Golf In Chiang Mai Without Caddy

[gatsby32]

I like to play golf alone with headphones on, and get into a zone of total relaxation -- its impossible if I have some caddy following me around. I care even less about the quality of the course or the facilities than being able to play alone and carrying my own bag. I went out to Hang Dong Golf Club today but they also require a caddy.

Anybody know of a course in/near Chiang Mai where I could find this? Thanks!

[PostmanPat]

Simple answer. No. Caddies required to be paid for and used like it or not (extra 400/500 baht every round!!) at all courses except Sansai Par 3 course, and Gymkhana but only then if you are a member.

It infuriates me too. Total waste of money and useless advice (if any) in most cases.

[NancyL]

Can't you just pay for the caddy and ask her to stay back and leave you alone?

[sticklee]

Sand Creek, near San Kamphaeng, caddies are optional. The only course you will be able to play without one.

[gamini]

The caddy can follow well behing you. Don't be such a cheapskate. If you can afford to play golf then you can afford a caddy

[SUBSAILOR]

golf avenue - old san sai

new san sai

[ProdigalSon]

Yep - as Subsailor said, both the Sansai "par 3" courses.

I was at StarDome one evening towards the end of last year on a public holiday and I couldn't play because there weren't any caddies available! Most of them were off for the day and the ones who were there were all out on the course. The first two holes were empty and there were about another three pairs of golfers ready and waiting to tee-off! Maybe there's some sort of caddies union which the courses are afraid of upsetting...

[PostmanPat]

The caddy can follow well behing you. Don't be such a cheapskate. If you can afford to play golf then you can afford a caddy

Its not a case of being a cheapskate. A combination of the caddy fee which you pay as part of the green fee, and the caddy tip of around 200 baht which you are expected to give whether the caddy is good bad or indifferent virtually doubles the cost at some courses (gymkhana, hangdong, stardome). It means for example at gymkhana that your round ends up costing around 800 as against 400 if you could not use a caddy.

[softgeorge]

Simple answer. No. Caddies required to be paid for and used like it or not (extra 400/500 baht every round!!) at all courses except Sansai Par 3 course, and Gymkhana but only then if you are a member.

It infuriates me too. Total waste of money and useless advice (if any) in most cases.

What if you get a work permit and do it yourself. So when the clock strikes mdday do they just drop your clubs in the middle of the fairway and head back to the caddyshack for lunch and thier midday nap?

Edited February 29, 2012 by softgeorge

[CMX]

If I am to keep my head down, it is useful to me to have a caddy who might follow the route of the pellet (should I happen to strike it this time) as it hops and dribbles into the jungle, rough, or water. And if anyone should bear the costs of a high rate of employment in Thailand, who better than (obviously wealthy) golfers?

I must admit that seeing a five ball, with caddies and umbrellas (for example from the highway at Lanna) looks like a parade. Where, I wonder, are the elephants?

Still, I prefer a quiet round of golf, preferably with no witnesses - and caddies are necessarily witnesses. One must admit too that by pouring manufactured noise into one's ears (rather than the sounds of the occasional click, birds, or quiet itself, as I choose to do) one can thereby ignore the caddy's useless advice.

Fore!

[sticklee]

Simple answer. No. Caddies required to be paid for and used like it or not (extra 400/500 baht every round!!) at all courses except Sansai Par 3 course, and Gymkhana but only then if you are a member.

It infuriates me too. Total waste of money and useless advice (if any) in most cases.

400-500B caddy tip? I don't think so. I play at least twice a week and no one in Chiang Mai I have ever played with tips more than the caddy fee,and the usual accepted tip is 200B. The caddy fee is maximum 250B at the higher end courses. Anyone tipping 400-500 needs to stop as it will encourage the caddies to expect more thus screwing it up for everyone.

[PostmanPat]

Simple answer. No. Caddies required to be paid for and used like it or not (extra 400/500 baht every round!!) at all courses except Sansai Par 3 course, and Gymkhana but only then if you are a member.

It infuriates me too. Total waste of money and useless advice (if any) in most cases.

