Compulsory golf caddy

[scubascuba3]

The whole price of golf here is madness. 
 
I have played at courses in St Andrews which are truly fantastic for little more than I payed recently at Muang Kaew for a bang average course. 

Last year i played Dundonald Links the Scottish open course for £39. Lots of nice courses can be played in their opens for £8-20. But golf membership in Scotland is the real winner £850 a year, say 3 rounds a week equates to £5 a round (210 baht).....

[BobbyL]

45 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

4 hours ago, BobbyL said:

The whole price of golf here is madness. 
 
I have played at courses in St Andrews which are truly fantastic for little more than I payed recently at Muang Kaew for a bang average course. 

Last year i played Dundonald Links the Scottish open course for £39. Lots of nice courses can be played in their opens for £8-20. But golf membership in Scotland is the real winner £850 a year, say 3 rounds a week equates to £5 a round (210 baht).....

Exactly.

 

So for approx 2000THB you can play a Championship standard course in the home of golf, yet here it probably gets you a round at Unico ?

[5633572526]

On 8/27/2018 at 4:05 PM, scubascuba3 said:

On 8/27/2018 at 3:34 PM, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

Private clubs institute their own policies regardless of so-called “laws”.

Perhaps, but what is bandied around is its "the law" if it was a golf club policy you could just boycott the course and it will soon change

Nobody will boycott the course and they will not miss you either. Thailand is not the only place where golf courses require caddies. 

[scubascuba3]

Nobody will boycott the course and they will not miss you either. Thailand is not the only place where golf courses require caddies. 

If motivated enough a large group of golfers could make a difference it happened with Pattaya Country Club which was charging too much. Of course beer, women and the heat people lose motivation

[fulhamster]

22 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

On 9/2/2018 at 2:56 PM, 5633572526 said:

Nobody will boycott the course and they will not miss you either. Thailand is not the only place where golf courses require caddies. 

If motivated enough a large group of golfers could make a difference it happened with Pattaya Country Club which was charging too much. Of course beer, women and the heat people lose motivation

Pattaya Country Club is still charging too much.

It's on Pattaya's doorstep, yet most travel 40 minutes up the 331 to one of three courses instead

[topt]

On 8/31/2018 at 12:14 PM, BobbyL said:

So for approx 2000THB you can play a Championship standard course in the home of golf, yet here it probably gets you a round at Unico ?

Elongated yawn........(can't find the right emoticon....)

 

Bangpra, Khao Kheow, Greenwood, Pattavia, Treasure Hill, Pattana etc etc....... You may not class them as championship courses but they are more than adequate for most players. 

Are you comparing like for like. Prices quoted for UK courses won't include caddies or carts - walking all and carts some, all of the above can be played at the moment for less than 2k baht including the tip.

 

You seem to forget that a lot of the perceived increase in prices is also down to currency changes. Yes, when the minimum wage increased so did the caddy fee - but for most only an extra 50 baht............

 

A number of American based players moan that in Florida they can play same quality/better courses at cheaper prices as well. This may well be true but it is what it is and unless the Thai baht falls off a cliff (unlikely IMO) it isn't going to change.

[sharktooth]

On 8/28/2018 at 10:22 AM, scubascuba3 said:

On 8/28/2018 at 10:20 AM, fulhamster said:

Our group in Pattaya (20+ players) used to play twice a week.
With all the hidden costs like caddy tip etc we now play twice a month

I'm the same, when here for 3-6 months a year I'd play 3 times a week, now here all year I've opted to play in average once a fortnight

Same same unfortunately. Gone are the days of playing twice a week and having breakfast and lunch at the club on top of the green fees and extras.

[sharktooth]

On 8/31/2018 at 11:28 AM, scubascuba3 said:

On 8/31/2018 at 8:01 AM, BobbyL said:

The whole price of golf here is madness. 
 
I have played at courses in St Andrews which are truly fantastic for little more than I payed recently at Muang Kaew for a bang average course. 

Last year i played Dundonald Links the Scottish open course for £39. Lots of nice courses can be played in their opens for £8-20. But golf membership in Scotland is the real winner £850 a year, say 3 rounds a week equates to £5 a round (210 baht).....

