Looking for golf buddy

[cnxdave]

Hello, I just moved here from the USA. I'm a 36 year old male and I like golfing, usually once per week. I brought my clubs with me so I'd like to maintain my pace. Back in Arizona, I was golfing this frequency and shooting in the low 90's.

We're about to rent a house in the Mae Jo area just north of Chiang mai, but I'm open to playing anywhere in the CM area. If you'd like to go out for a round, please reply or PM me. I'm open minded and looking to meet golf buddies from any/every corner of the world.

[chingmai331]

Welcome Dave. Good golf here so shine up those irons. The ChiangMai Social Golfers meet 3x per week for games at Lanna and MaeJo. You would fit right in. Google them as i'm not permitted to offer url here.

[JulieM]

Quite easy to meet people on the course as well. Lots of folks golf frequently.

[cnxdave]

Welcome Dave. Good golf here so shine up those irons. The ChiangMai Social Golfers meet 3x per week for games at Lanna and MaeJo. You would fit right in. Google them as i'm not permitted to offer url here.

Thanks, chingmai331. I found their website and that looks like a great place to start. I appreciate your help.

[Thailand]

Chiangmai Mai Golf Festival 2015 is on May/ June at THB1000 plus caddy fee for some of the top courses in and around Chiangmai.

Two courses that feel they are better than the others are Highland who are charging THB1200 + caddy fee, and Alpine who insist every player must have a cart so a total of THB2000.

Suggest players support those courses that are actually giving the THB1000 + caddy fee deal. Mae Jo, Green Valley, Royal Chiangmai, Inthanon, Gold Canyon.

North Hills and Stardome are also participating but the THB1000 + is more than they are currently charging.

Each of the participating courses will also have a competition on a rotational basis. ChiangmaiGolfCourses .com has more details.

[MartinBKK]

Hi Dave. I am also 36, from the UK and live in the Sansai area so very close to you. I have not played much since last summer so will probably be pretty rusty. I have been a 9 handicap in the past though. I have my own clubs and transport and would be happy to have a game sometime. Send me a PM if you fancy it.

[thaigolfer]

Welcome to Chiang Mai.

Check this out:

http://chiangmaisanuksabaigolfers.blogspot.com

Happy Songkran and Happy Golfing.

[cnxdave]

Welcome to Chiang Mai.

Check this out:

http://chiangmaisanuksabaigolfers.blogspot.com

Happy Songkran and Happy Golfing.

Thank you for sharing. These social clubs look like a good fit for me.

[hroman]

Hi Dave, Moved here from Myrtle Beach SC about two years ago and am looking to get back out on the course.

Live in Fang with my Thai wife but have a small place in CM also. Have not hooked up with any of

the groups but I hear they are fine. If interested message me at Email chiefroman2004@yahoo.com.

[LarryBird]

Do you drink?

[hroman]

No I do not. Hope that's not a problem.

[cnxdave]

Do you drink?

I enjoy knocking back a few cold beers, but usually not while golfing. Although, it doesn't bother me if my fellow golfers drink/smoke or whatever, as long as they are good company.

[hroman]

Nor does it bother me but don't deal well with golf course power drinkers, club bangers and screamers. Like you said,

just want to enjoy my round, good conversation (all sports), and a good lunch afterwards. Played with the same group in

Charleston SC for over 10 years and with another group for five years in Myrtle Beach. Some drank, some smoked, others

"smoked", but all good guys. Again if interested in getting out email me.

[hroman]

Dave, thinking of coming down to CM sometime this week. Did you catch on with one of the groups or would you be interested in an evening 18, maybe at Lanna (cheapest deal in town).

[beau thai]

Dave, thinking of coming down to CM sometime this week. Did you catch on with one of the groups or would you be interested in an evening 18, maybe at Lanna (cheapest deal in town).

Lanna - cheapest deal in town?? How much?. Sand Creek is 160 baht for 18 holes/180 w/end and holidays.

