Siam Country Club

[tgeezer]

I thought that would get your attention. Because of it's fundamental structure the SCC is a good course and now that it is renovated it is fantastic apparently. The investors now need to recoup and feel justified in increasing the green-fee, but seem a little coy in that they quote a greenfee and then make a cart mandatory which effectively makes it part of the greenfee. What do you think would be the effect of increasing the green fee by 600Baht and making the cart optional at no extra cost to the player and incidentally added profit to the course. I don't like the trend; other courses have got carts too, I remember one course, Pheonix I think, changing the layout so that it was a considerable walk from green to tee in what I consider a cynical attempt to increase returns. I should like this to develope into a discussion of the trend to force carts on golfers as though it were desirable to have one, rather than a comparison of parsimony. Does it make golf any faster? Does it increase profits? I think the carts are actually some sort of franchise, so someone other than the course also makes a profit. If you read the rules for SCC for example caddies drive and the cart is not allowed to follow the ball so it must make the golfer feel out of control and a cumbersome business to select a club, unless you make the caddy bring the bag over to the ball; in this enlightened age not likely to be popular with a caddy who has just had her pysical activity reduced to zero. I am a member of a club in UK and a cart at my club needs a note from the doctor. I golf here for five months a year and I hope will never need a cart while playing except where the course design has got so out of kinter that not to would delay proceedings. Let us not forget that pros get round with alacrity and I will feel that golf will have lost a lot if we all have to use carts.

ps. It is possible that the SCC has not changed it's policy on carts, when I played there I may have used them but I had come from the Middle East where it was normal so can't remember. It only slightly changes the thread though, still, what do you feel about the trend?

[PattayaParent]

I recently palyed Laem Chabang and St Andrew's where carts are compulsory.

It makes sense at St Andrew's as it is a long course with distance between greens and tees but at Laem Chabang it was a pain. You can't take the cart within 100yards of the green so end up walking and if you mis hit a shot into the bunker you have to wait until the caddy turns up with your clubs to continue on.

It wasn't always compulsory at Laem Chabang and I have walked th course often but now I for one won't play there again.

Note that I'm not against carts, I often use on at Green Valley where it's not compulsory, but the use is not as restrictive as at Laem Chabang.