I challenge you to find a golf course in Scotland where you can play every week of the year. In fact every month of the year is an impossibility at best ????

[JAS21]

Although the caddy makes golf expensive, I now find that more often than not I can't see where the ball landed ... and if I do I often forget which tree it is by the time I've walked a few yards. Also as I age I'm happy for someone to pull my clubs.

 

My wife and I have memberships at Muang Ake 1. To break even we need to each play 5-6 times a year. In fact we try to play twice a week at least. Caddy fee is 300thb each and more often than not we tip 340thb so that is 1280thb, Then it's a 15-20km drive each way. We take our own water etc but quite often have a coffee half way around.,... I freeze a couple of bottles of water overnight so it stays cool. Then there is lunch so another 250+thb.  It certainly adds up.

 

Okay the course is nothing special, it's reasonably flat but there are a few challenging holes. To get our money's worth she plays whites and I play further back. That reminds me I forgot to add the cost of balls, usually 2-3 a round at least but at 10-20 thb each not a huge problem!! 

 

But if we play somewhere else then it becomes costly!  ????

 

[anon4546543]

I live near 2 golf courses in Kabinburi. (Prachinburi) Not on the tourist circuit. Both courses are very good and challenging.

Flat terrain but challenging. Manicured, flora everywhere. 

Far cheaper than many courses in Aust that are sub standard in comparison. That is the price for playing the best individual mental golf game. lol

[JAS21]

The ownership of Muang Ake 1 has recently changed ...the guy ownes more than 51% so can change what he likes.

 

It is now completely separate from Muang Ake 2(Vista) and Wang Noi. 

 

Big improvements are in progress eg changing the grass on all the greens...improving fairways, bunkers,facilities etc etc

 

Intension is to make it a really good course.

 

Present proposal is for members to pay a fee of 200thb each time that they play. To me that sounds reasonably fair as we will be playing a much better course and improved facilities. Hope that isn't just the start though. Also the company office will move from Bangkok, to the course.

 

There are advantages to having a wife who loves to play golf ...but also financial disadvantages!

 

As someone said the exchange rate has made golf much more expensive. When we bought membership (a share) in £UK it was 5000 now it would be 8500. The price of the share has not changed.

 

We pay a small amount every two years...think it's around 1000-2000thb.

 

Maybe our 'cheapish' golf has finished ...maybe will just play once a month less ..... I could play the headache game ... but MrJ would just go and play on her own ....

 

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by JAS21

[impulse]

On 12/28/2018 at 9:58 PM, JAS21 said:

There are advantages to having a wife who loves to play golf ...but also financial disadvantages!

 

I was married to a woman who loved golf and fishing.  I just couldn't sneak away...

 

[fulhamster]

"Cheap" golf is long gone. especially with the punitive exchange rates.

Most courses around Pattaya now charge 700 bt for a compulsory single-use cart which makes the caddy the driver. So the caddy @ 350 bt plus tip has to only sit in the cart. How is that worth a tip when you've had to pay nearly 20 gbp for a cart that you didn't want ? I know it's not the caddy's fault, but try seeing what he/she does if you are able to walk a course - tired, need rest etc anything to make you buy a cart.

During high season it's hard to play a course for less than 2.5k including gf, caddy, cart and tip.

 

No wonder the Navy courses around Sattahip are busy.

[JAS21]

On 1/4/2019 at 10:49 PM, fulhamster said:

"Cheap" golf is long gone. especially with the punitive exchange rates.

Most courses around Pattaya now charge 700 bt for a compulsory single-use cart which makes the caddy the driver. So the caddy @ 350 bt plus tip has to only sit in the cart. How is that worth a tip when you've had to pay nearly 20 gbp for a cart that you didn't want ? I know it's not the caddy's fault, but try seeing what he/she does if you are able to walk a course - tired, need rest etc anything to make you buy a cart.

During high season it's hard to play a course for less than 2.5k including gf, caddy, cart and tip.

 

No wonder the Navy courses around Sattahip are busy.

I thought that there was only Phlitaluang course in that area ...what others are there please?

