Golf Club Memberships Chiang Mai

[JohnLee]

I am considering becoming a member of a local golf club, and playing on a regular basis (3 times a week). Suggestions and costs please for long term (life), membership and other good deals out there. Not looking for high-end clubs (budget concerns). Also my game is not worthy of an Alpine, Highlands, etc.

Thanks,

JL

[yeoldesage]

I hear Gymkhana Golf Club have just raised their membership fees to 60,000 Baht for life membership and also raised their green fees for the high season. As a member you don't pay green fees only for a caddy if you need one. Still good value IMHO.

Edited February 7, 2014 by yeoldesage

[PostmanPat]

I m afraid Gymkhana is not a good option just now. There are a very large number of new Japanese members who turn up every day from first light with five and six balls, play very slowly, and seem to object if others want to start a round while they are playing ( there has to be give and take between those moving to their second nine on a nine hole course, and those just starting their first nine), but that subtlety seems lost on many of the new members! Gymkhana is a lovely place but one thing they have never come to terms with is having a starter to "manage" the course, like almost every other course in Chiang Mai has.

Roll on the hot season, when many of the people from Japan and Korea find it too hot and return to their home Country while us "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" still go out in the mid day sun!!!

[JXXXL]

Check out Mae Jo Cc. A friend and I recently joined. They have two membership packages which are paid annually. I took the lower tier which gives you a good break on green fees and they give you a big stack of vouchers to use at the resort. Check out their website for details.

Very nice course too.

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[beau thai]

Check out Mae Jo Cc. A friend and I recently joined. They have two membership packages which are paid annually. I took the lower tier which gives you a good break on green fees and they give you a big stack of vouchers to use at the resort. Check out their website for details.

Very nice course too.

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Likewise.

5000 baht to 'join', 2000 baht given back in food vouchers (not drink or ice cream-that is a drink too I discovered!)

then 600 baht a round plus 300 caddy fee and 300 caddy tip. (600baht for the unhealthy buggy option!)

Folks on here may tell you what Mae Jo used to be like; It is much improved since they had to prepare for the Singha Open last year, and more improvements planned for low season. (continual process at a well managed course).Very good restaurant, showers etc

No substitute for playing it - if you want to pm me, you can join me on cheap rates as a guest but I am a high handicapper who occasionally explores the parts other golfers dont discover.

I guess you have also considered transport from home to golf if you do not have a car.

[Chicog]

No substitute for playing it - if you want to pm me, you can join me on cheap rates as a guest but I am a high handicapper who occasionally explores the parts other golfers dont discover.

No shame in that mate, we get much better value than the low handicappers as we get a lot more golf into each round.

[Thailand]

No substitute for playing it - if you want to pm me, you can join me on cheap rates as a guest but I am a high handicapper who occasionally explores the parts other golfers dont discover.

No shame in that mate, we get much better value than the low handicappers as we get a lot more golf into each round.

I agree, can't beat the pretty way!

I have never joined a club in the six years I have been playing but then I play the cheapie courses. Even with the MJ package I can still play the cheapies 2 or 3 times respectively. Play the bigger (expensive) courses in the low season when there are deals to be had and much fewer people.

[LarryBird]

This is a tough one to answer because we don't know exactly what you're looking to spend, where you live, etc.

"Also my game is not worthy of an Alpine, Highlands, etc." I'm not really sure what that means, pretty much all of us suck at golf. As long as you play at a reasonable pace, no one really cares how anyone else plays. There will often be second hand memberships available at Alpine which offer a very good value in my opinion.

I have a friend that has the Gymkharna one and he's happy with it...

[beau thai]

No substitute for playing it - if you want to pm me, you can join me on cheap rates as a guest but I am a high handicapper who occasionally explores the parts other golfers dont discover.

No shame in that mate, we get much better value than the low handicappers as we get a lot more golf into each round.

Yep-agree. I am not ashamed either but didnt want OP to think I was an anally retentive low handicapper who would look down on him. You have met them too, right?

pain in the proverbial

[Chicog]

No substitute for playing it - if you want to pm me, you can join me on cheap rates as a guest but I am a high handicapper who occasionally explores the parts other golfers dont discover.

No shame in that mate, we get much better value than the low handicappers as we get a lot more golf into each round.

Yep-agree. I am not ashamed either but didnt want OP to think I was an anally retentive low handicapper who would look down on him. You have met them too, right?

pain in the proverbial

Most decent golfers will remember what it's like to be bad, and there's no golfer alive that doesn't hit a bad shot occasionally. Fortunately there are few like you describe, and yes I know some.

[Hog Head]

I have a lifetime family membership at Green Valley in Mae Rim that I have never used and will sell

PM me

[JohnLee]

Thanks for your input guys, just heard that there is a transferable membership for sale at Gymkhana for 70,000 baht. Given that a non-transferable membership is now 60,000 baht seems like a good deal. Any catches? Will make inquiries and let you know.

