Mini Golf Report

[mark lamai]

Just a personal blog on doing some golfing around Pattaya.

for a visitor its so easy with the many societies and the schedules in the Pattaya Mail.

I found this useful for choosing to play at courses not too far away.

Generally they are a good bunches of guys (and a few gals), mostly longer term stayers,

so there is a bit of being outside the circle until they get to know you.

Playing conditions: very different to back home (Aus).

Well its hot now of course, I sweat like a pig all the time, my hands are always wet, my grips are always wet and slippery,

my 2 towels and handkerchief get wet quckly, I get so occupied in doing stuff, glove on and off, wiping hands, wiping face,

wiping grips, drinking water, holding umbrella, looking for caddy that I have never been able to establish a rythm when playing.

The grasses are so different. bermuda greens are so weird when you play them first time.

calculating slope then factoring in the grain (uphill or downhill or medium) is an art I can't master.

Fairway grass is kinda strange too being quite soft and the ground underneath being quite soft,

there is very little resistance to the club when striking the ball, kind of mushy, you don't take nice clean sharp edged divots.

Driving Ranges:

Pattaya north (3rd road, near Pattaya Nua Rd). Is ok, balls 25 baht a tray of 40. But stand in the sun in afternoon and hit into the sun,

some bays are not flat, mats are just ok. have a putting green.

Diana Golf Club driving range. The best setup, all very nice, good chipping and putting area, but in the sun in the afternoon.

balls 30 baht a tray. No smoking signs can be ignored.

Green Way. Off Sukhumvit behind Jomtien. Run down but good coz it faces away from the sun in the afternoon,

some mats are very worn, balls 25 baht a tray, has putting green and chipping area but grass is very rough,

very poor lighting after dusk, 11th tray is free.

I really like that in Patts you hit real golf balls, the generic range balls you get at places like 42 Tee Off (sukhumvit, BKK) are so awful.

Lessons:

First up I would reccommend David Race at the Diana range. very knowlegeable and sensible.

Second up I can't recommend any others, especially some English guy in Bangkok who took 2000 baht for an hour of almost nothing.

Watching Thai pros teaching farangs is very frustrating, you can see that the lack of language is a great impediment to understanding.

Courses:

Played at Plutaluang Navy, Phoenix, Eastern Star, Pattaya Country Club, Green Vally, Emerald.

Actually liked the navy course layout, shame about molasses greens, but big plus for cheap refreshments and a reasonable green fee,

I think its even 500 baht now (low season, weekdays).

Emerald is ok as well, some nice holes there, cheaper drinks too.

All the others are fairly forgettable, and i don't reckon they are worth 1200 baht to play,

and thats the cheapest low season price, 700 green fee + 250 caddy + 200 caddy tip.

Then places like Phoenix want 35 baht for can of sprite.

general impression of the all being the same is disappointing,

wide fairways, no rough, no scrub or trees defining fairways,

a factor of being built for average resort style golfers i guess.

In Aus they would be good public links and you would pay maybe 30-40 AUD (yep, 840-1120 baht ) to play them, same as here.

Things I'll do next time:

get full cord grips or wrap that towelling stuff they use on tennis raquets around my grips.

When practicing I often wrap a handerchief around the grip (illegal now in play).

Have a very light weight loose shirt, regular golf shirts are too heavy when drenched in sweat.

Anyhow , my swing is a mess, and I didn't have one good score anywhere,

just one very nearly hole-in-one and one regulation eagle for memories.

Played with some nice guys and had some fun,

with all the drawbacks of being busy, noisy, dirty and ugly, Patts is still a good place for golfing because of variety of choices.

Off to Chiang Mai next for a week, will grab a few rounds there i hope.

May Chivas Irons be with you!!

[dclaryjr]

It sure sounds like prices have risen since my 2000 trip. I sure hope I find a suitable home course in the Kao Yhai area when I retire that won't bust my budget!!

May Chivas Irons be with you!!

Most appropriate for a post about Golf in the Kingdom!!

[phutoie2]

Good report Mark. Myself and 2 other ex-pats from this area are organising a mini golf tour later this year, when a little cooler.

I have a recent up to date leaflet on golf in the Pattaya area from a company that organises golf days. Thai-Ger Line they are called (anyone recommend??).

Prices and slow play on certain courses with big societies/groups are a major concern.

Alternatively we are thinking of Northern Bangkok too, quite a few courses in that area and we know of cheap accomodation and interesting night life!, as some of us are ex-Don Muang (RTAF) contractors.

[mark lamai]

haven't used thai-ger line,

they are quite well promoted, they publish a map of courses here,

i think somewhat more expensive than doing it via local societies,

the local groups get the discount price which is usually what a guest of a member would pay,

so 1500 for walk-in player might be 900 in that sort of range.

there are 2 umbrella organisations here,

the Pattaya Sports Club and the International Pattaya Golf Club,

each society is affiliated with one for handicap purposes etc.

you pay 500 baht to join the umbrella org. to then play with the society,

sometimes this is overlooked for short time players.

www.ipgc.org has info and schedules for their societies.

www.pattayamail.com has golf results and some contacts but no schedule i could find.

should mention,

a day's golf is usually like this;

meet at the societies bar around 8-9 am,

enter the day's competition about 250 baht,

travel arranged, about 200 baht round trip,

pay the green fee, caddy fee and caddy tip at the course.

travel back to bar and collect winnings!!

a few don't do the competition bit, see post above for one.

so its about 1500 in low season for expenses.

[chuckd]

I would strongly urge anybody that is planning on playing more than a couple of rounds in Pattaya to join the Pattaya Sports Club.

The fee is 700 baht for the first year (sorry, Mark, but I am pretty sure it is 700..not 500) and an annual fee of 400 baht thereafter. They also have a Gold Card valid for six years. The card has a one time charge of 300 baht for registration and 2,000 baht for the card. All renewal cards are 2,000 baht, again for six years. I am on my third 6 year card now.

PSC is located in their own building immediately behind the Third Road Driving Range. Show up with the money and a photo and you are in business. They might even take photos there now.

You will generally save enough on a few green fees to pay for the card.

[fm2002]

I would highly recommend you give it another try. I've been golfing and running tournaments for my friends for 5 years. The courses you listed are in my opinion lower quality and if you tried the others you would be impressed. In fact most of my mates that come over to play twice a year are from Australia.