400-500B caddy tip? I don't think so. I play at least twice a week and no one in Chiang Mai I have ever played with tips more than the caddy fee,and the usual accepted tip is 200B. The caddy fee is maximum 250B at the higher end courses. Anyone tipping 400-500 needs to stop as it will encourage the caddies to expect more thus screwing it up for everyone.

I never said that the tip is 400/500 baht. When you pay your green fee, part of what you pay is the "caddy fee", maybe 200/250 baht, then when you finish you also have to give a caddy tip, around 200 baht, hence, the additional cost of having to use a caddy is generally between 400 and 500 baht.

....and for the person who thinks golf is a "rich persons sport", far from it, there are hundreds maybe thousands of us poor impoverished hackers who love the challenge, but unfortunately are now finding it very difficult to find places to play with reasonable prices. "The bigger courses", Highlands, Alpine, Mae Jo, Green Valley etc now charge over 2000 baht in high season to the tourists, and even if you live here the overall price is still close to 2000.

[udonguy]

Gymkana, unfortunately.

I have no problem with lone golfers having no caddy but they also allow groups to do the same holding up everyone and also putting many caddies into near destitution and about half have left I believe. Wonderful club but the Committee can be very, very week.

[CMX]

So, it's Sand Creek off the old San Kamphaeng Road or two Sansai par 3 courses, the latter two requiring membership?

No others?

{I've observed for a long time that 'creeping cartism' is taking over in the U.S. - Carts required.}

Truth is that increasing land values are opposed to golf courses, and the future is dim for poor impoverished hackers everywhere on this planet, as only clubs with towering fees can stave off development. Our kids as adults must 1) get rich, 2) get a bicycle, or 3) go hiking, while that lasts.

[hhper]

Gymkana, unfortunately.

I have no problem with lone golfers having no caddy but they also allow groups to do the same holding up everyone and also putting many caddies into near destitution and about half have left I believe. Wonderful club but the Committee can be very, very week.

The committee is clueless.

As for the caddies they left when the place was flooded as there was no work. I understand the club refused to take them back. The place is laughable - would you want to play there with or without a caddy?

[Thailand]

Gymkana, unfortunately.

I have no problem with lone golfers having no caddy but they also allow groups to do the same holding up everyone and also putting many caddies into near destitution and about half have left I believe. Wonderful club but the Committee can be very, very week.

The committee is clueless.

As for the caddies they left when the place was flooded as there was no work. I understand the club refused to take them back. The place is laughable - would you want to play there with or without a caddy?

Stopped playing there some time ago. One of the main problems was the "members" not taking a caddy and playing in 5 's and sixes,absolutely ridiculous.

Sand creek,the cheapskates who go there and do not take a caddy are exactly that in my opinion.

The course is run by the caddies themselves and rely on those tips.It's only 220 baht inclusive for 18 holes,however if you wanted to play there take a trolley and pay the caddy tip in to their float but not take a caddy. Good luck in finding your ball without a caddy following an errant shot.

Not sure I would want to play on any 9 hole golf course,ar any course for that matter with headphones on-asking for trouble.

[hhper]

Gymkana, unfortunately.

I have no problem with lone golfers having no caddy but they also allow groups to do the same holding up everyone and also putting many caddies into near destitution and about half have left I believe. Wonderful club but the Committee can be very, very week.

The committee is clueless.

As for the caddies they left when the place was flooded as there was no work. I understand the club refused to take them back. The place is laughable - would you want to play there with or without a caddy?

Stopped playing there some time ago. One of the main problems was the "members" not taking a caddy and playing in 5 's and sixes,absolutely ridiculous.

5's and 6's that would be the committee. Unraked bunkers and unrepaired pitch marks. Hi-so Thais.

[femi fan]

Stopped playing there some time ago. One of the main problems was the "members" not taking a caddy and playing in 5 's and sixes,absolutely ridiculous.

I'm a member and normally play there on my own. Never ever seen a six group in ten years, and probably seen a five group a couple of times.

If this is one of your main problems i'd love to hear what the other problems were.

