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Asian Golf Travel Nation - October 2011

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Dear Travel Partners & Golf Travelers,

Thailand GolfWelcome to the October 2011 edition of the "Asian Golf Travel Nation", the source for news breaking information about Asian Golf. In addition, unique golf playing tips for Indochina's tropical environment, announcements of special golf travel promotions, and our latest subscription offer are all integral parts of today's newsletter.

Autumn is a time of celebrations and the start of the Asian golf travel season. All across Europe the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are starting to drop. With the first cold spell comes the planning of fall and winter golf holidays to warmer climates such as can be found across South East Asia from the months of November to March – the best golf travel season.

Thailand is still the most popular golf holiday destination with Chiang Mai and Hua Hin offering the best value-for-money and Bangkok and Pattaya being great choices for short golf breaks. Vietnam and Malaysia are the second and third most popular Asian countries for golf holidays, respectively. The Danang/Hoi An and Phan Thiet/ Mui Ne beach areas lead the way in Vietnam golf tourism, while Langkawi and Sabah regions are Malaysia's best golf holiday destinations. We have some excellent multi-destination and multi-country packages for those who want to sample the best areas on one golf trip.

Personally, I have been in Hua Hin twice this month and the golf courses there are readying for the high season. Later this month I am travelling to Vietnam and will be in Danang and Phan Thiet to visit our golf partners and look at some new resorts. Check out the next newsletter for the latest updates and promotions.

With that, I invite you to read on and hear what's new in golf and around the region.

Mark Siegel
Managing Director of Golfasian

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Golf news from around the region:

Thailand
*Royal Gems Golf & Sports Club, BangkokBangkok: If you have not heard, Thailand has got a brand new government led by Thailand's first female prime minister. The new government has pledged to the tourism industry to keep visitor arrivals growing in spite of tough economic conditions around the world. Specifically, the government has set a 2012 target of 19.5 million international tourist arrivals, 10 per cent above 2011, which is already 30% above 2010. My personal view is this number is actually too low as golf arrivals have gone up at least this much already.

Vietnam
*Vietnam GolfQuang Ninh: A Vietnamese development group has assembled a large tract in Quang Ninh Province in the far north east of Vietnam (aka "Vietnam's Issan") where it plans to build two golf courses. The forthcoming Dong Trieu Resort will consist of a 36-hole golf complex, large lake, hotel, water park, and recreation center. One of the courses at Dong Trieu will be a championship-caliber layout, the other a resort-style track. IMG is doing the golf course design, which could mean that it will be another "ghost-designed" course that has the "signature" of an IMG-managed golf pro like Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer,  or even Annika Sorenstam. Let's see!

Hanoi: A 4.5ha golf course and driving range, designed by US golf legend Jack Nicklaus, has opened in Hanoi's Soc Son district. The driving range, which includes the 18-hole Legend Hill Golf Resort, is the biggest of its kind in Vietnam and has an investment of $100 million. The project was launched by Vietnam-based BRG Group and Nicklaus Design.

Malaysia
*99 East Golf ClubLangkawi: The Malaysian island is getting a third golf course; 99 East Golf Club (ed. Yes the name starts with a number!). This new course along with major turf renovations at The Golf Club Datai  and a new clubhouse at Gunung Raya should make Langkawi easily Malaysia's top golf holiday destination. The 99 East Golf Club will be the best Langkawi golf course to date and the spectacular 18-hole Ross Watson designed championship course and clubhouse are set to open in early 2012. Take a look at some of these recent 99 East Golf Club photos and you will see what I mean.

Cambodia
*Angkor Golf ResortSiem Reap: For the first time Siem Reap has been listed as one of the world's best cities by the influential US travel magazine Travel + Leisure. The magazine's World's Best 2011 Awards were based on the votes of thousands of its readers who nominated & chose from various cities from around the world. In this year's listings Siem Reap ranks as the world's 7th best city, one spot above Australia's Sydney, which came in at number eight on the list. Check out one of our Cambodia golf packages if you want to see what the buzz is all about in this up-and-coming golf destination.

Remember if you want to get regular updates about golf in Indochina, then sign-up for uninterrupted email delivery of this newsletter. In addition, all persons signing up will automatically receive the latest "Thailand Golf Insider Tips" special report.

Finally, remember no matter what your budget or how small/large your group Golfasian will be glad to organize your golfing holiday. Please contact the Asian Golf Experts at [email protected].

Until the next newsletter, happy golfing!

Mark Siegel
Managing Director of Golfasian

 

- Featured Golf Course - Muang Kaew Golf Club

Muang Kaew Golf ClubThe closest course to bustling Bangkok is anything but a big-city experience-lakes and creeks are so abundant, you'll think you stepped into the countryside. Indeed, water comes into play on every hole. And what a collection of holes it is. Completely redesigned in 2004 by the American duo of Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley (think Bali Hai in Las Vegas and Canyon River in Montana), the track is the model of deceit. The greens are big ... but fast.

