Another scam - the golf "follower".

[HungDonger]

The reason is quite obvious.  If there was no fee for 'following' golfers would have to take their wives to golf occasionally. This would interfere with their 'arrangements' with their caddies  !!  

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, moe666 said:

This isn't a scam they tell you up front what the cost will be, you can choose to pay or not. If they tell you after the game and the walk then it would be a scam

Opinions differ. I guess it's another pernicious aspect of American culture, along with Starbucks, McDonalds and KFC, that has been allowed to invade Thailand.

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, HungDonger said:

The reason is quite obvious.  If there was no fee for 'following' golfers would have to take their wives to golf occasionally. This would interfere with their 'arrangements' with their caddies  !!  

You may be right. However, while my regular caddie is quite cute, she and my GF know each other. I'd sooner hit a golf ball filled with nitroglycerine.

[moontang]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Opinions differ. I guess it's another pernicious aspect of American culture, along with Starbucks, McDonalds and KFC, that has been allowed to invade Thailand.

It is just too crowded and dangerous during high season to have non players and payers out there.  They can also require you to play in a foursome, and some will not allow five in a group.  They would cut some slack in low season, but I have seen the same course charge five dollars for unlimited play in 45 c heat

of August, but a Sunday in February it was 65 usd for 18..and it is the starters job to enforce the rules.  And of course there are liability issues.  

Edited June 21, 2019 by moontang

[Lacessit]

Just now, moontang said:

It is just too crowded and dangerous during high season to have non players and payers out there.  They can also require you to play in a foursome, and some will not allow five in a group.  They would of did cut some slack in low season, but I have seen the same course charge five dollars for unlimited play in 45 c heat

of August, but a Sunday in February it was 65 usd for 18..and it is the starters job to enforce the rules.  And of course there are liability issues.  

Points taken. As I said in my original post, it's low season and the course was deserted.

Groups of five and six seem to be tolerated here. I've even seen an EIGHT - ball at Hang Dong.

I don't have a problem with that, as long as the large group gets out of the way of faster groups. Although in Australia, one would be booted off the course if playing more than four. Unfortunately, most Asian nationalities have limited knowledge of the course etiquette most farangs are accustomed to, and some are painfully slow.

We'll be going back to the course without our GF's in tow sometime.

[bristolgeoff]

When the chiangmai sixes were this year,I saw many just walking round the course or area.saw the caddies golfers etc.don,t know if the people just walking were paying also.but if u are the gf of the golfer no interest in hitting the white ball then why should they pay.they lost those golfers and the fees.common sense should prevail,but once again it does not.hotel owners do similar,it is quiet now so we should make up the loss and charge more per room

Sent from my SM-T580 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Thailand]

Interesting the number of references to Chinese golfers here, hardly ever come across them playing on any of the courses ,Asian golfers are dominated by Koreans and Japanese.

 

Have come across a few Chinese wandering aimlessly around Hang Dong golf course , those that live in the new houses, although I believe they have been warned off now and the dangers pointed out.

"Followers", seen the notices on a few courses around the area but never had the occasion to have anyone "follow". If there is a notice that is there before you play then I do not see any problem.

[moontang]

We also had trouble with people trespassing to feed the Canadian geese, which were also a nuisance.  People paid a premium to have a view of one of the three ponds, but the reality was that you would see the equivalent of an overextended Burmese family with fishing poles showing up at dusk every evening.  Lots can go wrong buying a golf course home.  You will never forget what a gas filled dual pane window sounds like when a ball hits it... It explodes. The guy that broke mine was a golf course employee.. and denied it... 

Edited June 21, 2019 by moontang

[Lacessit]

4 hours ago, Thailand said:

Interesting the number of references to Chinese golfers here, hardly ever come across them playing on any of the courses ,Asian golfers are dominated by Koreans and Japanese.

 

Have come across a few Chinese wandering aimlessly around Hang Dong golf course , those that live in the new houses, although I believe they have been warned off now and the dangers pointed out.

"Followers", seen the notices on a few courses around the area but never had the occasion to have anyone "follow". If there is a notice that is there before you play then I do not see any problem.

Hang Dong had a notice, 100 baht. The course I won't name did not. That was a by the way AFTER we had paid the green fees etc. My friend and I thought that was taking the piss. We got a refund, and left.

I'd agree Koreans and Japanese are the most prominent non-Thai golfers. Koreans seem to be the slowest.

I always find it interesting that irrespective of where I play, and despite their lack of distance, women seem to move around a golf course quicker than men.

