Siam Country Club Plantation

[manarak]

I played yesterday on the Siam Country Club's Plantation course and want to share my impressions.

The atmosphere is a bit cold there, it is organised like a factory.

And it is VERY expensive.

Green fee is 2750 baht on weekdays, 3300 baht on weekends.

Add the caddy fee (compulsory) of 300 baht

Add the cart fee (obligatory) of 650 baht

And the (necessary) amount is 3700 baht weekdays, 4250 weekends...

The small Singha costs 90 baht at the bar / restaurant.

The course itself is very nicely made and perfectly maintained.

The only problem is that the holes are very long, with watered fairways on which teeshots do not roll. at all.

So if you carry 220 yards with your teeshot, that will be it, leaving another 200 yards to play on the average 420 yard par 4.

And I didn't even play the championship tees, this is from the men's tees (blue).

Also, a lot of greens are elevated, making for a deadly combination: long range, rather imprecise shots for the green, and difficult chips if you miss it.

The greens were so-so, quality ok, but lacking personality.

At the end of the day, I do not regret my visit at the plantation course, but I will not return unless invited.

[manarak]

doh, somehow I posted in this forum, but the post was intended for the golf forum!

can a kind mod please move the thread?

[manarak]

doh, somehow I posted in this forum, but the post was intended for the golf forum!

can a kind mod please move the thread?

thank you!

[thaihome]

Pretty good summary of Plantation (and the old course as a matter of fact). The courses are very, very, nice but they have many senseless rules and the employees are trained to think the customers are detrimental to the golf course and are just an inconvenience to be barely tolerated and are to be irritated at every opportunity.

Just for giggles, count how many times from the getting out the car at the entrance to arriving on the first hole you get asked do you have a time booked and what time is it? My record was 6 times. I couldn’t figure out why when there were no [paper] towels at the sink in the locker room, the attendant needed to know my tee time to get a new box?

TH

[manarak]

Pretty good summary of Plantation (and the old course as a matter of fact). The courses are very, very, nice but they have many senseless rules and the employees are trained to think the customers are detrimental to the golf course and are just an inconvenience to be barely tolerated and are to be irritated at every opportunity.

Just for giggles, count how many times from the getting out the car at the entrance to arriving on the first hole you get asked do you have a time booked and what time is it? My record was 6 times. I couldn’t figure out why when there were no [paper] towels at the sink in the locker room, the attendant needed to know my tee time to get a new box?

TH

They kept asking stuff I didn't understand 3 or 4 times before I could reach reception.

I played the Siam old course 2 years ago and I thought it was much more accessible.

The fairways were nowhere as wet as Plantation's and the teeshots rolled for an additional 30 or 40 yards, which made it possible for me to get onto some greens.

I scored 89 there which was far from a good result, but still fun.

[Forethat]

Granted - green fees are getting ridiculously high in some parts of Thailand, especially Pattaya. I fear it'll only be another two years before prices will have reached the Phuket levels with greens fees close to 5000. Personally, I love Siam Country Club, especially the Old Course, but paying this much for a round of golf is crazy so I don't play there much. In Bangkok it is still easy to find a good value for money golf course if you go one hour outside Bangkok (Cascata and Lotus Valley, for instance)

There are ways of getting a discount; try Open Fairways or Booking Anywhere.

http://www.openfairwaysasia.com/index.html

http://www.bookinganywhere.com/

Finally, I have to comment on OPs initial comment regarding level of difficulty:

You're know this already, so no need for me to be snappy, but golf was never meant to be easy. In fact, there's an entire group of people who's profession it is to make the game more difficult (golf course architects). Wet course usually means the course plays longer than if it's dry. If the course is too long for you to enjoy the game I suggest playing of a different tee box. Keep in mind, if you were to hit a hole in one on every shot - NOBODY would play golf...

[manarak]

Granted - green fees are getting ridiculously high in some parts of Thailand, especially Pattaya. I fear it'll only be another two years before prices will have reached the Phuket levels with greens fees close to 5000. Personally, I love Siam

Finally, I have to comment on OPs initial comment regarding level of difficulty:

You're know this already, so no need for me to be snappy, but golf was never meant to be easy. In fact, there's an entire group of people who's profession it is to make the game more difficult (golf course architects). Wet course usually means the course plays longer than if it's dry. If the course is too long for you to enjoy the game I suggest playing of a different tee box. Keep in mind, if you were to hit a hole in one on every shot - NOBODY would play golf...

Of course you are right, but...

Some newer courses seem to be built for guys measuring 1m90 and going to the gym every day.

When I started golf over 20 years ago, rare were the courses where I couldn't reach half the par 5 greens in 2 shots and almost all par 4s (from championship tees).

