PARADISE FOR LADY GOLFERS
Among Thailand's growing number of travel accolades, Thailand is rapidly emerging as a 'Golfing Paradise for Ladies', not just because of its wide range of international courses and facilities, but also thanks to all those other pluses that ladies enjoy - fabulous spas, world-class cuisine, lots of value-for-money shopping....
Plus there's little discrimination here. Ladies are very welcome. Clubhouses have changing facilities for ladies, spas and beauty salons, pleasant 19th hole refreshment areas, and often a lively karaoke room. You don't even have to be a member to play at most clubs.
It's purely economic - can you afford to play? Not that it's too difficult, with green fees averaging around $30, and never exceeding $100. Invariably ladies are welcomed with open arms. "Most courses are pleased to see our ladies group," explains long-time UK resident Penny Whalley, "probably because we play very early mid-week when they are usually empty."
Things may get even better. The March edition of PGA Magazine focuses strongly on women golfers, highlighting moves by US professional associations to encourage more women to play golf, primarily to fill up the more than 14,000 golf courses across the USA.
How does this effect Thailand? Well, the marketing gurus plan to use high media profiles to create role model equivalents of Tiger Woods -- such as Anika Sorenstam, Michele Wie, Grace Park and even young Thai-Korean Aree Song -- to attract more ladies into the golfing world. Add to this better golf equipment for ladies, designer clothing, innovative teaching methods and you have a package whose benefits will undoubtedly trickle down to Thailand.
So why is Thailand so popular for golf? First and foremost we offer sunshine golf all year round in a pleasant tropical climate. That's a big attraction for golfers freezing in Scandinavia and Canada, or snow-bound in Korea and Japan. Little wonder that charter planes full of eager golfers are big business between Seoul and Bangkok or Chiang Mai between November and March.
There are more than 100 international standard golf courses in Thailand, lovingly designed by legendary names like Robert Trent Jones Jr, Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye, and concentrated around the major tourist destinations of Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai and Kanchanaburi. Ideal for holiday golf!
All have luxurious, air-conditioned clubhouses with quality changing facilities and restaurants, pro shops to buy souvenir clothing or rent clubs, golf carts to make playing easier and keep out of the sun, precious drinks huts every couple of holes... and phenomenal caddies.
Caddies are Thailand's best-kept golfing secret. Mandatory, 95% of them female, they ensure the smooth running of Thailand's golf courses. Lady golfers need never feel alone while happy, smiling caddies in their straw hats and bright uniforms usher them from tee to green. Along the way they measure distances, help select clubs, read putts with uncanny certainty and keep your score.
However, it is the little graceful touches that make them so beloved. "They smile when my game is not good, offer me drinks, produce a chair when the game is slow, and keep me cool with a fan between shots," says Mrs. Whalley. All this for an incredible fee of about $8!
THE THAILAND AMATEUR LADIES GOLD ASSOCIATION (TALGA)
The superb facilities for lady golfers can trace their beginnings back to 1978 when various clubs bonded together to form what is now the Thailand Amateur Ladies Golf Association (TALGA). Its prime objective was to raise the standards of ladies golf in Thailand to be able to compete internationally. In doing so, they focused attention on golf facilities for ladies, encouraging standards to be raised at courses as well.
TALGA's dynamic President RaeVadee T. Suwan has just returned from China, where Thailand came creditably third in the 26th Queen Sirikit Cup, Asia's international amateur team championship for ladies that was initiated in Thailand. Always willing to promote ladies golf in Thailand, she says visiting ladies can check the TALGA website for information on where to play or train, or contact the TALGA office for assistance.
LEARNING TO PLAY
Where can you learn? Driving ranges and golf courses usually have professionals to teach beginners (and help players improve their game). Prices vary depending on the programme , but average $25 an hour for one on one or shared with lady friends. Few offer special courses for ladies, although Kim Inglis, CEO of Golfthink, offers a one-day ' Lady on the Links ' that includes lunch, a spa treatment and 9-hole playing lesson, or his getting-you-started 20-hour 'Ladies Think Golf Programme' at a mere $500.
The easiest place to start is your local driving range. Notice boards usually list contacts for the instructors, or the pro shop will put you in touch with its head professional. Ranges can be huge super complexes such as All Star and Sports City, described as department stores with driving ranges given their extensive facilities, restaurants and shops, including opportunities to test drive new equipment.
Others are much simpler, like Sukhumvit Soi 18, traditionally a bastion of Japanese and Korean golfers -- ladies in the daytime, the men at night. "About 90% of our customers are non-Thai," says Mrs Gaew, the range manager. "We even have specialist Japanese and Korean instructors to facilitate the learning process." Website www.thaigolfer.com lists and grades the main driving ranges. Try one near you!