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, moontang said:

We also had trouble with people trespassing to feed the Canadian geese, which were also a nuisance.  People paid a premium to have a view of one of the three ponds, but the reality was that you would see the equivalent of an overextended Burmese family with fishing poles showing up at dusk every evening.  Lots can go wrong buying a golf course home.  You will never forget what a gas filled dual pane window sounds like when a ball hits it... It explodes. The guy that broke mine was a golf course employee.. and denied it... 

I'm surprised the geese are still around, would have thought they would go into a Burmese cookpot.

Settler's Run ( Greg Norman design ) in Australia has water with swans and geese. Not very well thought out, putting over bird turds is quite messy.

[scubascuba3]

It's common for golf courses to charge for a girlfriend/follower, often circ 500 baht. Of course its a rip off, but so is caddy fee and tip

 

 

[Lacessit]

47 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

It's common for golf courses to charge for a girlfriend/follower, often circ 500 baht. Of course its a rip off, but so is caddy fee and tip

 

 

Disagree on the caddie and tip. The caddie is working for you for 4 hours minimum, sometimes five hours over 18 holes. Cleaning your ball, handing you clubs, teeing the ball up and picking it out of the hole if one is too stiff to do it themselves. Making sure your clubs are there when you want them.

A caddie at Santiburi, one of the best courses here, gets 500 baht from the course green fee and a 300 baht tip. That's 200 baht an hour, less if the round takes longer. Gymkhana, it works out at 100 baht an hour. What do you pay for a one hour massage?

There's a couple of courses around Chiang Mai where the management keeps all the fee that is charged for the caddie fee, and the caddie only gets what the player chooses to tip. Bastards. I won't play on those courses on principle.

As a teenager, I was a caddie. I have a fair amount of sympathy for them, especially when they are working for  wood ducks. I tip generously to compensate for the stingy ones.

 

Edited June 21, 2019 by Lacessit

[scubascuba3]

Disagree on the caddie and tip. The caddie is working for you for 4 hours minimum, sometimes five hours over 18 holes. Cleaning your ball, handing you clubs, teeing the ball up and picking it out of the hole if one is too stiff to do it themselves. Making sure your clubs are there when you want them.
A caddie at Santiburi, one of the best courses here, gets 500 baht from the course green fee and a 300 baht tip. That's 200 baht an hour, less if the round takes longer. Gymkhana, it works out at 100 baht an hour. What do you pay for a one hour massage?
There's a couple of courses around Chiang Mai where the management keeps all the fee that is charged for the caddie fee, and the caddie only gets what the player chooses to tip. Bastards. I won't play on those courses on principle.
As a teenager, I was a caddie. I have a fair amount of sympathy for them, especially when they are working for  wood ducks. I tip generously to compensate for the stingy ones.
 

caddy fee and tip is a rip off because its compulsory and as we all know caddies can be good and bad, some terrible

[Lacessit]

16 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

19 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Disagree on the caddie and tip. The caddie is working for you for 4 hours minimum, sometimes five hours over 18 holes. Cleaning your ball, handing you clubs, teeing the ball up and picking it out of the hole if one is too stiff to do it themselves. Making sure your clubs are there when you want them.
A caddie at Santiburi, one of the best courses here, gets 500 baht from the course green fee and a 300 baht tip. That's 200 baht an hour, less if the round takes longer. Gymkhana, it works out at 100 baht an hour. What do you pay for a one hour massage?
There's a couple of courses around Chiang Mai where the management keeps all the fee that is charged for the caddie fee, and the caddie only gets what the player chooses to tip. Bastards. I won't play on those courses on principle.
As a teenager, I was a caddie. I have a fair amount of sympathy for them, especially when they are working for  wood ducks. I tip generously to compensate for the stingy ones.
 

caddy fee and tip is a rip off because its compulsory and as we all know caddies can be good and bad, some terrible

It's compulsory on some courses, others not. AFAIK one can go around Santiburi, Mae Kok, Stardome and Gymkhana without a caddie if one chooses to do so. Usually they are compulsory if a cart is in the deal.

I try to help caddies by teaching them where to stand and move. Most are receptive. My regular caddie knows to keep up with me, and to move my clubs to the back of the green when I am putting out. She also knows her phone is shut down when she is on the golf course.

I'd suggest you get a regular caddie, and train her if you know how. If you are a stingy tipper, you get what you pay for. Good caddies won't want to work for you.

Edited June 21, 2019 by Lacessit

[moontang]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

I'm surprised the geese are still around, would have thought they would go into a Burmese cookpot.

Settler's Run ( Greg Norman design ) in Australia has water with swans and geese. Not very well thought out, putting over bird turds is quite messy.

Yeah, the bird turds burn the <deleted> out of the greens... there have been cases of animal cruelty, but kind of minor compared to ruining a business or bringing down a jumbo jet.. or causing a major accident on the horse race track. 