JL

[thaigolfer]

There's an agent (Joy) from a large condo on the riverside that has some discounted memberships available at Alpine. To me it is the best deal course / price. Although the memberships are not listed on her website contact her if interested. Google something like riverside chiang mai condo.

[beau thai]

Thanks for your input guys, just heard that there is a transferable membership for sale at Gymkhana for 70,000 baht. Given that a non-transferable membership is now 60,000 baht seems like a good deal. Any catches? Will make inquiries and let you know.

JL

I think the catch may be the tight 9 hole course, the slow play (following 6 balls etc!) and the very busy course makes it difficult to get on.

Otherwise it would be very convenient for me but I prefer the drive out to Mae Jo for a very different day out, compared to Gymkhana.

But it may suit you perfectly - I often go for a drink on their terrace-nice atmosphere.

[Thighlander]

best deal I've seen in Thailand, especially for "B" golfers (or c,d,f) would be the Air Force 9, at the old airport, Chiang Rai. 6000 THB, covers your green fees for an entire year.

I was talking to Joy about a condo at Alpine...650K and includes membership till 2027+. 12000 per year covers green fees. Tough course, and there is a fee for everything. If you can't find her email; I will dig it up for you.

[iainiain101]

Highlands is not such a bad deal at 250k and 500k for 10 and 20 years respectively. Currently 9k per annum subs. You then just pay caddie fee plus tip.

These are transferable at a cost of 30k ish. The annual rate is 70k, so second hand memberships ought to be of interest even with a couple of years remaining.

[Thailand]

Thanks for your input guys, just heard that there is a transferable membership for sale at Gymkhana for 70,000 baht. Given that a non-transferable membership is now 60,000 baht seems like a good deal. Any catches? Will make inquiries and let you know.

JL

I think the catch may be the tight 9 hole course, the slow play (following 6 balls etc!) and the very busy course makes it difficult to get on.

Otherwise it would be very convenient for me but I prefer the drive out to Mae Jo for a very different day out, compared to Gymkhana.

But it may suit you perfectly - I often go for a drink on their terrace-nice atmosphere.

I agree. A friend has just dropped his membership there. Often the 5 & 6 ball member groups exercise their rights and do not take a caddy so spend an awful lot of time searching for balls. Zero in terms of regulated tee offs, your twosome could just be finishing your first nine and then suddenly find you are stuck behind 6 Japanese who are unlikely to let you play through.

If you do decide to take a membership anywhere play there a few times to check out the pros & cons. But as I said in a previous post I do not have a membership at any of the courses and will not be doing so, so I may be biased.

[habfan]

Does anyone no if you can avoid this Japanese problem at Gymkhana if you went out at say 1:00 or 2:00 pm?

I relise it may be a tad warm in the afternoon but it's better than taking the chance of getting stuck behind a six some.

[PostmanPat]

Does anyone no if you can avoid this Japanese problem at Gymkhana if you went out at say 1:00 or 2:00 pm?

I relise it may be a tad warm in the afternoon but it's better than taking the chance of getting stuck behind a six some.

No. Cant be avoided at this time. My group plays no problem at 10.00am low season, but if you go now at that time there will be no caddies, and unless you are a member you are not allowed to play without one. We also tried lunchtime tee offs but then you get the Thai guys who can duck off work in the afternoon, also play with five or six, so same problem.

Right now am tempted to forget golf for a couple of months until the "Japanese Snowbirds" fly home as soon as the high temperatures here kick in. Its funny, but even when its cool here, you see many of the Japanese and Korean golfers covered up from head to toe, even wearing a full face mask with eye holes cut out and a sun visor big enough to shelter ten people, and thats often on what we would consider a no sun day!!!

[Thighlander]

That's kind of interesting. In Arizona, a lot of the locals refuse to play in the high season...it's just not a relaxing environment, and the green fees can be 10 times higher than the low/hot season. If you can take the heat; it's cheap and you get the place to yourself.

No excuse for more than four in a group.....tell management and boycott.

[habfan]

That's kind of interesting. In Arizona, a lot of the locals refuse to play in the high season...it's just not a relaxing environment, and the green fees can be 10 times higher than the low/hot season. If you can take the heat; it's cheap and you get the place to yourself.

No excuse for more than four in a group.....tell management and boycott.

Good luck getting anywhere telling management no more than 4 to a group at the cheaper 9 hole courses in the Chiangmai area. The general attitude being the more golfers they can push through in a day the more money they make.

[JXXXL]

Highlands is not such a bad deal at 250k and 500k for 10 and 20 years respectively. Currently 9k per annum subs. You then just pay caddie fee plus tip.

These are transferable at a cost of 30k ish. The annual rate is 70k, so second hand memberships ought to be of interest even with a couple of years remaining.

Unless I could easily afford to lose it, I wouldn't pay a substantial amount for a long term arrangement with any Thai company.

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