Best of all is to learn at a golf school. Leading the way is Heartland Golf Schools, under the direction of Tony Meechai, a charismatic US PGA instructor who even has his own regular TV reaching spot. HGS has schools in 11 locations, mostly in Bangkok, with 31 professionals teaching on 21 different training programmes . To date they have handled almost 8,000 students, 80% of whom were absolute beginners.
"Heartland Golf Schools are from the USA, but here we are using Thai resources and professionals to make learning affordable to everyone," explains Pro Tony. Prices vary from programme to programme , although lessons average about $200 for 10 sessions.
For levels of beginner through advanced, programmes include private lessons (one on one), group classes, Superstar courses for juniors and playing practice on the golf course. HGS also works in conjunction with Royal Springfield Golf Course to offer two and three-day residential courses at its golf village in Hua Hin.
While HGS does not have special programs for ladies, the school at All Star offers morning ladies' orientation courses. "More ladies are learning golf these days because of the social atmosphere at many driving ranges, where they can learn with their friends," Pro Tony adds. HGS also believes golf should be fun. Their introductory courses more resemble giant aerobic dance classes than the traditionally sedate instruction.
Sometimes it is easy to learn by yourself, particularly if you own the golf course. Suchada Yuvaboon of the Rose Garden Country Club was always too busy to play golf. When she retired two years ago, she astounded her friends by appearing on the driving range to take golfing lessons.
She now plays nine holes regularly most mornings. "Asian ladies don't like to be in the sun," she explains, "so I tee-off at 6 am and can finish 9 holes before breakfast. But I play with two balls, so I have an 18-hole score!"
ENJOYING A GAME
Ready to play? With more than 100 delightful golf courses at your disposal, choose one and off you go. Bangkok and Pattaya have the highest concentrations of courses, but there are 18-hole layouts at all the major travel destinations, some with accommodation, all of varying degrees of difficulty and price. Beginners should seek advice from their pros about more user-friendly courses, possibly ones that are not too busy where you are less likely to be intimidated by urgent male golfers.
For ladies living in Thailand, golf is more fun if you join a regular group. You also get discounted group green fees. Best known is the Bangkok Cosmopolitan Ladies Golf, which was founded in 1969 and plays every Tuesday morning at various courses around Bangkok. It offers regular, friendly and competitive golf for ladies of many nationalities, but stresses the social side.
Most groups are mixed, with active ladies sections, such as the Golfer's Cocktail Lounge or Bangkok Wanderers. Some are for specific nationalities, such as the Scandinavian Society Bangkok or the British Women's Golf Group. For Mrs Fiyumi Watanabe, who has been playing golf in Bangkok for over 30 years, the golf section of the Japanese Association is popular with Japanese ladies, although she also recalls another small group, aptly named Tok Nam, made up of Japanese housewives.
Groups are also active outside of Bangkok. The trick is to find them. Shenanigans Pub in Pattaya runs the Shenanigans Very Friendly Golf Society, which costs nothing to join. It has so many lady members that they now organise Ladies International Tournaments during the year, with trophies, cocktail parties and heaps of fun. Diana Group Driving Range is also planning a ladies tournament. Pattaya Sports Club provides a very popular golfing outlet for residents and visitors, men and ladies.
GOLF TOURS
With many golf destinations, visitors should decide what they want from their golfing vacations. Japanese ladies prefer Bangkok, with plenty of excellent Japanese restaurants and good shopping; Scandinavians have fallen in love with peaceful Hua Hin; Koreans are coming via charters to Chiang Mai and Pattaya, where prices are more competitive; and Britons enjoy Pattaya for the seaside and nightlife.
Bookings through the Internet are growing, especially with many golf packages on offer. Optical retailer Jelaine Chu and her Singaporean friends have become experts in getting good Internet deals for Thailand. "We like to play in Chiang Mai because it is not expensive. There's good food, shopping, nice weather, lots of service and massage."
Managing Director Parichote Sukriket of World Splendour Holidays, one of the major golf tour organisers, cautions against using the Internet as many courses don't have the facility to use it properly yet. "You cannot guarantee tee-off times through the Internet, or arrange the ancillary services." Instead he recommends using professional agents like World Splendour Holidays, who provide an all-in service, including transfers, tee-off times, equipment rental, even golf tuition.
For the moment, Parichote notes few if any in-bound ladies golf groups. Mostly it is couples and mixed groups. For his company Pattaya is the most popular destination with 19 good courses to choose from, not too expensive and plenty to do after golf. However, Hua Hin and Kanchanaburi are beginning to come up in the popularity stakes.
Coco Golf has been organising golf tours from UK to Thailand for the past 12 years, usually mixed groups of couples from UK golf clubs on two-week tours. Favourite destinations are Pattaya and Chiang Mai, because there are plenty of activities ... and the price is right. A typical 12-day tour to Chiang Mai costs around 1,000 pounds, inclusive of flight, accommodation, breakfasts, transfers and 6 rounds of golf.
