Best Golf Destination In Thailand

[Elephant789]

Hello fellow golfers.We're thinking of coming to Thailand for a golf vacation during Chinese New Year.Can someone suggest the best place for golf? We are looking for something like 8 days, golf everyday. Beaches are not important, only golf. At the moment we are considering Hua Hin and Pattaya.Thanks for any suggestions.

[bkkjames]

Phuket.

[lazeeboy]

golf in february in chiangmai is good as its the cool season and not so hot .have many golf coarses here and not to expensive ....

[Payboy]

Suggest you stay in Pattaya as the area offers excellent courses within about 60 mins drive from the strip. Not to be missed are Thai Country Club, Amata Spring, Siam Country, St Andrews and Laem Chabang GC.

And if you want something out of the ordinary you can play both courses (highland & valley) at Wangjuntr Park. Their club house is basic but the courses are very challenging.

[LarryBird]

Chiang mai offers some great courses in Chiang Mai Highlands, Alpine Golf, Royal Chiang Mai, Green-Valley.. Others nearby include, Mae Jo golf, the highly regarded Doi Inthanon, and Gold Canyon (or is it gold mountain) in Lamphun..

We kind of need more details as to what's important to you... Cost, variety, etc.., but if it were up to me, I'd go with just playing Alpine in the morning, and ChiangMai highlands in the afternoon.. 36 holes a day, no screwing around. The crowds tend to clear at Chiangmai highlands in the afternoon. By just sticking with these two courses, you give yourself a chance to get used to the course, and get a regular caddy if you choose.

I'd find a place to stay out near those two courses, and just set up camp there.. That's if you're a golfer like me..

Now that I think about it.. Another option might be voyage panorama.. I think they offer some good promotions, and I've heard wonderful things about their course..

Other than that, I can't comment much on Pattaya or Hua Hin other than that i've heard good things about both.

Where are you coming from? If you're coming from the states, I recommend staying longer than 8 days.. You might not even be over jet lag by the time you're heading back.

[madgolfer]

Suggest you stay in Pattaya as the area offers excellent courses within about 60 mins drive from the strip. Not to be missed are Thai Country Club, Amata Spring, Siam Country, St Andrews and Laem Chabang GC.

And if you want something out of the ordinary you can play both courses (highland & valley) at Wangjuntr Park. Their club house is basic but the courses are very challenging.

Agree on Wanjuntr....something different...the highland course may not be as well manicured as say red Mountain in Phuket but a great experience....I found Phuket too expensive for golf.

[chuckd]

I have a home just outside Pattaya. There are over 20 golf courses within one hour of my home there.

Many championship courses with renowned designers. Look it up on the internet.

[PattayaParent]

If you want nothing besides golf look up Soi Dao. You can stay there on the course and play 2 rounds a day, no need to go anywhere else.

I'd also suggest Royal Hills in Nakhon Nayok which is the same, or maybe stay in Pak Chong and there's a few (4?) courses in the area, plus Royal Hills on the other side of Khao Yai. I think also Mission Hills has a golf resort that you can stay at which is in Pak Chong area.

If you also want some nightlife and variety, including Western food, then definitely Pattaya as there's 17 courses in a 50 kms radius and also a few bars in the town.

Edit: Pattaya courses such as Siam CC, Green Valley/St' Andrew's and Laem Chabang are also golf resorts which have accomodation on them if you don't want to stay in Pattaya.

[Elephant789]

Thanks for all the advice. I will be coming from Taiwan, so no jet lag.

I will bring up the suggestions to my group and see how it goes, but it looks like it will be Pattaya.

[kenny999]

Thanks for all the advice. I will be coming from Taiwan, so no jet lag.

I will bring up the suggestions to my group and see how it goes, but it looks like it will be Pattaya.

Phuket is most definitely not the best golf destination unless you enjoy throwing thousands of bht away with the ridiculously high green fee's here, have fun in Pattaya!!

[stumac85]

Pattaya is a great golf location with a lot of choice in courses (20+ within an hours drive). A quick googling gave me this map of courses around Pattaya.