The traps cast beautiful shadows ... but guard those greens in menacing ways. And what's an ideal angle to the flag one day, can be the opposite the next - huge dance floors allow for a multitude of pin positions, which greatly change the complexion of approach shots. Vichai Samokoses spared nothing remaking Muang Kaew (pronounced 'mung cow') five years ago. It shows not just in the course, but in places like the clubhouse and kitchen, which dishes up some of the best, post-golf grub in the Kingdom. [Read More about one of Thailand's Best Golf Courses]

- Featured Hotel - The St. Regis Bangkok

The St. Regis BangkokBangkok's newest luxury 5-star hotel, The St. Regis Bangkok is ideally situated on prestigious Rajadamri Road, just a short distance from the city's high-end business and shopping precincts. Overlooking the green space of Bangkok Sports Club and directly linked to the Rajadamri BTS station, The St. Regis is a true oasis in the city named in September 2011 by readers of Travel and Leisure magazine as the world's best.

Opened in April 2011, The St. Regis Bangkok is the first of the famous St Regis brand - dating back to 1904 in New York - opened in Thailand or Indochina. It joins 36 other St. Regis hotels around the world and boasts the first Elemis Spa in Thailand and just the fourth in the world of this famous spa brand. [Find out more about this Special Golf Offer]

- St. Regis Offers Bangkok Golf Access

Andreas OberoiWhen the luxury five-star St. Regis Bangkok hotel opened in April, its inaugural general manager, Andreas Oberoi, couldn't have been more delighted to assume responsibility for the remarkable new property.

Andreas Oberoi came from The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, another typically superb St. Regis property on the island of Majorca, Spain. Being located next to three championship golf courses on the island, Andreas admits to having developed a keen interest in the game during his time there, although he says he usually has time only to play nine holes. [Read the entire article]

Thailand Golf Special Offers
- Meet Our Staff: Jim Mullet - International Sales Manager

Jim Mullet - GolfasianJim was born and raised in Ohio, USA with an undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University and a masters degree from Capital University, both in Business Administration.

Jim spent 20+ years working in corporate America in various financial positions in the steel, oilfield equipment and cable television industries, mostly in Texas and North Carolina. Suddenly and unexpectedly out of work in 2006 due to corporate restructuring, Jim moved to Asia in 2007 looking for 'something new and different'. At that time he had been coming to Asia and especially to Thailand for personal golf holidays over a number of years, including as a customer of Golfasian. [Read more about Jim Mullet]

- Golf Trip Idea: Vietnam Golf Trail - 15D/14N

Vietnam Golf TraiThe Vietnam Golf Trail traces the footsteps of the late Ho Chi Minh across the entire country. Start in the gateway to North Vietnam, Hanoi and then move south along the golf trail playing at Vietnam's best golf destination, Danang. Further south is Saigon: Vietnam's economic capita and the last stop is the fresh mountain retreat of Dalat.

The Vietnam Golf Trail includes the best golf courses and sightseeing tours in each destination. Be one of the first to discover all the golf Vietnam has to offer! [Vietnam Golf Trail Detailed Itinerary...]

- Press Release: Thailand Golf Tourism Heads Towards $US2 Billion

Thailand Golf Tourism Heads Towards $US2 BillionBangkok, September 20, 2011 - Led by growth from Australia and Europe, the value of foreign golf tourism to Thailand may reach 60 billion baht or $US2 billion in 2012 for the first time.

Based on a Tourism Authority of Thailand forecast for a record 19 million inbound visitors to the kingdom next year, up to 600,000 foreign golf tourists - or three percent of the total - will make a beeline for its five major golf destinations: Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. [Read the entire Press Release]

- Event Announcements / FamTrips

Thailand Golf TournamentsChiang Mai Amateur Golf Week - October 2011
Date: October 29 - November 04, 2011 | Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand [Find out more]

First Thailand Team Amateur Championship - November 2011
Date: November 26 - December 03, 2011 | Location: Hua Hin, Thailand [Find out more]

- Best of the Blog thailandgolfzone.com

The Best Time Of Year For A Thailand Golf Holiday?

Thailand Golf BlogActually ANY time is a good time for a Thailand golf holiday, as the courses stay green, the weather stays good, and the locals keep smiling all year round.

For most golf travelers however, travel dates are dictated by work schedules and family matters and preference is to get away to a warm sunny place when it is cold and dark back home. But if you are flexible read on…

Read more about "The Best Time Of Year For A Thailand Golf Holiday?"

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 - Caddies in Thailand

Thailand GolfOne of the most enjoyable experiences in Thailand are the caddies who look after your every need during your round. They will give you tee pegs, shelter you from the sun, make sure you drink enough fluids, rake the bunkers, clean the ball, give you the yardages and more often than not... read the greens.

Top golf clubs in Thailand such as The Thai Country Club in Bangkok close their course every Monday and they encourage the caddies to play and learn the game.
So don't be surprised if your caddie is a better player than you and there are a few with single figure handicaps, so remember to tip them well (300 to 400 baht) and trust them, they are right more often than not.

[Read the entire Golf Tips Article]

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:

  • October - European Media Golf Fam-Trip
  • November - US Golf Pros / Tour Operators Fam-Trip
  • November 14 - 17, 2011 - IGTM (Belek, Antalya, Turkey) [Find out more]
    Golfasian Thailand - Stand B32
    Golfasian Vietnam - Stand B20
  • January 26 - 29, 2012 - PGA Merchandise Show (Orlando, Florida, USA)

Arrange an appointment with Golfasian at one of these exhibits.

- About Us & Contacts

Golfasian Co., Ltd.

GolfasianIf 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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  • Recommended by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO)
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Golf Holidays in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam

 
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