Edited February 29, 2012 by femi fan

[Berkshire]

Not sure I would want to play on any 9 hole golf course,ar any course for that matter with headphones on-asking for trouble.

That doesn't seem wise. Unless the OP also plans to play with a helmet over the headphones.

[gatsby32]

Hahahaha

I haven't yet been able to figure out if it's that Thailand attracts weirdos or somehow staying too long changes us into cynical idiots. Or maybe it's just this forum.

Thanks to everyone who actually answered the question. To the rest, this cheapskate is going to Sand Creek to delay everybody behind me while putting my life at risk on the golf ball shooting range of death! No worry, ill probably be in the scrub the whole time looking for my balls.

[uptheos]

No worry, ill probably be in the scrub the whole time looking for my balls.

You going to Sayuri?

[jmdf103]

no caddie ,no 19th hole

[hellodolly]

Not sure I would want to play on any 9 hole golf course,ar any course for that matter with headphones on-asking for trouble.

That doesn't seem wise. Unless the OP also plans to play with a helmet over the headphones.

I would find it hard to be totally relaxed dragging a golf cart and listening to music while chasing a little innocent white ball so you can hit it and chase it again.

My understanding of golf was that it took concentration.

[binjalin]

Gymkana, unfortunately.

I have no problem with lone golfers having no caddy but they also allow groups to do the same holding up everyone and also putting many caddies into near destitution and about half have left I believe. Wonderful club but the Committee can be very, very week.

The committee is clueless.

As for the caddies they left when the place was flooded as there was no work. I understand the club refused to take them back. The place is laughable - would you want to play there with or without a caddy?

see my list in reply to femi fan below

Edited September 27, 2012 by binjalin

[binjalin]

Stopped playing there some time ago. One of the main problems was the "members" not taking a caddy and playing in 5 's and sixes,absolutely ridiculous.

I'm a member and normally play there on my own. Never ever seen a six group in ten years, and probably seen a five group a couple of times.

If this is one of your main problems i'd love to hear what the other problems were.

ok I'll give my top ten:

1. some play free

2. dogs on greens

3. joggers on fairways

4. chipping onto putting areas

5. some allowed to store clubs in shop etc. other have to pay for lockers

6. driving range is law unto itself and committee and manager cannot control it

7. up to 7/8 in groups (thai) I have seen them all no caddies

8. shop 3rd hole sometimes open sometimes not and affiliated to driving rage (i.e. manager no control)

9. non-member constantly park in 'members only' area

10. trees allowed to grow anywhere - no management

and that's just what i can think off immediately

[amexpat]

I must agree with the sports writer who, describing all the various "athletes" he dealt with, said:

"Golfers are the biggest whiners".

[KNJ]

You think Chiang Mai is bad for caddies, try Indonesia, they do not even watch your ball half the time, they are only interested in 19th hole.

The Japanese expat mag once did an article on qualifications to be a caddie at various courses around Jakarta included were:

1) Good teeth

2) not fat

3) long hair

4) aged between 17 & 29

and not one of any of the 50 odd courses required that a caddie understood the rules or etiquette of Golf

Also about the 6 ball, I played many years ago at a club an hour outside Bangkok and half way around was an 8 ball, fortunately they were kind enough to let us pass.

I do not know whether it still exists but many moons ago, there was one club which allowed a 12 ball - very social these Thais

[daveology]

i was at Inthanon on the weekend and caddie fees are increasing to 300 baht + tip, they are saying this is in requirement of the 300 baht a day min wage, as of Oct !st

So, what will your tip be when the caddie fee (which they receive in full) increeases???

[LarryBird]

It's kind of been overlooked, but Sand Creek's a good option for anyone that wants to get out and knock the ball around. Having to pay for a caddy does drive the price of golf way up. It's kind of like a tax.

[Thailand]

It's kind of been overlooked, but Sand Creek's a good option for anyone that wants to get out and knock the ball around. Having to pay for a caddy does drive the price of golf way up. It's kind of like a tax.

Posts 4,14 & 16 refer to Sand Creekand and at 220baht inclusive of caddy fee for 18 holes not exactly OTT!