Please note I'm not uncomfortable with the better player winning.

I am questioning the shift in the spirit of the game that is behind this.

Before, the game was a balance between power and precision. Of course you had to attain a certain level of power to have a shot at the par, but once you reached about 220-240 yards carry, you had enough power and would have to work on precision.

220 yards carry is attainable for any reasonably fit adult, from 1m50 to 2m.

A game where anyone had a chance against big hitters.

Ian Woosnam for example is 1m64.

How many successful professional golfers under 1m80 are there today?

Let's look at the top 12:

Martin Kaymer 1m84

Lee Westwood 1m83

Luke Donald 1m75

Graeme McDowell 1m80

Tiger Woods 1m85

Phil Mickelson 1m91

Paul Casey 1m78

Rory McIlroy 1m75

Steve Stricker 1m83

Matt Kuchar 1m93

Jim Furyk 1m88

Ernie Els 1m91

...

and the list goes on and on...

And then remember some names from earlier times (in no particular order, all winners of the Masters):

Tom Watson 1m75

Craig Stadler 1m78

Jack nicklaus 1m78

Gary Player 1m68

Bernhard Langer 1m74

JM Olazabal 1m78

Ben Crenshaw 1m75

...

ok, Faldo is tall, 1m91 as well as Mize and Lyle (1m83 both). but still...

I guess I am ranting.

It is frustrating for someone who used to be able to play with the pros to be limited by his body on courses that were built for athletes.

These playing conditions (very long course with wet fairways) have nothing in common with "normal" courses.

HCP 4... "if you will excuse me, I'll take the ladies tee"

Edited March 1, 2011 by manarak

[chuckd]

Here are a couple of shorter golfers that had some degree of success in the olden days.

Ben Hogan - 1.73 meters

Lee Trevino - 1.70 meters

I used to play off 4 but, alas, my skills have diminished with my age.

[Minpin]

Granted - green fees are getting ridiculously high in some parts of Thailand, especially Pattaya. I fear it'll only be another two years before prices will have reached the Phuket levels with greens fees close to 5000. Personally, I love Siam

Finally, I have to comment on OPs initial comment regarding level of difficulty:

You're know this already, so no need for me to be snappy, but golf was never meant to be easy. In fact, there's an entire group of people who's profession it is to make the game more difficult (golf course architects). Wet course usually means the course plays longer than if it's dry. If the course is too long for you to enjoy the game I suggest playing of a different tee box. Keep in mind, if you were to hit a hole in one on every shot - NOBODY would play golf...

Of course you are right, but...

Some newer courses seem to be built for guys measuring 1m90 and going to the gym every day.

When I started golf over 20 years ago, rare were the courses where I couldn't reach half the par 5 greens in 2 shots and almost all par 4s (from championship tees).

Please note I'm not uncomfortable with the better player winning.

I am questioning the shift in the spirit of the game that is behind this.

Before, the game was a balance between power and precision. Of course you had to attain a certain level of power to have a shot at the par, but once you reached about 220-240 yards carry, you had enough power and would have to work on precision.

220 yards carry is attainable for any reasonably fit adult, from 1m50 to 2m.

A game where anyone had a chance against big hitters.

Ian Woosnam for example is 1m64.

How many successful professional golfers under 1m80 are there today?

Let's look at the top 12:

Martin Kaymer 1m84

Lee Westwood 1m83

Luke Donald 1m75

Graeme McDowell 1m80

Tiger Woods 1m85

Phil Mickelson 1m91

Paul Casey 1m78

Rory McIlroy 1m75

Steve Stricker 1m83

Matt Kuchar 1m93

Jim Furyk 1m88

Ernie Els 1m91

...

and the list goes on and on...

And then remember some names from earlier times (in no particular order, all winners of the Masters):

Tom Watson 1m75

Craig Stadler 1m78

Jack nicklaus 1m78

Gary Player 1m68

Bernhard Langer 1m74

JM Olazabal 1m78

Ben Crenshaw 1m75

...

ok, Faldo is tall, 1m91 as well as Mize and Lyle (1m83 both). but still...

I guess I am ranting.

It is frustrating for someone who used to be able to play with the pros to be limited by his body on courses that were built for athletes.

These playing conditions (very long course with wet fairways) have nothing in common with "normal" courses.

