MZurf Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I posted this in the golf forum but got no replies so am trying the Chang Mai forum: "I'm heading to CM in March for some golf. Is there a CM sports club I can join to get discounts like you get with Pattaya Sports Club? Any tips on golfing in CM in March would be highly appreciated. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailand Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Try Chiangmaisocialgolfers. ?org not sure if they get discounts. March is still high season but there may be a couple of courses offering special rates for Thai residents. They will be posted on ChiangmaiGolfCourses .com/blog when they are offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James T Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 If you like your golf cheap, my home patch...and very well recommended...is the Hang Dong Golf Club. Just google it for the location... No booking needed, just turn up and play...it's only a 9 hole course, but a very good one - just enough water to make it interesting! Green fees? 9 holes is 250 Baht including caddy fee, 18 holes (2 x 9) is 340 Baht including caddy fee. The caddies are friendly, and real good at what they do! We usually tip them 250 Baht for 18 holes, so you are looking at 600 Baht ($20 US) including the tip... I'd also recommend North Hill (off the Hang Dong road behind Kad Farang) and definitely Inthanon Golf Club (about 45 minutes drive, going south-west out of Chiang Mai, but well worth the visit!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James T Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 As a follow up...I'll be there on hols and hitting out with my buddies in early March, so if you're looking for some company drop me a line.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mapguy Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 (edited) Enjoy the weather. See relevant pinned thread. Edited January 16, 2015 by Mapguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bprhodes Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 (edited) Sanuk Sabai social golfers welcome quests. We play at Alpine every Tuesday and Green Valley every Thursday. Most members of Sanuk Sabai are members and can sign you in as a guest. You can contact them via email at <removed> Edited January 17, 2015 by onthedarkside email removed as per forum rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkbarnstormer Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 CM Highlands is my favourite course up there. About 45mins from CM. If you make it up to CR, Santiburi is a great course too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MZurf Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Thanks for your tips. @Mapguy; sorry, don't see any pinned thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailand Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I also like HangDong, cheap and cheerful and reasonably challenging at THB360 for 18 holes. However,currently overrun with Japanese & Koreans. One of the caddies said it took 7 hours for the group of 5 she was with to complete the round on Wednesday. Nearly one hour at the first tee waiting to tee off from 8.30am finishing at 3.30pm! Roll on low season, better prices and fewer people! And the smog will have gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza40 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Hang Dong is impossible because there is no starter ( caddies decide ), the Koreans and Japanese crawl around the course in sixes etc. Toilet and shower facilities are very run down. I'll never play there again after a seven hour round. Although expensive, Chiang Mai Highland and Alpine are both good courses. Middle of the road is Lanna, three nines of differing character. Mae Jo is quite a good course, quirky but somewhat difficult to find. Gymkhana is a very tight and tricky nine holes thanks to trees and water, not expensive, close to the city. For me, the pick of the bunch is Santiburi near Chiang Rai. Trent Jones Jr. design, target golf, large greens. Play early Tuesday with a social group there, 800 baht not including caddie and cart. Otherwise, expect no change out of 4000 baht. If you don't take a cart, it's a very long walk. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandythejock Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 The newly expanded and named, NORTH HILL at Kullapunt 9 Village, Hang dong is EXCELLENT in every department. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sticklee Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Bring face masks, you're coming at the smoggiest time of the year. There are no 'group discounts' as such. Lanna Sports Club has sports day Monday and Friday. Other than that, guest of a member is the best rate you will get. As mentioned by other posters, Chiang Mai Social Golfers and Sanuk Sabai are the two active groups who welcome guests. CMSG play Lanna and Mae Jo as well as a different 'away' game monthly. I concur with the above recommendations and would add Mae Moh (S. of Lampang), Gold Canyon, Lamphun, and the new Gassan Legacy has good reviews. Green Valley gets very busy, and Royal Chiang Mai is good, bit far away. Close to the city, Stardome is a good 9 hole, but usually busy. Go there for the practice facility. The must play courses are Alpine, Highlands, Inthanon and Santiburi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fore Man Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Agree with post #11; North Hill is top notch, undersubscribed at this writing, reasonably-priced but the short overall distance belies the difficulties to be found in crowned, contoured greens, lurking water hazards not shown in caddie books and uneven lies elsewhere. Break 100 and you'll be doing well your first outing. Break 90 there and you could probably break 80 at many other area courses. The course manager told me that he believes they have made the golf course too difficult for most players. As for Hang Dong? It's a joke in the high season. Don't bother going there until March. For an inexpensive practice game, try San Sai New Golf off of Mae Jo Road, north of CM. It's a par 29, nine hole course consisting of 7 par 3s of varying lengths and two short par 4s that would be listed as