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Home > Activities > Thailand Golf Paradise
THAILAND
GOLF PARADISE
If
you have never played golf in Thailand,
you are missing out on a wonderful adventure. Thailand
iseverybody's favourite tourism destination, with so
much to see and do; a land of elephants and smiling
Thais, with beautiful scenery, fabulous beaches and
warm seas; most of all it is a sunny tropical paradise
were you can play golf all year round.
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Golf
has been played in Thailand for almost 100 years,
with games reported at the Royal Bangkok Sports
Club as early as 1905. The first recognized 18-early
as 1905 The first recognized 18-hole course Royal
Hua Hin, popular known as The Railway - was built
in 1924 in the aristocratic seaside resort of
Hua Hin. For decades after that, golf was enjoyed
by the privileged few; the golf explosion is fairly
recent. Just look at the courses listed in this
guide; about 80% were built in the 1990s during
Thailand's great economic boom. |
Wealthy
entrepreneurs invested in first class layouts, inviting
some of the greatest names in golf to add their design
skills. Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr., Pete
Dye, Gary Player and many others have perfected modern
layouts, using the best grasses and latest techniques.
The
result is some of the most attractive courses in Asia,
with excellent facilities, memorable signature holes
and regular maintenance to keep them in top-class
condition. Large, well-constructed clubhouses ensure
you begin and end your game in style.
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In
them you will find air-conditioned changing facilities,
restaurants, bars and rooms for post-tournament
functions. Some offer massage and sauna; others
have accommodation for really keen golfers. Many
courses have practice areas, usually with a pro
to tune up your game. You can rent a golf cart,
hire clubs and shoes, and buy a souvenir hat at
the pro-shop. |
Most
importantly, every course has its caddies; it's mandatory
to employ one for your round. They are Thailand's secret
weapon in making golf such good fun. These brightly
clad ladies, in smart uniforms and straw hats, know
lots about the course, smile almost all the time, and
can read putts far better than you. Don't forget to
tip them, because you are bound to play better in their
care.
"Every
course has its own caddies and they are Thailand's
secret weapon in making golf such good fun."
These
wonderful courses are invariably located close to
Thailand's major tourism destinations, ensuring you
can enjoy your golf and have a good holiday at the
same time. So if you want to bring your family along,
they are assured of lots of activities and interesting
places to visit.
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Our
capital of Bangkok has many great courses spread
throughout the city and its suburbs, mostly within
30-60 minutes drive; the popular seaside resorts
of Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phuket have a superb array
of layouts, many with views of the ocean. If you
prefer greenery and mountains, then the northern
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of Chiang Mai and Chian Rai, Nakhon Ratchasima in the
Northeast, or Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai in the
West are excellent alternative.
Our
updated guide identifies all these superb courses, giving
brief summaries of their layout and character, with
contact numbers and addresses for booking. We also include
suggestions for interesting places to visit, and ideas
for tour packages.
It
is so easy to play in Thailand, and inexpensive as
well. In fact, it is probably less expensive to play
here than it is in your own country. So why not come
and visit Thailand, the golfing paradise of Asia.
We will welcome you with a smile.
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 Bangkok
& Central Region
There are many championship-standard
courses in Bangkok and around the city perimeter, while
the neighbouring provinces of Pathum Thani to the north,
Nakhon Pathom to the northwest, and Chachoengsao to the
east, each boast a number of world-class facilities. |
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region is the major rice bowl of the country, and many
of the courses have been carved out of rice paddies, compensating
for the flat terrain with beautiful layouts and lots of
water hazards. The older courses have shadier fairways,
with mature vegetation, making it pleasant to play even
in the most torrid months |
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Eastern
Region
The provinces on the Eastern Seaboard
are major agricultural and industrial producers. In the
past decade, recreational golf has grown in step with
the industrial estates, with new courses springing up
to serve the expatriates and local enthusiasts. Some of
the most famous names in golf have created impressive
layouts with first-class facilities out of the rocky and
sandy |
terrain.
Some cater to serious players, others to the holiday golfers,
and yet others fall somewhere in between.
Golfing
action is centred around Chon Buri and Pattaya. Just two
hours' drive from the capital, the area is ideal for day
trips, though most courses, if they don't have their own
hotels, are within a short drive of good accommodation. |
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Western
Region
Golf
in the Western region is centred in the Hua Hin and Cha
am area, and around
the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi. Hua Hin and Cha-am are
both resort towns on the Gulf of Thailand, with excellent
hotel accommodation. The Royal Hua Hin Golf Course is
the oldest course in Thailand. The weather on the coastline
here
is pleasant for most of the year, with cooling breezes
offering
respite from the sun even in the hottest months.
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Kanchanaburi,
which like the two resort towns is around two hours by
road from Bangkok, is known primarily as the site of the
historic Bridge Over the River Kwai. Now, however, it
is becoming known as an attractive destination for recreational
golfers, with several world-class courses in picturesque
settings. The courses have their own accommodation onsite
or nearby. There are resort hotels along the river but
few in the town itself, so reservations are advisable.
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Northern
Region
The North is ideal for a golf
holiday, with its long mountain ranges, wide valleys and
spectacular jungle scenery within easy reach of culture-rich
cities, and pleasant weather year-round. Because of
the altitude it is cooler than other regions, with temperature
in the single digits in the cool months of December and
January.
The
regional capital of Chiang Mai, 700 kilometres from Bangkok,
has the biggest number of golf courses, most with
magnificent views of surrounding hills and valleys.
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Chiang
Rai, three hours' drive further north boasts a number
of championship
courses in picturesque settings.
Around the region are gems of courses owned and run by
the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand,in areas
surrounding its dams, with moderate albeit comfortable
accommodation nearby. |
Northeastern
Region
Golf
in the Northeast is centred around the Khao Yai area in
Nakhon Ratchasima, gateway to the region, about three
hours' drive from Bangkok. Khao Yai, the largest protected
area in the country, enjoys the status of a National Park.
The area is at a fairly high altitude, so the weather
is pleasant all year round, with temperatures
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averaging
7-8 degrees Celsius lower than in Bangkok. It is possible
to drive to Khao Yai, enjoy a round of golf and then return
to Bangkok within the day, but there is first-rate accommodation
in the area if you choose to stay for a few days |
Southern
Region
The
major resort towns on the southern peninsula, known for
their pristine beaches and first-class facilities,
are also home to some of the best golf anywhere. The island
of Phuket off the western coast has some of the country's
best courses, including the Blue Canyon, host to the
Johnnie Walker Classic in 1994 and again in 1998.
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Neighbouring
Phang-nga, also on the coast of the Andaman, has one of
only
a handful of links-type facilities in the country. The
island of Samui has just one golf club, the Samui Golf
Club & Driving Range, with professional golf instructors.
The southern courses have
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been
carved out of tin-mine workings and coconut plantations,
and are set against spectacular backdrops of ocean,
mountains and wooded hills.For a full list of golf courses
in Thailand, see the next 3 pages.
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