HCP 4... "if you will excuse me, I'll take the ladies tee"

[tgeezer]

Granted - green fees are getting ridiculously high in some parts of Thailand, especially Pattaya. I fear it'll only be another two years before prices will have reached the Phuket levels with greens fees close to 5000. Personally, I love Siam Country Club, especially the Old Course, but paying this much for a round of golf is crazy so I don't play there much. In Bangkok it is still easy to find a good value for money golf course if you go one hour outside Bangkok (Cascata and Lotus Valley, for instance)

There are ways of getting a discount; try Open Fairways or Booking Anywhere.

http://www.openfairw....com/index.html

http://www.bookinganywhere.com/

Finally, I have to comment on OPs initial comment regarding level of difficulty:

You're know this already, so no need for me to be snappy, but golf was never meant to be easy. In fact, there's an entire group of people who's profession it is to make the game more difficult (golf course architects). Wet course usually means the course plays longer than if it's dry. If the course is too long for you to enjoy the game I suggest playing of a different tee box. Keep in mind, if you were to hit a hole in one on every shot - NOBODY would play golf...

It isn't particularly long I think 6900 approx 6700 is the standard isn't it? 240yard carry leaving 200 to the center of the green only needs 185 long, there is always the short game in hand to succeed on those low index holes.

More interestingly how do you assign stroke index with 27 holes ? Each nine has 1-9 so it would be important to agree beforehand on where the extra shot is taken for odd number handicaps, or handicap difference, I suppose I would toss a coin.

I used to like the SCC used to stay overnight, but vowed never to play there when they made carts compulsory, I don't mind a caddy; I realize the employment problem, but when all they have to do is sit on their ass in the cart I draw the line.

[manarak]

I don't mind a caddy; I realize the employment problem, but when all they have to do is sit on their ass in the cart I draw the line.

I couldn't fault the caddies.

Service was good, Nuch (pronounce Noot)cleaned the clubs, had spare balls in her pockets (after seeing how I hooked a ball OOB), read the greens quite well (better than me anyway), gave accurate distance in yards, etc. She was also friendly, smiling and complimented on genuinely good shots. and they did their job, repairing divots, pitch marks, raking bunkers.

The caddies give you their "card" at the end of the game and in the club house, near the locker room, you can put into boxes labeled "poor, fair, good, excellent" or something like that.

Edited March 10, 2011 by manarak

[tgeezer]

I don't mind a caddy; I realize the employment problem, but when all they have to do is sit on their ass in the cart I draw the line.

I couldn't fault the caddies.

Service was good, Nuch (pronounce Noot)cleaned the clubs, had spare balls in her pockets (after seeing how I hooked a ball OOB), read the greens quite well (better than me anyway), gave accurate distance in yards, etc. She was also friendly, smiling and complimented on genuinely good shots. and they did their job, repairing divots, pitch marks, raking bunkers.

The caddies give you their "card" at the end of the game and in the club house, near the locker room, you can put into boxes labeled "poor, fair, good, excellent" or something like that.

Thank for that; it certainly softens the blow somewhat if the caddies do a good job. I hope that SCC can maintain the standard.

[thaihome]

I used to like the SCC used to stay overnight, but vowed never to play there when they made carts compulsory, I don't mind a caddy; I realize the employment problem, but when all they have to do is sit on their ass in the cart I draw the line.

The caddies at both Siam CC’s don’t sit in the cart much since they do not allow carts on the fairways. They pretty much run their asses off, much of it unnecessarily IMHO as there is no reason for not allowing carts on the fairways at either club much of the time.

Where at SCC did you stay overnight. Neither club has a hotel attached. Are you confusing Siam CC's with the Laem Chabang resort?

TH

[chuckd]

I used to like the SCC used to stay overnight, but vowed never to play there when they made carts compulsory, I don't mind a caddy; I realize the employment problem, but when all they have to do is sit on their ass in the cart I draw the line.

The caddies at both Siam CC’s don’t sit in the cart much since they do not allow carts on the fairways. They pretty much run their asses off, much of it unnecessarily IMHO as there is no reason for not allowing carts on the fairways at either club much of the time.

Where at SCC did you stay overnight. Neither club has a hotel attached. Are you confusing Siam CC's with the Laem Chabang resort?

TH

I don't know about tgeezer, but I have stayed overnight several times at SCC. They previously had rooms to the left when you drove up to the clubhouse to off-load your clubs and pay the green fees. The rooms were to the left while the registration and restaurant were to the right.

We used to bring a group down from BKK, rent all their rooms (6-8 of them as I recall), go to Foodland and load up on snacks and drinks and sit around at night and have a picnic there. The restaurant closed down at dusk so we managed by ourselves.

The rooms were fairly basic but very convenient and comfortable. I haven't been there since the remodeling so I can't say what is there now.

[thaihome]

I stand corrected. Apparently the old course does have rooms.

TH

[PingManDan]

Why because the farang will pay it