 

We like that course ...off season they have some okay deals.

 

Looking at things now... exchange rate ... golf is very expensive...our saving grace is membership at Muang Ake1 ...going away for a golfing holiday now, in uk terms, is twice what it cost a few years ago.

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by JAS21

[sfokevin]

On 8/28/2018 at 2:01 PM, Thailand said:

3 of the courses where I play in Chiangmai are in total respectively, green fee,caddy fee plus caddy tip 250/300 baht:

All 18 holes.

750 baht

660 baht

480 baht 

What are the respective names of these three courses?  Thanks

[vogie]

2 hours ago, JAS21 said:

I thought that there was only Phlitaluang course in that area ...what others are there please?

 

We like that course ...off season they have some okay deals.

 

Looking at things now... exchange rate ... golf is very expensive...our saving grace is membership at Muang Ake1 ...going away for a golfing holiday now, in uk terms, is twice what it cost a few years ago.

 

I wonder if he means the three 9 hole navy golf courses, one in Bangsare the other two in Sattahip. The two 9 holer golf coures are the Navy Marine course which is just a couple of hundred baht to play, no caddies. The other is a few kilometers on the the way out of Sattahip towards Bang Chan, it is on the right, you will see a big white lighthouse structure where it is located, it used to cost me 100 baht to play there last time I played, again no caddies, but both courses have carts if you need one. Both of these golf courses you have to sign in, so a thai driving licence may be necessary which they keep untill you sign out again. Do not expect them to be of the quality of Platualuang, you will be severely disappointed, but they are good enough to play on and indeed have a cheap day out.

 

The first screenshot is the Royal Marine course and the second is the Sattahip course located at Dongtan beach. I have included the co-ordinates where these courses are located.

[fulhamster]

2 hours ago, JAS21 said:

I thought that there was only Phlitaluang course in that area ...what others are there please?

 

 

The 3 courses at Sattahip are Fleet (on the coast via the lighthouse on Sukhumvit), Marine and a relatively new course AC/DC which is a little way Fleet on the same coast road.

All 3 will cost no more than 450 baht sharing a buggy, half that if you walk. No caddies.

[Toosetinmyways]

There is also a short 9 hole course at the Kilo Sip end of 331 opposite PTT called Kwan golf. Always a good turn out of farangs and at 200 baht for 18 holes good value. No carts but trolley rental 20 baht.

Edited January 6, 2019 by Toosetinmyways
Correct spelling

[vogie]

10 minutes ago, Toosetinmyways said:

There is also a short 9 hole course at the Kilo Sip end of 331 opposite PTT called Kwan golf. Always a good turn out of farangs and at 200 baht for 18 holes good value. No carts but trolley rental 20 baht.

Yes nice course, most people might not need a driver though as the longest par 4 is just over 200yds, no par 5s. But very friendly course, quiet most times.

[Lacessit]

On 8/31/2018 at 12:14 PM, BobbyL said:

Exactly.

 

So for approx 2000THB you can play a Championship standard course in the home of golf, yet here it probably gets you a round at Unico ?

You can't play the Old Course at St. Andrews without a caddie, because you won't know where many of the fairways are. They are frequently invisible from the tee. Can't remember how much I paid for the 2 rounds I played there and the caddie, but it certainly wasn't 2000 baht.

[melvinmelvin]

On 8/28/2018 at 6:30 AM, fulhamster said:

A caddy at most courses is 350 bt plus compulsory tip of at least 300 bt = 650 bt (15 GBP) that you shouldn't have to be paying if you don't want a caddy. Most courses are now compulsory buggy so the caddy is just a driver.

 

Tourists like having a caddy as a novelty, money better spent elsewhere.

what you mean compulsory tip?????????????

is the caddie 350 or 650 ?

 

 

[topt]

7 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

what you mean compulsory tip?????????????

is the caddie 350 or 650 ?

 

 

Average "accepted" tip is 300 baht. Yes it is a tip so not compulsory but try getting away without giving anything.............. 

