Gassan Lake City Chiang Mai

[Thailand]

Only yesterday Sticklee and I were extolling the virtues of Lake City, reasonable condition and still good value at 550baht. (Was 400baht for some time).

Went there today and was told it is now 750baht for Thais and 1050baht for farang Thai residents! I checked and rechecked with the cashiers and that was definitely the case.

I told them what they could do with their new pricing and left.

What sort of mentality builds up a few regular golfers after their past couple of years of major problems and now this!

Senseless,hopefully you guys will tell them the same as I did and voted with my feet.

[kennalder]

One of the biggest problems with Gassan Lakes has always been the management. Even when you go there 2-3 times a week for 2 years you still get the occasional surprise. We were told back on Dec 1 when the caddy fee was raised from 200 to 250, hence counter fee from 500 to 550, that starting Dec 15 the counter fee would be 800. We told them our last possible day EVER at Gassan would be Dec 14, as they had already pushed the limit at 550. I told them with probably the worst greens in the Chiang Mai area, 550 was already too much.

As an aside I have always debated which course had the worst greens, Gassan because of the 3 different kinds of "grasses" and the craters left behind from trying to remove some of the invading species or Gymkhana because they are so slow, probably a 4 or 5 on the Stimpmeter.

The cratering has gotten worse lately, and the holes are so deep and round that they have filled them with piles of sand. Some of the holes are not completely filled to the surface, so you might be putting through a couple of mini bunkers on the way to the hole. So Gassan takes the nod and will keep the title as I don't intend to return anytime soon. I must add, last week the greens at gymkhana must have had the semi-annual haircut and were decidedly quicker.

So now Gassan is not 800 like we were told it would be, but 1050. Even early in Dec., when it was supposed to be 550 they tried to charge me 800. I said, not until Dec. 15. Then she said only residents get 550, so I showed my DL and got the 550. This after 2 years of multiple times a week. Sometimes I wonder just how much goes into the till at that place and how much goes into other pockets.

I still like the lay-out and if they maintained the fairways and re-sowed the greens it would be an 800 baht golf course. But not now, 500 tops is fair. And as for this double pricing, they can shove it.

[sticklee]

I must have just got in under the wire then. The sheer idiocy of these people defies belief. They do not realize they are hurting the local economy. The restaurant near the police box, where I ate several times as well as our club tournment, is now closed. Koreans and Japanese in mini buses don't stop at local businesses. Only the resident farangs who transport themselves patronize these place (other than occasional locals) I can forsee the golf ball seller across the road now losing business too. Stupid stupid stupid. They deserve to go under, it's a fitting fate for mis-management.

[femi fan]

Indeed, management is the issue with this company, and that's a pity since they have three golf courses in the c mai region.

About three years ago i think, i used to use the gassan driving range since it is close to my home. I got to know the top marketing person, and a couple of times took her up on some reduced green fees to play at the fabulous gassan khuntan. My memory tells me she was somehow related to the owner of the gassan group, perhaps the niece.

At one point she asked me if i'd like to manage the khuntan course!! I won't say more on that story except that i declined this strange offer! But it's for this reason that i established in my mind their need for decent management.

One day it transpired while talking to her that she'd clearly had some kind of dispute with the owner, her relative.

With the ongoing dropping of standards at the driving range, and with me not seeing her any more after this, i guessed that they'd still not got a GM, and that perhaps even the marketing side of things was now disappearing because i never saw her again.

So, i would guess that without any proper management, perhaps a very rich owner who doesn't really care too much for his three courses, local running of each course has been left to whatever staff are there. And that would mean any kind of decision-making!

The group appear to be rudderless.

Anybody know how khuntan is doing? Losing that course would be a crying shame.

It would be good to hear more reaction to lake city's prices now, to see if a constant them emerges or not.

[LarryBird]

I don't want to go into the details too much, but they attempted to rip me off once. Similar experience to what kennadler described.

Aren't a lot of golf courses just laundromat's anyway?

[sticklee]

Golf Cash Grab News Update. Green Valley has now pushed back the starting time for the afternoon night golf special. Now starts at 4 PM.

[Thailand]

Played with a guy today at Hang Dong who told me his club was arranging around 40 persons to play at Lake City next week I think, they had been quoted 550baht.

Called to confirm and were quoted the new farang special price at 1050baht.-they will not be playing there!

[Thailand]

I guess this guy is somewhat more peed off than most!

HERE

[LarryBird]

Someone's upset!!

[Thailand]

Indeed, management is the issue with this company, and that's a pity since they have three golf courses in the c mai region.

About three years ago i think, i used to use the gassan driving range since it is close to my home. I got to know the top marketing person, and a couple of times took her up on some reduced green fees to play at the fabulous gassan khuntan. My memory tells me she was somehow related to the owner of the gassan group, perhaps the niece.

At one point she asked me if i'd like to manage the khuntan course!! I won't say more on that story except that i declined this strange offer! But it's for this reason that i established in my mind their need for decent management.

One day it transpired while talking to her that she'd clearly had some kind of dispute with the owner, her relative.

With the ongoing dropping of standards at the driving range, and with me not seeing her any more after this, i guessed that they'd still not got a GM, and that perhaps even the marketing side of things was now disappearing because i never saw her again.

So, i would guess that without any proper management, perhaps a very rich owner who doesn't really care too much for his three courses, local running of each course has been left to whatever staff are there. And that would mean any kind of decision-making!

The group appear to be rudderless.

Anybody know how khuntan is doing? Losing that course would be a crying shame.

It would be good to hear more reaction to lake city's prices now, to see if a constant them emerges or not.

Went recently, prices pre Xmas were $1000 + caddy fee. I had called to check.

When we arrived a week or two ago the prices had gone up to $1250 + caddy fee I am guessing the same time Lake City doubled their price for "locals" so it looks like it is a cash grab by Gassan mgt-before going under perhaps?

Anyway,having travelled so far we played,what a great course!I started bogey par par bogey and then the wheels fell off and I started spraying drives in all directions except backwards!

Just my opinion but,Gassan have a beauty here and should take advanatge of it but unlikely based on recent mgt decisions.It's a long drive out there and a price incentive for "locals" might be a good idea?The low season is not far away!