longer par 3s anywhere else. But beware of water lying on or astride almost every hole. For THB 250 you can play all day long and don't need a caddy. The fee includes free rental of a trolley. Another 9-hole course not listed previously is Stardome, located adjacent to the airport. It is regulation length, par 36. Pricing is a tad on the high side but you are paying for the convenience of playing golf in downtown CM. If water intimidates you, don't go there! The course is fraught with water carries or lateral hazards that can easily collect your errant shots. Finally, Gassan Lake City has reopened following a lengthy closure. Early golfer reports are very favorable. This course is located just south of CM along the Highway 11 corridor near Saraphi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkbarnstormer Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Hang Dong is impossible because there is no starter ( caddies decide ), the Koreans and Japanese crawl around the course in sixes etc. Toilet and shower facilities are very run down. I'll never play there again after a seven hour round. Although expensive, Chiang Mai Highland and Alpine are both good courses. Middle of the road is Lanna, three nines of differing character. Mae Jo is quite a good course, quirky but somewhat difficult to find. Gymkhana is a very tight and tricky nine holes thanks to trees and water, not expensive, close to the city. For me, the pick of the bunch is Santiburi near Chiang Rai. Trent Jones Jr. design, target golf, large greens. Play early Tuesday with a social group there, 800 baht not including caddie and cart. Otherwise, expect no change out of 4000 baht. If you don't take a cart, it's a very long walk. I always walk at Santiburi and find it easier to walk than most courses in Thailand as it is relatively short and compact. However I only play up North in the cool season Dec-Jan. Agree that Sports Day offers great value but I always seem to miss it when I am there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MZurf Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Why don't you guys living in CM start a Chiang Mai golf/sports club along the lines of Pattaya Sports Club? The annual member fee is usually recovered by just one round of golf due to the substantial discounts we get. Aren't there enough resident and visiting golfers to make this feasible? http://pattayasports.org/wp-content/uploads/Golf-Rates-January-2015.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailand Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 May, June definitely the best time to come. Smog has gone,hordes have gone,most top courses THB1000 green fee for the Chiangmai Golf Festival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza40 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 bkkbarnstormer, congratulations on being fit. From my 71 year perspective, I thought Santiburi was bloody long. Played it in May, quite hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James T Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 In response to a few negative comments on Hang Dong Golf club.... If you guys enjoy your golf, you need to get out of bed a little earlier! I play there regularly with buddies, and we tee off at around 7:00am first light.....and even allowing for the Thai 'money matches' and the Chinese/Korean 6-balls, we usually finish in 4 to 4 and 1/2 hours! We have NEVER taken longer than 5 hours...so anyone who's hacked round in 7 hours is either exaggerating, or needs to ask themselves why! Yes...you WILL get a better golf experience if you go to Royal Chiang Mai, Gold Canyon or Highlands....but you'll be paying 5-10 times as muchj for the privelige! OK - if it's a bit crowded occasionally (and at 360 baht for 18, it's gonna be...) - just remember.....Jai Yen Yen! Relax, have a beer and enjoy it! Isn't that why we play? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza40 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Hang Dong's a bit crowded? A masterpiece of understatement. Yes, it's possible if I wanted to get out of bed at 5 am to get there I might get a 5 hour round. As for the inference that a 7 hour round means I'm a hacker - I've played off a single figure handicap for more than 55 years, and considered a reasonably fast golfer. Drinking beer while you wait wouldn't do much for your golf but perhaps you don't care. Negative post on Hang Dong is fully earned, and it's a shame because it's actually got some interesting golf holes. Notice no counter comment re the disgusting toilets and showers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailand Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Hang Dong's a bit crowded? A masterpiece of understatement. Yes, it's possible if I wanted to get out of bed at 5 am to get there I might get a 5 hour round. As for the inference that a 7 hour round means I'm a hacker - I've played off a single figure handicap for more than 55 years, and considered a reasonably fast golfer. Drinking beer while you wait wouldn't do much for your golf but perhaps you don't care. Negative post on Hang Dong is fully earned, and it's a shame because it's actually got some interesting golf holes. Notice no counter comment re the disgusting toilets and showers. This time of the year it has to be the busiest course in Chiangmai. At one point last year there were over 30 players waiting to tee off at 8am. Apparently the same last Wednesday. A victim of quite a good course and a very low price. Most of the local Japanese that used to play at Lanna now play there,one third of the price. Combine that with tourist golfers looking for a deal and you get the crazy situations we are getting now. Still like the course, and as for the toilets/showers needing some TLC, I don't go there for them. Again at THB360 for 18 holes I will put up with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James T Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Dodgy toilets in Hang Dong? Well, I spend 4-5 hours on the course, and maybe 1 minute in the toilets, so I don't worry about them too much! Anyway...If you like you toilet trips a little bit more frsh and clean, you could always sneak behind a tree! Watch out for the ants and snakes though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
