Thai - Red Lights & Greens
Marker Map
Course Info
Insurance
Flights
Tours
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Itinerary -
Bangkok 3N / 3 courses -
Pattaya 4N / 4 courses -
Ban Chang 1N / 1 course -
Phala Beach 2N / 1 course -
Ko Samet 1N (rest day) -
Pattaya 1 N / 1 course -
= 12N and 10 courses
Highlights -
Some of the best golfing in Asia
Asia's first Triple green
2 x Par 6's
The longest par 5 in Thailand
Wangjuntr (Moon Palace)
Amen Corner and Eden Corner
Famous -
Royal Gems - Asia's first and only replica course (incl Augusta back 9)
Buddha Mountain
Thailand Nightlife
Visa -
Most passport holders get 60 days on entry with the option of another 30.
Airports -
Bangkok's main airport is a transport hub and has direct flights all over the world.
Bangkok's second airport and home for the cheap carriers mainly in Asia
About -
Fly into Bangkok and have your van and driver pick you up at the airport and transfer you your hotel. Stay on or near Sukhumvit Road a major artery that runs all the way to the Cambodian border. Each Soi (lane) that runs off of it has its own attractions. Odd numbers head north and even ones south. It's easy to find your way around and there's a lot to see.
Play the Royal Gems on your first full day here. Bangkok has many nightlife areas so you might want to head somewhere different each night. There are some nice restaurants along the river too. Ask your driver on the best places to go in each place. Usually the driver has an offsider. A good idea is to organise a deal where they take all off your sweaty golf clothes at the end of each day and get them laundered for you. They make a few dollars and you don't have a mountain of stinky, wet clothes. If you've never been to the tropics before, wet clothes don't dry easily.
Next course should be the Thai Country Club on your way to Pattaya. On the day you play Chee Chan get an early start and when you finish head to the Bang Saray Beach Club about 45 mins south of Pattaya. Hang around the pool drinking icy cold beer and watch the sun set over the sea. Hopefully they've got the big Texan BBQ fired up. This place was first built in 1966 for some R&R for the boys coming in from Vietnam.
Play St Andrews 2000 on your way to Ban Chang the little town where the oil rigs workers came to entertain themselves when they come ashore. It started off as an R & R place for the nearby U-Tapao USAF Air Base which is now Rayong - Pattaya International Airport. Next day play Eastern Star before making your way to Phala Beach.
Next day play Emerald then back to Phala Beach. Some beers and seafood by the beach watching the sunset would be a good recipe for the 19th hole.
Get an early start and make your way to Ko Samet for a day off. This place is a lot livelier than the beach you're coming from. Leave most of your stuff with the van and just take a day pack to keep you going for a day or two. It might be cheaper and definitely quicker to organise speed boats. Sometimes you can avoid the National Park fees this way.
Early start back to the mainland and your final round and trust me it will be a memorable one. Then back to Pattaya for another night where you are only 90 mins away from the airport.
Stay -
Bangkok
The Landmark Bangkok ***** - Pool
Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit ***** - Pool
VIE Hotel Bangkok, MGallery ***** - Pool
Pattaya
Pattaya Discovery Beach Hotel **** - Pool
Mera Mare Pattaya ***** - Pool
Ban Chang
Kantary Hotel Banchang ***** - Pool
Hideaway Resort Banchang - Pool
Grand Garden Hotel & Residence **** - Pool
Phala Beach
Royal Phala Cliff Beach Resort **** - Pool
Ko Samet
Hunt around for a good deal on Sai Kaew Beach or Ao Phai -
Courses -
Bangkok
The Royal Gems
Asia's first and only replica course. The front 9 is made up of signature holes from around the world including Oakmont #3 church pews, Sawgrass #17 island green, the Road hole at St Andrews and the Postage Stamp from Royal Troon. The back 9 is the back 9 from Augusta including Amen Corner. This might be the closest you get to the real thing and it makes for an interesting round of golf.
Alpine Golf and Sports Club
One of the best in Asia and most challenging in Bangkok. Tiger won here in 2000. Unusual for Bangkok it has significant elevation changes. It is a very scenic course with lots of water protecting the greens. Most of the greens slope from back to front.
Thai Country Club
Tiger has won here as well, as has Vijay Singh. It is regularly voted in the Top 5 courses in Asia and is immaculately presented with an abundance of water and sand. The undulating greens make for some interesting pin placements and will definitely test your putter. The Clubhouse is regularly voted the best in Asia and has a reputation for the friendliest staff in the land.
Pattaya
Siam Country Club - Plantation Course
This is the star in an area that has a lot of fantastic golf courses. It is an amazing golf course and as difficult as any you will find in Thailand. 27 holes rolling through a former tapioca and Pineapple plantation. Some of the high elevations have breath taking views over the Gulf of Thailand. It is one of the longest courses in Thailand and the pressure keeps on building hole after hole. The three 9's are Tapioca Course, Pineapple Course and Sugar Cane Course. The 19th overlooks the triple green and Pattaya.
