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Asian Golf Travel Nation - June 2012

Dear Golf Travelers,

Welcome to the latest issue of the Asian Golf Nation, the source for news breaking information about golf in Asia. In addition, unique golf playing tips for Indochina's tropical environment, announcements of golf travel promotions, and our latest subscription offer are all integral parts of today's newsletter.

Golf tourism in Asia is booming as golfers from around the world continue to discover the great value-for-money, spectacular service, and a wide array of golf courses. Summer is here! Summer means holidays and what better way to spend them golfing in Asia, while enjoying the hospitality of its people and exotic culture.

Recently I returned from Siem Reap Cambodia where I was able to play all 3 of the golf courses around Angkor Wat and enjoy the warmth of Cambodian hospitality at the 5* Sokha Resort. Siem Reap make a great golf extension for those already golfing in Thailand or Vietnam and wanting to step back in time to experience another culture, see one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and play some great golf. In fact, check out our Cambodia golf holidays and you will see exactly what I mean.

Of course there are many 'happenings' around the region so with that, I invite you to enjoy this edition of the Asian Golf Nation.

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Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Greg Norman's second Vietnam golf project Saigon Golf & Country Club is making fast progress. Located close to the center of HCMC, the 18-hole golf course is scheduled for completion by the year-end. The golf course layout is typical of Norman's trademark aggressive layouts such as can also be seen at his first project in Vietnam; the excellent Danang Golf Club. The Saigon Golf & Country Club will also have floodlit driving range with multiple practice greens for those who want to sharpen their games while in Vietnam.

Cambodia
Siem Reap: Hold the presses!!! In an abrupt name (not sex) change the Angkor Lake Resort & Golf has reverted to their former name of the Siem Reap Lake Resort & Golf. I am not sure why, but I do know of around 100 golfers who were taken by taxi to the wrong course because the Angkor name was so similar to the better known Faldo course, Angkor Golf Resort. In any case, that just goes to show you that it pays to differentiate and not imitate. I played the course last month and while not up to the Angkor Golf Resort's world-class standards, it is still a good play in good nick!

Laos
Vientiane: There are now 2 quality courses in the Laotian capital. The purposely built South East Asian (SEA) Games Golf Course is the best in the country and the newly re-furbished Laos Golf Club at KM 14 is now in good playing condition too. The former is a riding (compulsory golf buggies) course while the latter is an excellent walking course with well-maintained fairways and greens. However, the caddies at both clubs are still young and the service not up to par with more established destinations. The good news is that Vientiane can be reached by air from most Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Saigon which makes it easy to combine as an additional destination to combine with any Thailand, Malaysia, and/or Vietnam golf package, respectively. Moreover, for those of you who are more adventurous, Vientiane can also be reached overland from the Thai border Town of Nong Kai where there is also one nice golf course, Victory Park.

With that I would like to once again thank those of you who have golfed with us recently, it was nice seeing you and I hope your trip was memorable one. Please feel free to contact us for any Asian golf tour request at [email protected]. Whatever your budget and preferred style of travel, we are glad to suggest a golf package to meet your needs.

Until the next newsletter, happy golfing and I hope to see YOU in the area very soon!

Mark Siegel
Managing Director of Golfasian

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In this Issue

Regional Golf News

Pattaya - A Personal Destination Review by Mark Penfold

Featured Golf Course - Siam Country Club Plantation Course

Featured Resort - Hilton Pattaya

Golf Trip Idea: Pattaya 2 Week Golf Holiday

Meet our Staff: Pascal Orczech - Director of Business Development

Press Release: Tussle for Title of Best Golf Course in Vietnam

Golf Tournaments

Ladies Golf in Thailand

Golfing Tips by Ian Morgan - Weight Allowance on Aircraft

Golfasian Trade/Roadshows

Previous Newsletters

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Pattaya - A Personal Destination Review by Mark Penfold

Over the last 20 years I have seen Pattaya grow from a seaside city into a thriving metropolis of international standings. My first visit to Pattaya was in 1995, back then, there was the main beach strip, Beach Road & Second Road, but anything two blocks back was regarded as out of the way and nobody frequented these areas. Now Pattaya goes for 20 minutes drive in any direction with a huge array of restaurants, nightclubs, bars, shopping centres, massage and day spa facilities, and high standard golf courses, it has become a major destination for visitors across the world.

For the golfer you are not going to be disappointed in coming to Pattaya. With 40 courses within 1 hour's drive of central Pattaya, it's a golfer's heaven. Little wonder why it was voted 2011 Golf destination in the world by the International Golf Tour Operators Association.

Featured Golf Course - Siam Country Club Plantation Course

It didn't take long for this layout, about six kilometers from the Old Course, to attract a major event. Exactly one year after opening in 2008, it served as site of the Honda LPGA Thailand, won by world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa. The 27-hole, Schmidt-Curley design is situated on a former pineapple and tapioca plantation and home to Asia's first triple green, shaped like a clover and shared by the Pineapple nine's 378-yard, par-4 fourth and 400-yard, par-4 ninth and the Tapioca nine's 172-yard par-3 seventh.

Siam Country Club (Plantation Course), PattayaThe sleek, ultra-modern clubhouse overlooks this 3,000-square-meter marvel. The Sugar Cane nine was built last, but possesses many of the same characteristics - large ravines, multi-tiered Novotek greens and spectacular views of Pattaya's beaches - as the 'older' nines.

