ThaiGolfer1958

4 hours ago, topt said:

Really? Then you have been very lucky. I can remember playing behind a 6 ball group of locals in Bali about 17 years ago and have played in 5/6 balls with locals in the Philippines over 20 years ago. 

 

I agree it is not great being behind a 5 ball, especially if you are a 2 or 3 ball, but around Pattaya on many courses it is the norm. Thai Navy course even has a sign in the lockers saying 5/6 balls must have carts. One course we play regularly has 8 balls............and no I am not exaggerating. So welcome to the new normal......

 

If the greens deteriorate as much as you say then that is another issue entirely as that does not happen on most of the courses here even in high season January/February when the course are literally flooded with Koreans playing 36 holes a day.

I know you don't have as much choice there in Phuket so guess you have to just suck it up.........or get a load of "members" together and make your collective voice known. It may not be more useful then ranting on here but you never know.

 

 

yeah its a pain in the <deleted>... 

 

4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

5 balls are quicker than a 3 ball then 2 ball, yes they dress like clowns but they hate the sun, they just need the big clown shoes

not at BC or even at Phuket Country Club once you get stuck behind them they are never courteous and allow you to pass even thou they can see your re much faster and waiting every hole to play your shot.

 

this is a very annoying topic for many golfers but doesnt seem to worry thai players.

 

at our club in Phuket BCCC (Blue Canyon) which is supposed to be a members club and members pay a yearly fee of 70,000

the club has now opened it doors to all and sundry who are interested to play and now allows 5 ball groups to play which

are mainly thai players. this has infuriated members as the 5 ball groups are slow, most are non members and turn up to

play golf dressed as clowns (or likely got dressed in the dark), we were initially lead to believe that 5 ball groups would only

be allowed to tee off at 1.30/2pm and not interfere but this has just opened the door and now they play and book tee times

as they please.

 

one of the main reasons is because the club offers a cheap 5 ball group rate thb7,000 all in buggy fee/caddie fee/green fee

so cost reduces to around 1,400 per player, whereas guests would have been paying about 3,200/3,500 all in prior covid,

so obviously its the cheap cost of rounds which is bringing them to the clubs, the ones i question if they will continue to

play when and if the green fees increase again due to high season, they tell me no its to expensive. so what benefit is

the club getting, to me the only real benefit maybe for the caddies as they are getting much more work in the low season

but the courses are taking a beating, the greens at BCCC (lakes course) now are in such horrible state and condition and

this is mainly due to the increased traffic at a once members club which has opened its doors to anyone. because of the

damage on many of the greens on the lakes course we have had to start a local rule amongst members of allowing them

to move the ball on the putting greens so that they are not putting through sands or big ruts or cracked muddy areas.

 

the other issue is the loudness of them playing, seems they have inherited a bit of chinese in them and when they talk 

it is like a screaming match... very excitable people it seems when you put a little white ball and golf club in their hands,

constantly having to stop play and waiting for them to quieten down before you can play your game.

 

there also seems to have crept into BCCC the two rules system, seems thais can do as they please and members cannot.

 

now i have been playing golf for many many years and in many many countries and i have never seen or heard of 5 ball groups

being allowed to play,  you dont see world wide tournaments played as 5 ball groups.

 

or maybe as members at BCCC we have been spoilt as generally we could book tee times as pleased and had a good run of

the club or maybe BCCC just want to get rid of its members... members dont have any priority at BCCC anymore and we are

still the ones funding the club paying 70,000 for yearly dues. 

 

at the time of writing this the canyon course is being upgraded, all greens and tee boxes have been removed and new turf laid

this was inevitable as the greens were becoming full of cow grass and different grades of grass so putting was always different.

sometimes putting through 3 different grains of grass which made it impossible to gauge the speed. but in 6 months time

when the greens and tee boxes should be finished the canyon course should be in an excellent condition to play again.

 

so what is my point - BCCC always had a strict policy of max players per group 4, and 5 ball groups played at other clubs like

Phuket Country Club or Loch Palm or Mission Hills, please change back to this policy.