femi fan Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Why don't you guys living in CM start a Chiang Mai golf/sports club along the lines of Pattaya Sports Club? The annual member fee is usually recovered by just one round of golf due to the substantial discounts we get. Aren't there enough resident and visiting golfers to make this feasible? http://pattayasports.org/wp-content/uploads/Golf-Rates-January-2015.pdf it's a very good question. While i'm not in a position to do something about it, i'm surprised it doesn't exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainiain101 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Agree with post #11; North Hill is top notch, undersubscribed at this writing, reasonably-priced but the short overall distance belies the difficulties to be found in crowned, contoured greens, lurking water hazards not shown in caddie books and uneven lies elsewhere. Break 100 and you'll be doing well your first outing. Break 90 there and you could probably break 80 at many other area courses. The course manager told me that he believes they have made the golf course too difficult for most players. As for Hang Dong? It's a joke in the high season. Don't bother going there until March. For an inexpensive practice game, try San Sai New Golf off of Mae Jo Road, north of CM. It's a par 29, nine hole course consisting of 7 par 3s of varying lengths and two short par 4s that would be listed as longer par 3s anywhere else. But beware of water lying on or astride almost every hole. For THB 250 you can play all day long and don't need a caddy. The fee includes free rental of a trolley. Another 9-hole course not listed previously is Stardome, located adjacent to the airport. It is regulation length, par 36. Pricing is a tad on the high side but you are paying for the convenience of playing golf in downtown CM. If water intimidates you, don't go there! The course is fraught with water carries or lateral hazards that can easily collect your errant shots. Finally, Gassan Lake City has reopened following a lengthy closure. Early golfer reports are very favorable. This course is located just south of CM along the Highway 11 corridor near Saraphi. Is there a deal I am missing for North Hill? On the website it says 2,300 Baht for Thai residents until the end of January for green fee, cart and caddie. Not what I would call reasonably priced! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MZurf Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm trying to find a link to a website that has all the distances from the center of CM to each course listed. Is there such a site or do I have to do a Google Maps check of each course? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailand Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm trying to find a link to a website that has all the distances from the center of CM to each course listed. Is there such a site or do I have to do a Google Maps check of each course? Don't think there is such a list but none of the courses are more than 1 hour from central Chiangmai. Stardome & Gymkhana are in town. Hangdong ,North Hill are about 15 minutes from central. Alpine, Highland 30 and 40 minutes respectively. Gold Canyon & Inthanon about 45 minutes via the new highway bypassing Hangdong and San Patong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MZurf Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm trying to find a link to a website that has all the distances from the center of CM to each course listed. Is there such a site or do I have to do a Google Maps check of each course? Don't think there is such a list but none of the courses are more than 1 hour from central Chiangmai.Stardome & Gymkhana are in town. Hangdong ,North Hill are about 15 minutes from central. Alpine, Highland 30 and 40 minutes respectively. Gold Canyon & Inthanon about 45 minutes via the new highway bypassing Hangdong and San Patong. Thanks. With special prices for Thai residents would my Thai driving license suffice or do they want to see the non-o visa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailand Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm trying to find a link to a website that has all the distances from the center of CM to each course listed. Is there such a site or do I have to do a Google Maps check of each course? Don't think there is such a list but none of the courses are more than 1 hour from central Chiangmai.Stardome & Gymkhana are in town. Hangdong ,North Hill are about 15 minutes from central. Alpine, Highland 30 and 40 minutes respectively. Gold Canyon & Inthanon about 45 minutes via the new highway bypassing Hangdong and San Patong. Thanks. With special prices for Thai residents would my Thai driving license suffice or do they want to see the non-o visa? Driving licence is fine. But I doubt if the prices will be very attractive in March at the major 18 hole golf courses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MZurf Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks to all for the invaluable advise! My only remaining question is regarding transport between the hotel (center of CM) and the courses. What would be the best/most economical way of doing this (pick up and delivery at the hotel)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chingmai331 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Public transport via 'song thiow' can get you to Gymkhanna, Stardome, Lanna and Green Valley. Beyond that, if you will be here more than a few days, rent a car cheap and drive to where you like. Taxis and tuk-tuks will be hugely expensive. Sure, rent a motorbike and sling the clubs over your back, if u like to live risky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MZurf Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 Public transport via 'song thiow' can get you to Gymkhanna, Stardome, Lanna and Green Valley. Beyond that, if you will be here more than a few days, rent a car cheap and drive to where you like. Taxis and tuk-tuks will be hugely expensive. Sure, rent a motorbike and sling the clubs over your back, if u like to live risky. Are there no local taxis/guys with a car that do fairly inexpensive runs to and from the golf courses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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