[LarryBird]

One thing about Chiangmai courses is that they offer a lot of variety. For example, Alpine and Chiangmai Highlands are down the road from each other, but they're COMPLETELY different courses. The back 9 at CMH is very hilly where Alpine, set in a valley, has little elevation change , although I wouldn't call it flat. Alpine has longer grass and soft fairways that are lined with trees, where as Highland's fairways are a bit harder, shorter grass, and the holes are typically wide open. Highlands greens are almost always tiered, and Alpine has few if any tiered greens. Highlands pins are almost always accessible, where as at Alpine, you better make sure you're below the hole. While both courses are very different, they are both of very high quality.

I'm wondering if this is true about Pattaya courses? (I'm wondering, cause most of the websites I look at, and the tourneys I see on TV, most courses look the same.)

[PattayaParent]

^yes true in Pattaya too.

In fact if you play Plutaluang they have 4 X 9 holes that are completely different from each other on the same course.

Phoenix has 3 X 9 holes also different on the same course.

Edit: At Emerald every hole has a very different feel and layout to it.

[chuckd]

Elephant789:

If you do decide on Pattaya you should consider joining the Pattaya Sports Club as soon as you arrive. You will get discounts at many golf courses and your discounts will more than make up for the cost of joining. The details are here:

http://pattayasports.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=92

Surf the site for more information.

[rusty1976]

Pattaya has to be the better destination in thailand, for price and choice...

Soi Dao,.. is great for a weekend and if you need to fit a visa run in at the same time it works out well as the border is 10 mins away.

[chuckd]

Pattaya has to be the better destination in thailand, for price and choice...

Soi Dao,.. is great for a weekend and if you need to fit a visa run in at the same time it works out well as the border is 10 mins away.

Agreed. Soi Dao is a really good golf course. Only course I ever shanked all the way around a par three.

[tailspin]

why all the responses to play 36 holes per day...why not play an enjoyable round in the morning followed by the 19th hole in the afternoon x 8 days?

[LarryBird]

Why not play 36 and hit the 19th hole?

[Wallaby]

Pattaya has to be the better destination in thailand, for price and choice...

Soi Dao,.. is great for a weekend and if you need to fit a visa run in at the same time it works out well as the border is 10 mins away.

Agreed. Soi Dao is a really good golf course. Only course I ever shanked all the way around a par three.

I was at Brisbane airport to pick up my TGF and out walked an old mate that just had a couple of weeks in Patts for golf (and other things). We have played many of the top courses in oz and nz and he told me that the Siam course is the best he's played. I think Siam has 2 courses and I didn't think to ask him which one.

Have you played it and if so do you have any thoughts on how good it is, or if it's the best around there?

[LarryBird]

Pattaya has to be the better destination in thailand, for price and choice...

Soi Dao,.. is great for a weekend and if you need to fit a visa run in at the same time it works out well as the border is 10 mins away.

Agreed. Soi Dao is a really good golf course. Only course I ever shanked all the way around a par three.

I was at Brisbane airport to pick up my TGF and out walked an old mate that just had a couple of weeks in Patts for golf (and other things). We have played many of the top courses in oz and nz and he told me that the Siam course is the best he's played. I think Siam has 2 courses and I didn't think to ask him which one.

Have you played it and if so do you have any thoughts on how good it is, or if it's the best around there?

Curious if you've played Cape Kidnappers in NZ? What other top courses have you played in NZ? Tx.

[rusty1976]

I was at Brisbane airport to pick up my TGF and out walked an old mate that just had a couple of weeks in Patts for golf (and other things). We have played many of the top courses in oz and nz and he told me that the Siam course is the best he's played. I think Siam has 2 courses and I didn't think to ask him which one.

Have you played it and if so do you have any thoughts on how good it is, or if it's the best around there?

I would say that Siam Old Course and the other course you are refering to is Plantation, are 2 of the best in thailand... I cant say if they are the best because I have never played in Chang Mai or down at Black Mountian.... They would be in the top 10 for sure.

Both courses are owned by 2 thai brothers who hate each other and havent spoken in years... both are very wealthy as you can imagine.

I actually enjoy Plantation more than Siam because of the finishing a-joined greens, all 3 courses finish on a pyramid style green with three pins for each course, if you over shoot your approach shot you will be left with a 90ft putt.