Chee Chan Golf Resort - (early start and Sundowners around the pool at the Bang Saray Beach)
This is a relatively new one and is a premium links style course. It is located in the shadows of the famous Khao Chee Chan Buddha image, laser etched into the side of a mountain. Combined with the views over Pattaya and the Gulf of Thailand makes this a visually stunning course to play. The wetlands on the course are another highlight.
Laem Chabang International Country Club
The 27 hole Jack Nicklaus designed course is one of the most beautiful in Asia. Each of the three 9's have their own unique character. There is Mountain Course, Lake Course and Valley Course. The only disappointment is that you don't get to play all three. As well as manmade hazards there are plenty of natural ones to keep you on your toes.
St Andrews 2000 Golf Club (Play on the way to Ban Chang)
A fun attractive course and probably the second most interesting on the trip. Designed by Desmond Muirhead to replicate a Scottish links course it features two very long par 6's at 878 and 861yards respectively. It also has a couple of challenging drives over water. There are scenic rock formations which can cause unpredictable reactions from your ball. A good fun day enhanced by the humour of the caddies.
Ban Chang
Eastern Star Country Club & Resort (Play on The way to Phala Beach)
One of only 5 courses in Thailand designed by Robert trent Jones. Another links style course close to the cooling breezes coming off of the Gulf of Thailand. It has 2,200 coconut trees, 11 lakes, 65 bunkers and a lot of water along the fairways. The picturesque par 3 13th is the signature hole and requires an accurate shot over water.
Phala Beach
Emerald Golf Club
A Nick Faldo / Desmond Muirhead design that is not so well known in the Pattaya area. An interesting and challenging course where accuracy is preferable to length. It is set into the mountains and a pristine rainforest with volcano type greens that might have you practising your flop shot. It also makes it one of the prettiest courses around.
Ko Samet
Wangjuntr Golf & Nature Park (Play on way back to Pattaya)
Bring lots of balls!! It's probably not the best till last but it's definitely the most interesting and memorable. You've never played anywhere like this before. Three of the most spectacular and challenging golf courses in Thailand made out of a plantation for Rubber, Cassava, Pineapple and Sugar Cane. The three courses are Valley Course, Highlands Course and Jungle Course. The countryside has been altered as little as possible and don't be surprised to find rocks and bunkers in the middle of your green. As well as animals, teeing off on the shop roof or teeing off into the great unknown. The Valley Course has more animals, the Highland Course is a real challenge and the Jungle Course is the new one and just as bizarre as the other two. If you haven't played here before I would suggest the Highland Course.
Eat -
Bangkok
Try the famous curry crab at Somboon Seafood -
various locaions
eating, shopping & drinking in a Heritage site
Don't skip the street food
Pattaya
The seafood restaurants out over the water at the start of Walking Street are good for a group
is another good spot that is well managed
Central Festival Shopping Centre
is full of good eating - food court and supermarket in the basement - top 2 floors of restaurants and others scattered throughout
Ban Chang
Phala Beach
Heaps of seafood places along the beach
Full English Breakfast / Pies / Fish n Chips / Lamb Shanks / Curries / Steaks
Ko Samet
Beach Vendors
BBQ Seafood in the sand with Fire twirlers
Sundowners -
Bangkok
Sky Bar -
shoes and long pants required for men / neat and casual for the ladies - be there for 6pm opening
Amorosa Bar at Arun Residence -
riverside near Wat Pho for the best views of Wat Arun
Pattaya
Pattaya Beer Garden - best Pina Coladas around
Hilton Hotel Horizon Rooftop -
2 for 1 cocktails between 5 - 7pm
Phala Beach
By the pool at the Lord Nelson
Any beach place
Ko Samet
On the beach
19th, 20th etc -
Bangkok
Pattaya
More choices than anywhere on earth. Just start walking in any direction.
Ban Chang
The Ban Chang Strip - Soi Thetsaban 25
Phala Beach
There are some little places nearby and you're only 10 mins away from where you were last night
Ko Samet
Side Trips -
If you have an extra day or two there are so many things to see and do in Bangkok and Pattaya it's worth looking into
Don't miss -
Sky Bar - Bangkok
Tips -
You can often buy bags of good, cheap, sorted balls in shops close to the golf course.
Make sure you have lots of balls then double it for the last game at Wangjuntr!
Don't forget to tip your caddy and buy them a few drinks on the way around.
Always take a change of clothes and have a shower after the game.
Take plenty of golf clothes and get your driver / host to do everyone's laundry while you're playing.
Laundry by weight is much cheaper than by the article.
Take some baby powder with you and use it liberally in your shoes.
It gets really hot in the hot months - consider a cart and umbrella - you can always pick them up after the front 9
Budget -
You're here for a good time not a long time. Budget around $300 per day depending on if you are winning or losing the bets and the comps.
Extra -
See Thailand in Countries as well as Festivals.