Featured Hotel - Hilton Pattaya

The Hilton Pattaya, located in the heart of the city overlooking Pattaya Beach and the Bay, is situated atop the new Central Festival Pattaya Beach complex. This 250,000-square-meter facility includes more than 300 international-caliber shops and restaurants, a 10-screen cinema, a 16-lane bowling alley, a gourmet supermarket and a variety of recreation facilities. The Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) is located approximately 90 minutes north of the Hilton.

Golf Trip Idea: Pattaya 2 Week Golf Holiday

Spend two weeks in exciting Pattaya. Golf at the best Pattaya golf course including Siam Country Club, site of the LPGA Honda Classic and Laem Chabang International Country Club; a classic Jack Nicklaus design. Choose to stay at a luxurious beach resorts or select a hotel near the center of Pattaya.

[Pattaya 2 Week Golf Holiday Detailed Itinerary...]

Meet our Staff: Pascal Orczech - Director of Business Development

Golfasian's Director of Business Development, Pascal Orczech, has been working in the Asian tourism industry for the past 6 year. He started off as a webmaster at Exotissimo Travel, where he quickly climbed the ladder to become E-Commerce Manager.

Moving over to Golfasian, he took on the task of Business Development, improving and expanding Golfasian's online presence, implementing various back-office systems to increase efficiency, and developing part of the European agent sales, to name a few. [Read more about Pascal]

Press Release: Tussle for Title of Best Golf Course in Vietnam

Danang, Vietnam, May 9, 2012 -- A friendly, but earnest tussle has emerged between two courses located side by side on Vietnam's central coast for the mantle of best golf course in Vietnam.

Last December at the Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Thailand, Montgomerie Links near Danang was named as Vietnam's number one layout, while its neighbour, Danang Golf Club, was declared best new course in the Asia Pacific region.

[Read the entire Press Release]

Golf Tournaments

Phuket Amateur Golf Week - July 2012
Date: July 21 - 27, 2012 | Location: Phuket, Thailand [Find out more]

Pattaya Amateur Golf Week - October 2012
Date: October 20 - 27, 2012 | Location: Pattaya, Thailand [Find out more]

Chiang Mai Amateur Golf Week - October 2012
Date: October 27 - November 02, 2012 | Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand [Find out more]

Hua Hin Amateur Golf Week - March 2013
Date: March 03 - 09, 2013 | Location: Hua Hin, Thailand

Pattaya Amateur Golf Week - March 2013
Date: March 10 - 16, 2013 | Location: Pattaya, Thailand

Best of the Blog thailandgolfzone.com

Ladies Golf in Thailand

Whenever I am traveling overseas and extolling the attractions of golfing in Thailand, sometimes I hear men whining, "Oh, my wife would not let me go on a Thailand golf trip". In fact, I am seeing a growing trend where couples are favoring a Thailand golf tour over more traditional destinations. Also, my Thailand golf travel company is hosting more and more dedicated lady golf groups.

Thailand is indeed a 'Paridise For Lady Golfers', not just because of its wide range of golf courses, but also thanks to all those other pluses that most ladies enjoy - fabulous spas, world-class cuisine, lots of value-for-money shopping. Plus, contrary to the old days in Europe and the USA, there's little golf sexism here. Ladies are very welcome everywhere! Clubhouses have changing facilities for ladies, there are ladies only spas and beauty salons, plus ladies are not only welcome but encouraged to eat/drink at all 19th holes.

Other golf stories can be found at the Thailand Golf Zone where there are over 500 other original articles dealing exclusively with golf in Asia and golf travel.

I would love to hear about any golf tips that any of you may have developed for getting the maximum enjoyment from your golf trips, and can incorporate some in future articles. Therefore if you have any golf tips or suggestions you would like to share, please let me know by dropping me an email.

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Golfing Tips by Ian Morgan - Weight Allowance on Aircraft

Unless you are travelling with Emirates Airlines who do not charge for golf equipment, the weight allowance can be a problem especially with some of the low cost carriers such as Air Asia.

Leave your golf balls at home as they are quite heavy, and they are very cheap and easy to buy here. I bought 30 grade A golf balls at Loch Palm last week for 600 Thai Baht which included Titleist, Callaway and Tailor Made balls, which is very good value. You don't feel too bad then, when you hit it in the water!

[Read more Golf Tips Articles]

If you have any other questions regarding golf tips to help you with your game email us at [email protected] and we will reply in upcoming newsletters

For more golf tips visit www.golfthink.com

Meet Golfasian at these Trade/Roadshows/Fam-Trips

Golfasian has a full schedule of tradeshows and roadshows during the next few months.

You can find us at the following events:

July 01 - 09, 2012 - Golf MediaFam Trip (Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin)
November 30 - September 06, 2012 - Vietnam Golf Fam Trip (Ho Chi Minh City & Danang/ Hoi An, Vietnam)
November 12 - 15, 2012 - International Golf Travel Mart (IGTM) 2012 (Algarve, Portugal)
April 29 - May 02, 2013 - IAGTO Asia Golf Tourism Convention (Pattaya, Thailand)

Arrange an appointment with Golfasian at one of these exhibits.

About Us & Contacts

If any reader would like to suggest a topic to be covered or better yet contribute materials, photos, or even commissions an article please contact us by e-mail, I welcome the help.

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Member of Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA)

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