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Thailand's Top
Courses
Thailand had become the
" Golf Capital of Asia ". And its popularity has
increased with new courses continue to be built with the
help of some of the world's top golf course designers.
Championship courses, competing with the best around the
world, have been designed by the legends of the game.
Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Seve Ballestreos,
Isao Aoki, Greg Norman and Nick Faido, all have contributed
their special talents to building some of the best courses
in the world.
One of the most fascinating aspects of golfing in Thailand
is the broad diversity of locations and environments,
in which the courses are situated. From the urban excitement
of Bangkok and the seaside charms of Pattaya and the eastern
seaboard, to the island paradise of Phuket in the south,
or the verdant hills of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the
north, Thailand offers a veritable tapestry of golfing
delights.
Caddies
One thing that has
not changed is the Thai caddie. Generally female, often
young and pretty, she will lug your bag around the course
with a smile on her face. She will mark and clean your
ball, give you the distances, and some of the experienced
ones will even read your putts. Strangers to Thailand
should beware, however, not to confuse their caddies with
the types of girl who work in the bars of Patpong. Your
young caddie may be genuinely upset if you upset Thai
taboos such as touching her hair or head, pointing a finger
or throwing things about.
How to get a game
Most large hotels
will organize a game for you. Courses are often difficult
to find, especially as few taxi drivers speak English.
It is a good idea to get someone to write out your destination
in Thai before leaving the hotel.
Bangkok's traffic
being what it is, your best chance is to set off from
your hotel early in the morning. At weekends you should
get as far away from Bangkok as you possibly can - the
courses around town tend to be very crowded.
Another idea is to
get in touch with one of the expatriate golf societies,
who always welcome visitors, The two largest are The Golfers'
Cocktail Lounge named after a long-defunct bar in Patpong,
which plays every Sunday morning (contact Fred Waid -Tel
Bangkok 392 6735) and the Bangkok Wanderers (two Saturdays
and one Sunday per month) at the Ship Inn in Sukhumvit
Soi 23. Details of both these societies' activities are
posted in several bars, including the Bourbon Street Bar
and the Silver Dollar in Washington Square, and the Quiet
Side, also in Sukhumvit Soi 23. This is where golfers
meet. See you there!
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