even a take on the food and drink that makes Thailand such an exciting place to visit.
The Big Names
Serious golfers have opportunities to see some of the world’s top names work their golfing magic at international tournaments held regularly in Thailand.
In May 2008, Thailand will be hosting The Royal Trophy – Europe vs Asia Golf Championship, a relatively new team matchplay competition described as “the great battle of the two continents”. Some of the best players from Europe play against their counterparts in Asia in a spectacular series of matches to compete for stewardship over the Royal Trophy – graciously donated by Thailand’s revered monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX.
The legendary Seve Ballesteros has been confirmed as Captain of the European Team for this third Royal Trophy - Europe vs Asia Golf Championship, which is to be played at the exclusive Amata Spring Country Club near Bangkok. Naomichi ‘Joe’ Ozaki, the ‘Japanese golfing great’ and one of Asia's most successful players will captain the Asian Team.
The Johnnie Walker Classic returned to Thailand for the sixth time in April 2007, when young South African Anton Haig beat out his more famous countrymen Ernie Els and Retief Goosen to claim the trophy at the famed Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket. Previous winners in Thailand include Tiger Woods, Greg Norman and Miguel Jiminez.
Nor do the men have it all their own way. In October 2007, LPGA superstars such as Anika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer, Se Ri Pak, Morgan Pressel and eventual winner Suzann Pettersen lit up the fairways of Siam Country Club in Pattaya during the Honda LPGA Thailand 2007.
The Royal Trophy – Europe vs Asia Golf Championship
www.theroyaltrophy.com
Golf Societies around Thailand
Chiang Mai
The Royal League
www.theroyalleague.com
Chiang Mai Social Golfers
www.chiangmaigolfers.blogspot.com
Phuket
Phuket Expats Golf Society
www.expatgolf.com
Mulligan Golf Society
toto@phuket.ksc.co.th
Hua Hin
Hua Hin Golf Society
www.huahingolfsociety.com
Pattaya
Pattaya Sports Club
www.pattayasports.org
Pattaya Golf Society
www.thebunkerboys.com
Bangkok
Bangkok Wanderers GC
www.bkkbwgc.com
Honorable Golf Society of Hogs Breath Masters
www.hogsbreathgolf.com
Finnegan’s Golf Society
www.finnegansthailand.com/golf.htm
Scandinavian Society Siam
www.zabaigolf.com
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