[scubascuba3]

I'd suggest you get a regular caddie, and train her if you know how. If you are a stingy tipper, you get what you pay for. Good caddies won't want to work for you.

I've been playing golf here for years, i know how to use caddies

[owl sees all]

My Auusie golfing pal plays once a week at a course near Udon Thani. He always gets one of the female caddies that offer an 'happy ending'. Plenty to choose from; he tells me. 

Edited June 21, 2019 by owl sees all

[Andrew Dwyer]

My Auusie golfing pal plays once a week at a course near Udon Thani. He always gets one of the female caddies that offer an 'happy ending'. Plenty to choose from; he tells me. 

Ahh the 19th hole [emoji51]

[Lacessit]

51 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

I've been playing golf here for years, i know how to use caddies

 

Really. If you regard caddies as a ripoff, that suggests you don't know much about them.

Playing golf here for years also suggests you've had time to pick up bad habits.

Tell me, what level of golf proficiency have you achieved here or elsewhere, hmm?

[manarak]

Currently, from June 20th until 23rd, the Thailand Ladies European Tour Championship takes place at Phoenix Golf near Pattaya.

 

Visitor entrance fee is 100 baht.

[Traubert]

So it isn't a rip off, it's quite a common practice, and it can't be laid at the door of the Chinese?

 

Well that was illuminating.

[wisperone]

Never heard of the concept of "followers" and it sounds ridiculous. The golf course is for those playing golf.

[scubascuba3]

Really. If you regard caddies as a ripoff, that suggests you don't know much about them.
Playing golf here for years also suggests you've had time to pick up bad habits.
Tell me, what level of golf proficiency have you achieved here or elsewhere, hmm?

5 handicap, I'm guessing you are 20+ handicap?

[scubascuba3]

Currently, from June 20th until 23rd, the Thailand Ladies European Tour Championship takes place at Phoenix Golf near Pattaya.

 

Visitor entrance fee is 100 baht.

At Siam for the LPGA usually its free for over 60s and a few hundred for those younger. So a 100 seems pretty good, maybe I'll check it out

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, wisperone said:

Never heard of the concept of "followers" and it sounds ridiculous. The golf course is for those playing golf.

And a tennis court is for those playing tennis, football pitch is for those playing football, a cricket ground is for those playing cricket, a race circuit is for those racing.... 

 

.... narrow mindedness seems more ridiculous to me. I see no harm in someone wishing to watch their friend play golf, equally so, I don't see any harm in a nominal fee being charged to do so.

 

 

[EL159]

1 hour ago, wisperone said:

Never heard of the concept of "followers" and it sounds ridiculous. The golf course is for those playing golf.

AGREE! This whole thread is RIDICULOUS! "Boo hoo, my Thai Girlfriend has to follow me round the golf course...". WHY? Arent you allowed out on your own? Have to show her how manly you are how far you can hit a golf ball?! Scared she ll be off with another "customer" if you leave her on her own for a few hours?! Forgotten what its like to play sport on your own without some Thai bird gawping at you?!!!

[Dante99]

26 minutes ago, EL159 said:

AGREE! This whole thread is RIDICULOUS! "Boo hoo, my Thai Girlfriend has to follow me round the golf course...". WHY? Arent you allowed out on your own? Have to show her how manly you are how far you can hit a golf ball?! Scared she ll be off with another "customer" if you leave her on her own for a few hours?! Forgotten what its like to play sport on your own without some Thai bird gawping at you?!!!

Garbage.  It might be about her wanting to come along for the outing.  Much better than sitting in a condo stuck on a screen.

[chingmai331]

• On some golf courses the player is allowed to bring own caddy but must pay a fee. Pulling the trolley is not too onerous and you could then justify the BIG tip (given later!).

[monkeycu]

On 6/19/2019 at 8:16 PM, OneZero said:

Ah ha, not surprised.  I'll bet they were doing more than walking after the second tee.

second tee or pee ??

[owl sees all]

2 hours ago, EL159 said:

AGREE! This whole thread is RIDICULOUS! "Boo hoo, my Thai Girlfriend has to follow me round the golf course...". WHY? Arent you allowed out on your own? Have to show her how manly you are how far you can hit a golf ball?! Scared she ll be off with another "customer" if you leave her on her own for a few hours?! Forgotten what its like to play sport on your own without some Thai bird gawping at you?!!!

Second best post on the topic EL169.

 

Most of the guys that play golf do so to get away from their women. If they score with the caddy then that's a bonus. And sometimes the ladies are only too willing to let their hubbies disappear for a few hours so Somchai can sneak into the back window. 

 

I had the same with fishing and chess (before).

Edited June 22, 2019 by owl sees all