Golf In Chiang Mai Without Caddy

[nivram4491]

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

Have you played at Gymkhana recently and are you a member? I am a member and play there regularly and have not found the problems you have. I have not seen more than 5 golfers in a group. In more than a 100 rounds there in the past 6 months I have never seen a dog on a green or seen a jogger on a fairway. Trees are not allowed to grow anywhere.

Gymkhana has had a new committee since June. The condition of the golf course has improved a lot since the new committee was elected. Numbers 6 and 8 above are being dealt with but it is a very difficult and slow process. Hopefully the club management will soon have control of both the driving range and the shop behind the 3rd green. If this does come about then in my opinion the club will improve dramatically.

If you like to play a lot of golf (3 to 4 times a week) and plan on staying in Chiang Mai for many years then a Gymkhana membership is fantastic value, especially if you have a wife and family who enjoy golfing as the membership automatically includes your wife and dependent children. To become a member you have to buy a lifetime membership (not transferable) and pay a 600 Baht (plus tax) subscription monthly.

Members have the option of not using a caddy. Reasonably competent golfers can play without a caddy without slowing anyone up as lost balls are usually out of bounds or in the water; the rough is kept very short. The caddy system in Asia is a product of the class system. Only the wealthy can afford to play golf and the caddies act as servants to the wealthy class.

[binjalin]

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

Have you played at Gymkhana recently and are you a member? I am a member and play there regularly and have not found the problems you have. I have not seen more than 5 golfers in a group. In more than a 100 rounds there in the past 6 months I have never seen a dog on a green or seen a jogger on a fairway. Trees are not allowed to grow anywhere.

Gymkhana has had a new committee since June. The condition of the golf course has improved a lot since the new committee was elected. Numbers 6 and 8 above are being dealt with but it is a very difficult and slow process. Hopefully the club management will soon have control of both the driving range and the shop behind the 3rd green. If this does come about then in my opinion the club will improve dramatically.

If you like to play a lot of golf (3 to 4 times a week) and plan on staying in Chiang Mai for many years then a Gymkhana membership is fantastic value, especially if you have a wife and family who enjoy golfing as the membership automatically includes your wife and dependent children. To become a member you have to buy a lifetime membership (not transferable) and pay a 600 Baht (plus tax) subscription monthly.

Members have the option of not using a caddy. Reasonably competent golfers can play without a caddy without slowing anyone up as lost balls are usually out of bounds or in the water; the rough is kept very short. The caddy system in Asia is a product of the class system. Only the wealthy can afford to play golf and the caddies act as servants to the wealthy class.

"I have never seen a dog on a green" unbelievable and yes I'm a member and a lot longer than you - go open your eyes

PS the 'not have a caddy system' which you so love starves the club of money and is not 'a product of the servant system' you just use this to justify not paying for a caddy

Edited September 27, 2012 by binjalin

[Mapguy]

Not aware of the details, but the above post by Nivram seems quite reasonable. Before it there seems to be a number of posts from picky cheapskates who probably couldn't afford to belong to a good club back home, wherever that might be!

[Mapguy]

I am assuming that dogs leave dog poop?! But does't that give you something to aim at?

Edited September 27, 2012 by Mapguy

[binjalin]

Not aware of the details, but the above post by Nivram seems quite reasonable. Before it there seems to be a number of posts from picky cheapskates who probably couldn't afford to belong to a good club back home, wherever that might be!

that's right they 'love' they don't pay for a caddy and 'love' the club has hardly any money for improvements and 'love' their wife and kids can play free and probably 'love' the caddies have no income

[Mapguy]

New Job being posted at Gymkhana !!!!!!

Apparently lots of potential for someone like Mesquite (or however you spell his/her name --- the CV Chiang Mai poster with the gross avatar) to do target practice on dogs sniffing around greens !! Clearly a capital offense and appropriate penalty for disaccomodating (Is that a word?) golfers !!! But, oh, be certain to replace any divots kicked up by missed shots!

[binjalin]

I was there the other week - two notices on the driving range:

1. we need to close the driving range for renovation - committee

2. this is bullshit notice we are open! (placed next to the other notice)

the manager has no power to manage (as it's a member 'owned' club they tell me) and the committee, apparently, have no power over the driving range (which is against club rules) oh and they decide to hold a meeting to sort this out BUT that was cancelled