[chingmai331]

'In town'. Sand Creek miles and miles away. Sure green fee may be dirt cheap, suggest you also look at the condition of the greens. Generally i find Lanna very good value for golf. Easy to get to, on bus even. No backups this time of year. Some days only 800 baht but always must add on caddy tip (300 for me). Course condition good but not great. Greens good. fairways somewhat dry but hey, look around and find me the rain clouds. Lanna's biggest headache for most golfers is the length of the track. Par 4, 445 yards is way out of reach for most of us. For me i rate Lanna near the top, all things considered.

Hang Dong golf also cheap, and it's a friendly place but be prepared to spend many hours as the 4balls, 5balls and 6balls tee off in front of you, then they march right and left looking for the lost orb.

[hroman]

Dave, thinking of coming down to CM sometime this week. Did you catch on with one of the groups or would you be interested in an evening 18, maybe at Lanna (cheapest deal in town).

Lanna - cheapest deal in town?? How much?. Sand Creek is 160 baht for 18 holes/180 w/end and holidays.

By any chance have you been out to see it yet. If not, no problem, for the price, if you can find it I would be willing to give it a go at least once.

I will be headed down Wed or Thur. to run some errands at the Embassy then I'm free. Send me a phone number on my email so we can talk.

[LarryBird]

Except Sand Creek doesn't really qualify as golf... Just kidding, kind of. I enjoy the occasional round out there, but I don't think I'm meeting up with someone for the first time for a round out there, either.

[hroman]

Except Sand Creek doesn't really qualify as golf... Just kidding, kind of. I enjoy the occasional round out there, but I don't think I'm meeting up with someone for the first time for a round out there, either.

Hey Bird, do you know if Lanna is lighting up (whatever nine holes) in the evenings? I seem to recall hearing that they had nine lighted holes.

[LarryBird]

Sorry , no clue! I recommend Star Dome for night golf... Lots of short skirts!

[sharktooth]

Dave, thinking of coming down to CM sometime this week. Did you catch on with one of the groups or would you be interested in an evening 18, maybe at Lanna (cheapest deal in town).

Lanna - cheapest deal in town?? How much?. Sand Creek is 160 baht for 18 holes/180 w/end and holidays.

Lanna is cheap for a reason. It's kakk

[LarryBird]

I would say Lanna has character.

[beau thai]

It doesnt take me any longer to get to Sand Creek where I play regularly than to Mae Jo where I am a member.

I started playing there when MJ was very busy in high season, and when I was accompanying 2 ladies new to golf who didnt want the pressure of people behind them. Understandable given the chauvinisticattitude of many male golfers I guess.

Anyway, it grew on me- and apart from the frustration of the many water hazards and trees- and the bridges that are hazardous to cross, I rather like it. Sure the greens could be better, there is no clubhouse, buggies or locker rooms but there are also no houses and few golfers. You cant have it all for 160 baht!! And its better practise and more fun then a driving range for me. There are caddies but optional.

[thaigolfer]

Yes, I understand some people can have fun at Sand Creek. Do not call it a (real) golf course however.

For the frequent players: be careful as all the land is polluted with heavy metals from neighboring lacquer shops / factories.

There must be a reason one cannot built a house, right? Even in Thailand.

There must be a reason the surroundings look like a desert right? Even in jungle Thailand.

There must be a reason it is bank owned and ran by the caddies for almost 20 years.

Played there twice with friends and all day long for 90 Baht. A while ago though.

[JLT]

"North Hills and Stardome are also participating but the THB1000 + is more than they are currently charging".

North Hills is closed on Mondays, you can also only play the original 9 hole course from 08.00 to 18.00 (even though it's floodlit!) and it's not cheap, it's expensive

Lanna has 3 x 9 hole courses. On Mondays , Wednesdays and Fridays it's 400 baht (+ caddy tip) for 9 holes. Course 3 is a good challenge, course 2 is very picturesque but has more water and the fairways are getting bare patches (use winter rules) and similarly with course 1. They are all easy walking, with a truck stop cafe on course 2.

