finsbury

unfortunately, I would not be surprised if the other courses communicate and prices go up

Could you please explain what you are talking about?

Low season is almost here and there are some very good prices at certain courses already.

Yes but the Phoenix stay always prefer for some reason to have their tantrum and play at Pattaya CC, which is one of the worst value courses.

Never mind.

the reason Phoenix have softened there terms to all and sundry is because they were not getting any customers because of the boycott .

Customers stayed away because they put the prices up to silly levels and made carts compulsory. Nothing to do with your "boycott".

Now the prices are down, the cart policy is gone and the societies are coming back.

And, oh yes, the "boycott" is still just about going on.

Just to be Clear ...... Finsbury (whatever that means)

"The Phoenix members made it clear to everyone else that their campaign was aimed solely at improving their own terms and they would not be interesting themselves in improving terms for the average PSC member."

I have no idea where you plucked that "quote" from but it certainly was not included in the previous posts from Phoenix Shareholder / Members that contribute to TV postings. The existing Phoenix Shareholder / Members took the action not alone for their personable situation but for the benefit of all golfers that might wish to play Phoenix. And as you may have missed, the terms for golfers has changed at Phoenix since a case was initiated against them. Do you really think this would have occured without the case been brought against them?

If you do not wish to support the shareholder / member fight against injustice and right of membership as purchased - that is your right. But please get your facts correct and in your terms " get real ". If you wish to ignore what has happened at this course, that is your decision. But remember that once one club succeeds in " putting down the protest " the remainder of the cartel will follow.

Again I reiterate, I am retired and purchased my shareholder / membership of Phoenix with the sole purpose of playing golf for as long as I am able to, without hassle. That is what I paid for and expect. The new owners are trying to change the rules without discussion / consultation with existing shareholder / members. For me, this is not the way to do business. What I am really sad about is the attitude of posters such as Finsbury who have no consideration of the real case that is ongoing and are not interested in acquainting themselves with the facts.

After you have sought out the opinions of the shareholder / members and what has transpired to date, I look forward to your update.

It was the law of supply and demand that made Phoenix change to a non compulsory cart rule. The idea that it was legal action taken by some disgruntled members is laughable.

Phoenix members have battled against the course giving attractive terms for PSC members for years, hence the lack of support you are getting from them now.

Lifetime members of Tony's Gym might feel your pain, but they probably will not be coming out on the streets in support either.

Just to be clear.

A good number of the Patts golf bars have now restarted playing at Phoenix. Many on a regular basis- at least two now weekly.

The Phoenix members made it clear to everyone else that their campaign was aimed solely at improving their own terms and they would not be interesting themselves in improving terms for the average PSC member.

So I am a little bemused why these same members feel that a Committee acting on behalf of all its members should be avoiding offending a relatively small group taking legal action against one of the rota of courses.

Get real folks. What has happened to you is unfortunate but is irrelevant to most of the rest of us.

Good luck with any legal action.

"Alpine won the Best Resort Award at the recent 2013 Awards Gala."

zzzzzzz.........

Phoenix members bought a share in a company. They are stockholders and not 'lifetime members'.

Please note the slight difference. A shareholder cannot just be told, that his share goes back to 'who?' after 25 years.

The trouble is that all the "members" are minority shareholders in what I guess is an unlisted company.

Even in the UK those shareholders do not have extensive rights and such holdings are not popular for precisely that reason.

I have a membership in Pattaya, play 3 sometime 4 times a week. Not at all

expensive compared to the States, especially Hawaii...Never even thought of

of the caddy fees as expensive or cutting out the caddy; very petty and cheap

of you, the girls work hard and are great.

Americans seem happy to pay caddy fees,

I wonder how many Americans have actually ever carried their golf bag around a course.

I guess you are referring to courses in the Pattaya area.

Playing regularly through the bars in Pattaya certainly is not cheap over a year. I have talked to expats living there who tell me that golf is their most expensive living cost- more than rent or food (or even booze).

But does that make it worth buying membership in the Patts area? Pattaya courses probably rely more on tourist revenue than most other courses, particualrly in high season. I am wondering how easy it is to book a morning two ball at many of these courses as a member in high season with all the Koreans and Japanese around. Green Valley and Eastern Star would be two examples.