"I tell my clients that it is cheaper to fly to Thailand and play golf than a similar vacation in England or Europe," says Coco Golf's Simon Rolstone. "And it is a lot cheaper to eat out here as well!"
LOTS TO DO
The great thing about golf in Thailand is there are so many other exciting indulgences. Thai cuisine has to be one of the most appetising in the world, while many Western and Asian cuisines are also available, frequently to highly authentic standards. Exciting nightlife is now tailored more towards couples and single ladies, with pubs and clubs, discos and theatres . And you can always get a great tan to annoy your friends.
For Asian ladies who prefer to be whiter than white, Thailand is one of the region's top cosmetic capitals, with a wide range of whitening creams. Or spoil yourself in a Thai spa, where body and beauty treatments combine in over-indulgent pampering.
Bangkok is also the shopping centre of Asia, with everything from designer clothes to fabulous local handicrafts, all at inexpensive prices. For the ardent golfer, department stores like Central and the Emporium or popular Thaniya Plaza have extensive golf selections of top brand equipment from Ping and Callaway to Honma and Mizuno, or fashionable designer golf outfits from Nike and Bally.
Better book your flights now, ladies. Golf Thailand is waiting to serve you.
Contact information:
Web sites:
www.thaigolfer.com
www.siamgolfbiz.com
Developed by golfers for golfers. Offers information on golfing in the kingdom.
www.GolfOrient.com
for golf tours to Thailand, information on golf courses, golf club membership purchases, golf tournament, golf news and golf links.
e-mail : GolfAgent@golforient.com
GolfAgent offers golf clubs and golfers unlimited, round-the-clock Internet access. Golf Internet users are able to book tee times at a selection of golf courses in Thailand.
Tel:/Fax: (66 2) 616-8417
Web site: www.babadoogolf.com
A multilingual web site providing information on golf courses
and accommodation in Thailand. Also takes online reservations.
USEFUL REFERENCES
GOLF BOOKS
Thailand Golfer's Guide
by Michael Gedye
Renowned golf writer Michael Gedye has now settled in Thailand and has produced this excellent description of the country's great golf courses.
Complete Guide to Golf in Thailand
Published by Thailand Tatler
Directory and descriptions of major golf courses in Thailand.
DRIVING RANGES
All Star Golf Complex
518/5 Ramkhamhaeng 39 Rd., near Laos Embassy, Bangkok 10310
Tel: 0 2934 8000
Sports City
20/262-4 Moo 9 Prachachuen Rd, Nonthaburi 11120
Tel: 0 2575 0078/85
Web site: www.sportscity2002.com
Sukhumvit Soi 18
108 Soi 18 Sukhumvit Rd., Bangkok 10110
Tel: 0 2258 0985
GOLF TUITIION
Web site:
www.heartlandgolf.com
Heartland Golf Schools, both Thai and English version, with descriptions of programmes and contacts of all 11 schools.
www.golfthink.com
Golf Think has tuition for ladies and men, provides comprehensive information on Golf in Thailand and arranges Golfthink Vacations.
GOLF GROUPS
Web site:
www.tga.or.th/thailadiesgolf/
Official website of the Thailand Amateur Ladies Golf Association (TALGA)
www.shenanigans-pattaya.com/golf.htm
Shenanigan's Very Friendly Golf Society, Pattaya, with ladies section.
www.pattayasports.org
Pattaya Sports Club. Click onto golf section for further info.
www.geocities.com/bwgc_2000/
Bangkok Wanderers Golf Club
www.sss.or.th/golfladies.htm
Scandinavian Society Siam. Ladies golf section.
www.jat.or.th
Japanese Association of Thailand. Has golf club.
http://pwc.thaigolfer.com
PricewaterhouseCoopers Bangkok Golf League
www.bourbonstbkk.com/golfing.html
Bourbon Street restaurant arranges contacts with Golfer's Cocktail Lounge, Bangkok Wanderers, American Embassy Golf Association and many other Bangkok clubs. It's a meeting place for golfers.
GOLF VACATIONS
Web site:
www.cocogolf.co.uk/
Coco Golf organises weekly tours from UK to Thailand
www.worldsplendour.co.th/
World Splendour Holidays one of Thailand's leading golf tour specialists for groups and individuals. It is also the authorised agent for golf tours to Spring City in Kuming, China.
www.phuket-golf.com
Information on Phuket golf courses and golf packages
www.golforient.com
Based in Phuket, Golf Orient specialises in arranging tailored vacations in all golfing centres in Thailand
www.thailandgolf.hostway.net/
Thailand Tee Off Service offers golf vacations in key destinations through agents in those destinations.
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