Stardome is an OK course but with much water on almost every hole. The problem here is the number of 5 & 6 ball groups on the course who play extremely slow (and loud!). 9 holes often takes 3 hours but can be better in the early morning.

Gymkhana is a field. It's unappealing, play is slow and there are some very temperamental players walking around the course (there have been a couple of fist fights there recently)

Hang Dong is OK and cheap but the fairways are terrible and the greens are fast and tricky (easy to 3 an d 4 putt). The fat Tha guy (who is I believe the "manager", but acts like the owner), will always give preference to Thai golfers, pushing them on the first tee before Farangs and again, 5 & 6 ball groups hold up play very badly

The "New Sansai" par 3 "golf course" really is in a field! There's construction work going on at various places, there's plenty of water around and when I went a few weeks ago, there were only 2 caddies and 3 trolleys.

Green Valley is about 20k's outside town on the Mae Rim road (Highway 107). A proper golf club, good challenging course, usually in good condition but not cheap. Also has floodlights, so can play in the cooler evenings at a reduced price

Highlands golf club is again about 20k's outside town on the Lampang/Lamphun road (Highway 11). Ditto as above and well worth a visit

Alpine golf club (again, close to Highway 11) is probably the premier golf club within an hours drive from Chiang Mai. It's used for the Asian tour, so not easy. But it's a proper golf club and that's reflected on the price, but well worth a visit

Mae Jo golf club, challenging course with lots of water around, not cheap and the restaurant's food is mundane and very average. But a pretty course to play.

Gassan Lake City (or Lake Resort), nice course in great condition with lots of water around (on many holes it takes a good hit to GET to the water, so a really goo hit to clear the water). On highway 11 (look for the signs) and can be difficult to find (just keep following the signs). Reasonably priced, it's a good day out. Playing there three weeks ago, we never saw another group, but believe me it's OK

I've played all these courses in the last 6 months and most in the last few weeks, so my info is reasonably up-to-date.

In my opinion, Lanna Golf club (Highway 107 near the army camp, about 10k's outside the centre of Chiang Mai) offers the best value for money.

This might help: http://chiangmaigolfcourses.com/

[sharktooth]

I would say Lanna has character.

Not being able to get on the first tee due to six Soi dogs being "intimate" certainly shows the course has "character".

[beau thai]

The scare story about Sand Creek and heavy metal pollution i news to me. A new house or two have gone upon the approach road and the vegetation is nothing like any desert I have seen.

If you want to play posh golf, dont touch it.

If you want exercise on a challenging rustic course where you have to hit long and straight to miss trees and water, and dont mind awarding yourself the odd putt or two to compensate for below par greens, It's good fun.

A friend I play there with was invited to enjoy the current golf promotional Green Valley. and observed after, that the promo cost was a little more than for 10 rounds at Sand Creek. Some will enjoy it and others will hate it. That's life.

Interested to read evidence of the 'Heavy metal pollution story' though....

[Thailand]

The scare story about Sand Creek and heavy metal pollution i news to me. A new house or two have gone upon the approach road and the vegetation is nothing like any desert I have seen.

If you want to play posh golf, dont touch it.

If you want exercise on a challenging rustic course where you have to hit long and straight to miss trees and water, and dont mind awarding yourself the odd putt or two to compensate for below par greens, It's good fun.

A friend I play there with was invited to enjoy the current golf promotional Green Valley. and observed after, that the promo cost was a little more than for 10 rounds at Sand Creek. Some will enjoy it and others will hate it. That's life.

Interested to read evidence of the 'Heavy metal pollution story' though....

Wot he said.

Please take a caddy or at least pay for one and pull your own trolley and try and find your ball,that's how they survive and keep the course going.

Only THB 230 including caddy fee. If you speak Thai ask the caddies what they think about the cheapskates, on second thought perhaps not!

[chingmai331]

Plz men. Can we keep the lovely caddies OFF TOPIC?

[hroman]

Everyone thanks for the info. Made it to town today. Anyone interested in playing at Lanna tomorrow please let me know. Been a while but I'm ready.