The best he has played,... has your friend played in America ? around Monterey, Pebble Beach area.. Or in China at Mission Hills,... The only reason Pattaya is good is because you can always get cheap pussy afterwards.

[Wallaby]

I was at Brisbane airport to pick up my TGF and out walked an old mate that just had a couple of weeks in Patts for golf (and other things). We have played many of the top courses in oz and nz and he told me that the Siam course is the best he's played. I think Siam has 2 courses and I didn't think to ask him which one.

Have you played it and if so do you have any thoughts on how good it is, or if it's the best around there?

I would say that Siam Old Course and the other course you are refering to is Plantation, are 2 of the best in thailand... I cant say if they are the best because I have never played in Chang Mai or down at Black Mountian.... They would be in the top 10 for sure.

Both courses are owned by 2 thai brothers who hate each other and havent spoken in years... both are very wealthy as you can imagine.

I actually enjoy Plantation more than Siam because of the finishing a-joined greens, all 3 courses finish on a pyramid style green with three pins for each course, if you over shoot your approach shot you will be left with a 90ft putt.

The best he has played,... has your friend played in America ? around Monterey, Pebble Beach area.. Or in China at Mission Hills,... The only reason Pattaya is good is because you can always get cheap pussy afterwards.

Thanks for that, we have played in many courses in oz, down on the sandbelt courses in Melbourne etc. Neither of us have been to the US/China etc.

[Wallaby]

Curious if you've played Cape Kidnappers in NZ? What other top courses have you played in NZ? Tx.

Hi Larry, I haven't had the joy of Kidnappers. I lived in NZ for 5 years and I'm not sure it was finished when I moved back to oz. Other than normal club courses in Auckland, the more memorable courses I've played in NZ are Auckland GC, Gulf Harbour, Wairake, Kauri Cliffs, Clearwater.

Favourite 2 are Wairake and Kauri Cliffs. Kauri Cliffs is brilliant as long as you don't get blown off the course. Wairake is just a beautiful course to look at and also play.

PS: I just had a look at the Cape Kidnappers site. I think it was finished around 2004 but I left NZ in 2005. I wish I had the chance to play it though, with a few dozen spare balls. Looks magnificent.

http://www.capekidnappers.com/

[LarryBird]

Curious if you've played Cape Kidnappers in NZ? What other top courses have you played in NZ? Tx.

Hi Larry, I haven't had the joy of Kidnappers. I lived in NZ for 5 years and I'm not sure it was finished when I moved back to oz. Other than normal club courses in Auckland, the more memorable courses I've played in NZ are Auckland GC, Gulf Harbour, Wairake, Kauri Cliffs, Clearwater.

Favourite 2 are Wairake and Kauri Cliffs. Kauri Cliffs is brilliant as long as you don't get blown off the course. Wairake is just a beautiful course to look at and also play.

PS: I just had a look at the Cape Kidnappers site. I think it was finished around 2004 but I left NZ in 2005. I wish I had the chance to play it though, with a few dozen spare balls. Looks magnificent.

http://www.capekidnappers.com/

Cool cool.. I went and looked at Kauri Cliffs, but didn't get a chance to play it.. I'm not exactly made of $$. But just standing out there was amazing. I actually played some other spectacular courses in NZ that were just $20NZ. Haware golf course out in Taranaki. I met some people that said the Kinloch course in the Taupo region designed by Nicklaus was amazing as well.

And yes, you're right, bring a lot of balls if you're going to play kidnappers. I was playing off about a 5 handicap, lost a half a dozen balls, and shot over 100 when I played it. So windy, long ruff, fast greens, etc etc..

[najman]

Now that I think about it.. Another option might be voyage panorama.. I think they offer some good promotions, and I've heard wonderful things about their course..

Yes, Panorama Golf and Country Club has been under new western management for the last couple of years and had a name adjustment and new clubhouse, bringing back the quality of the well designed golf course in the hills. apparently the course is in great shape and was voted one of the best golf courses in Thailand from what I read in Thailand Tatler. It's around 2.5 hours north of Bangkok.

[farangme]

Hua Hin has great golf with a very quiet nightlife. Pattaya has great golf with more courses to choose from and also has vibrant nightlife if interested. Banyan in Hua Hin and Siam CC in Pattaya are both fantastic.