[topt]

On 1/4/2019 at 10:49 PM, fulhamster said:

Most courses around Pattaya now charge 700 bt for a compulsory single-use cart

8 out of 24 Pattaya courses have compulsory carts. Hardly "most" unless you only want to play the more expensive courses............

 

[melvinmelvin]

14 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

what you mean compulsory tip?????????????

is the caddie 350 or 650 ?

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, topt said:

Average "accepted" tip is 300 baht. Yes it is a tip so not compulsory but try getting away without giving anything.............. 

 

right, thanks - I know fine little about golf - I have a friend from Finland who is a very keen golfer

(handicap 17 - think that is OK for an amateur)

 

anyway, workwise we travel the world, all over

sometimes I join him on the course - just as an companion

he has 3 clubs/sticks  which folds / contracts and fit in his suitcase

 

typical, in Thailand - pay fee - pay for caddie if required

then he talks with caddie; you want tip? caddie; yes

ok, here is 200 - I and my friend go to field, you stay here - I do not want to see you on the field

caprice? yes, ok here is 200 - bye bye

 

 

[BobbyL]

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

You can't play the Old Course at St. Andrews without a caddie, because you won't know where many of the fairways are. They are frequently invisible from the tee. Can't remember how much I paid for the 2 rounds I played there and the caddie, but it certainly wasn't 2000 baht.

I have played the Old Course without a caddie. I agree they would be beneficial looking back. 

 

I played Strathtyrum and Eden Course there and I am sure they were only around 50 GBP green fee. 

[Lacessit]

4 hours ago, BobbyL said:

I have played the Old Course without a caddie. I agree they would be beneficial looking back. 

 

I played Strathtyrum and Eden Course there and I am sure they were only around 50 GBP green fee. 

Apart from the tradition of being the home of golf, the courses there aren't scenically inspiring. Kananaskas in Canada, Pine Valley in the USA, Barnbougle in Tasmania, Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand, and New South Wales in Sydney are all great courses. Regret I never made it to Pebble Beach.

[JAS21]

On 1/6/2019 at 3:32 PM, vogie said:

Yes nice course, most people might not need a driver though as the longest par 4 is just over 200yds, no par 5s. But very friendly course, quiet most times.

So no caddy and you pull your own trolly. I looked at their website and see a cart...

[Toosetinmyways]

I think the golf cart on their farcebook page actually serves duty as the ground maintenance tractor.

[fulhamster]

On 1/6/2019 at 4:24 PM, melvinmelvin said:

 

 

right, thanks - I know fine little about golf - I have a friend from Finland who is a very keen golfer

(handicap 17 - think that is OK for an amateur)

 

anyway, workwise we travel the world, all over

sometimes I join him on the course - just as an companion

he has 3 clubs/sticks  which folds / contracts and fit in his suitcase

 

typical, in Thailand - pay fee - pay for caddie if required

then he talks with caddie; you want tip? caddie; yes

ok, here is 200 - I and my friend go to field, you stay here - I do not want to see you on the field

caprice? yes, ok here is 200 - bye bye

 

 

You will find that ALL courses around Pattaya have compulsory caddies, whether you want them or not. And the course charges 350 bt, of which the caddy gets anything fom 50 to 200 bt depending on the course. Then you are expected to tip the caddy afterwards, most courses at least 300 bt so the whole caddy cost is 650 bt.

[topt]

7 minutes ago, fulhamster said:

At most courses (around Pattaya) you MUST have a caddy and you MUST have a buggy that only the caddy is allowed to drive. Greenwood is a prime example.

Very few 18-hole courses will allow you to walk.

Why do you continue to give wrong information? I quoted you before (my post #83 I think) that your statement about "Very few 18-hole courses will allow you to walk." is incorrect.

 

This high season only one course that allowed you to walk before has instituted a mandatory cart - Pattana - and as far as I know this is only for Jan and Feb.

 

Only the higher priced courses (all Siam/Lam Chebaeng/Burapha etc) plus Silky Oaks mandate a cart leaving about twice as many where you can walk.

15 minutes ago, fulhamster said:

Greenwood is a prime example.

Cr*p - played there Thursday and walked it as I have done every time I have ever played there and will do so again next week.