Playing golf in Thailand has gained widespread popularity in the last decade or so. The quality and quantity of Thailand golf courses is now well established in the minds of golf travelers. They are now a pillar for tourism to Thailand in their own right. Yet, that is not reason enough to go to Thailand and play golf. In fact there’s much more that the Thailand golf experience offers.
1. A Heady Mix of Golf, Culture and More
While Thailand golf tours are increasingly popular, it is the overall offering that is the key differentiator. This comes in the form of its beaches, nightlife, cuisine and not the least – its culture. The country formerly known as Siam retains and reflects an interesting mix of Hindu, Buddhist, Tao and Asian influences. Historically this is the only country in the Asian region, never to have been ruled by a colonial power. Yet, Thailand today is one of Asia’s more progressive economies. The juxtaposition of these various elements to playing at world class golf courses is what defines the Thailand golf experience.
2. The Southeast Asian Climate
For golfers from Europe and North America, the opportunity to play golf in the winter months has to count as a blessing. Not only many golf courses in these continents are closed, the freezing temperatures are hardly the right accompaniment to playing golf. This is one of the big advantages of the tropical Southeast Asian climate. Thailand which is part of Southeast Asia has its most pleasant climate in the extreme winter months of Europe and North America. It is an absolute joy to be playing golf in Thailand during these months if you are from the Northern hemisphere.
3. The Caddies and Thailand Golf Hospitality
The Thais are warm and welcoming people, so needless to say their hospitality is legendary. The infrastructure that accompanies the Thailand golf courses adds to the overall golf experience. But then that’s not all that there is to it.
No discussion on hospitality, especially in the Thailand golf context can be complete without talking about caddies. While some golfers are not necessarily thrilled about the “compulsory” caddy, many love it and embrace it as part of golfing in Thailand. Having someone to bring clubs, fill divots, rake bunkers, repair pitch marks, clean the ball cannot be all bad after all. And many will even help you with planning your shots in accordance with the course layout and reading greens. Besides, it provides employment to locals who live in the vicinity of the golf course.
4. World Class Golf Courses
It can be easily conceded that other destinations in the world like the UK or USA offer the best golf courses in the world. This is attributable to their layouts, their designs, their natural topography or their roots in the history and traditions of the game. Thailand golf may not match all that and it is for this reason that this factor was not listed right at the top. Yet the top golf courses in any Thai golf destination will leave anyone little cause for complaint when it comes to quality. Their standards can be found as second to none, even if they are not Pebble Beaches and Royal County Downs of the world.
5. Variety in Golf Destinations
There are plenty of destinations to choose from for a Thailand golf tour. All are sufficiently developed to offer a reasonable variety of golf courses at the least. As many as seven locations in Thailand could qualify as full fledged golf destinations in their own right. The list comprises Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Phuket, Khao Yai and Kanchanaburi. As golfers’ affinity for playing golf in Thailand grows, such a variety in destinations, brings them back to explore something new.
