Siam Country Club, Plantation Course.

[GezT]

As a long term member of Siam Country Club, Old Course, and it being closed on Mondays I decided to try the driving range at the Plantation Course. This being due to playing so badly of late and needing to try and get things put right. I arrived at the bag drop this morning at around 10.30 but no caddies or the usual caddy master to unload my clubs, no problem, I drove to the car park and carried my own clubs up stairs to the Pro Shop. There was about 5-6 cars in the car park and a mini bus.

I went into the pro shop and explained to the lady I wanted to hit a couple of trays of balls at the driving range, "Do you want to play 18 holes", asked the receptionist (who worked at the old course for a number of years), "No", I told her I needed to practice. "Sorry, new rules from big boss, can only use driving range if you pay to play 18 holes". I politely told her I was a member of the old course (this she already knew) and as it was shut on Monday's I couldn't practice there, "I just need to hit a couple of trays of balls", I told her, "There's no one on the course, there's hardly likely to be anyone on the driving range, what's the problem?" I asked. She called a couple of numbers then told me the Manager was coming to see me. The lady who arrived hes worked at both courses, but originally was at the old course a long time. I've always found her most unhelpfull and seems to enjoy telling you what you can and can't do. "Sorry, you can only use the driving range if you pay to play 18 holes and caddy" she smilingley told me. "But there's no one here, whats the problem?", I asked. She just stood there with a smug grin on her face.

I will never go there again, and I wonder how long they will continue to try and stick people over 2,500 baht just to use the driving range. Is it a wonder the course was empty?

[Phil Conners]

Why don't you just use the driving range at SSCC ? It's a lot better than the one at SCC anyway?