I guess thats why so many members of Green Valley play the course through societies such as the Golf Club/Lewiinskis/Caddy Shack. Even for these members I thought they still had to pay GV a reduced green fee of 400 bht (or around that).

Having said that, I remember talking a couple of years ago to the Lewinskis organiser who is a GV member. He told me that he paid 50000 baht about 10 years ago for a 25 year membership. Even after playing there regularly over 10 years he reckoned that he could sell his remaining membership for circa 125000 baht. So membership had worked for him.

To put your costings in perspective, as a member of a private members course in SE England, if I play once a week the round costs me around £30 inc transport. If I play twice a week the second round costs circa £4 (the assumed transport cost). But then I have to carry my own clubs.

Personally, unless I lived relatively close to a Pattaya course I wanted to be play regularly, and had my own transport, I would not become a member of a Pattaya course. In other parts of Thailand it might be a different matter.

The management of Phoenix Gold Golf & Country Club are still dragging their heels after the board met at the start of March to decide on the validity of members and their rights. This is especially disappointing in the light of their legal representative stating that once proof of membership was established, decisions would be swift.

It would seem that the board is not interested in the members or their rights.

I think many people need to learn from the Tony's Gym experience.

Lifetime membership does not necessarily last a lifetime in Thailand.

Yes, shout a bit.

Yes negotiate for as good an outcome as you can get.

But eventually move on. When a club does not want you its no good holding on until the bitter end.

I have just noticed on the 2014 golf maps that you see all over,that show all the golf clubs local to Pattaya produced by Tha-ger line golf,that Phoenix no longer shows on the listing or on the map.Phoenix to all the visitors to Pattaya no longer exists it has gone.Well done Thai-ger line.They deserve some e mail congratulations,perhaps the Phoenix action group would like to point out to the powers that be at Phoenix that they are no more they are but a memory

Not on their website it isn't.

http://www.thaigerlinegolf.com/thailand_golf_map_chonburi_pattaya.php

The shocking prices and the punitive compulsory cart requirement

the excessive prices at Phoenix.

misinformed by Phoenix management,

how expensive the new prices are,

how restrictive their privileges are

Give it a rest mate.

You are like a broken record.

I think this duo also did Siam Plantation. Never played it- looks like a lot of bunkers from what I can see from the adjoining freeway.

They also renovated Royal Lakeside I think. Made it tougher. I hope they were not responsible for deciding to dump so much sand in the bunkers.

Too many US designers employed on Asian courses. Who wants US style links wherever you go.

finsbury, we would appreciate your support, as we will support other golfers

faced with hostile takeovers by equally evil intentioned new management.

If you are looking for good value, avoid Phoenix. if you don't care, then play on finsbury.

In terms of Phoenix's proposal for the membership transfer fee, you have my and probably everyone else's support. You should be concentrating on that as I do not really see a viable future for many of the existing members at Phoenix. Not based on your views of the management anyway.

In terms of playing at Phoenix I would guess many of the societies would still run back there (or shuffle anyway) if the sportsday rate from May is anything like what it was last year.

if the members and none members like me are successful in getting charges reduced you will benefit.

Other Phoenix "Action" members have made it clear on ohter forums that this action will potentially benefit members and their guests only. This is a dispute between members and a golf club only and you appear to expect other people to feel buty bound to have sympathy for you.

PS I recollect a few years ago that Phoenix was pressurised into increasing its PSC card rates following a complaint from a member who thought the rate was too low compared to "guest" rates.

What comes around goes around.

The teerak and I are due to fly into Udon Thani next month on a weekday, arriving circa 7.30 pm.

The plan is to (hopefully) find a taxi at the airport to go straight to her village, which is about halfway between Udon and Sakhon Nakhon (just over an hour's drive).

Do you think we will struggle to find a driver for that journey at that time in the evening? If we will, do you know of any reliable driver that I can contact and pre-book for the journey?

I am budgeting circa 1500-2000 bht for the trip. Does that sound about right?

When I played there earlier this year the cost of a bottle of Singha at the bar was only 70 bht. Thats less than most other thai courses so I would not have quibbled with a 10 bht service charge.

In Bangkok I Like Royal Gems. Its a very high quality course and although its not cheap its not expensive for the quality you get.

I saw a golf company advertising a day there (incl transport) for 5500 bht- that seems expensive to me.

Outside high season all four 9's are usually pretty quiet. This year their "sports day" covers thursdays as well as tuesdays.