Asian Golf Travel Nation - September 2014

http://www.asiagolfweek.com

Hyatt Regency Hua Hin Amateur Golf Week: 12-18 October, 2014
After the huge success of June's Centara World Masters in Hua Hin, we have been flooded with enquiries for when the next tournament returns to Hua Hin. Good news is we have scheduled an event 12-17 October. Offering a series of 3,4 and 5 star venues including the Hyatt Hua Hin right on the beach, there will be an accommodation type to suit all players and playing the 4 best courses in the area including Black Mountain and Banyan, there will be no excuses for not having a great time.

Siam Country Club Pattaya Amateur Golf Week: 18-25 October, 2014
Being just 90 minutes from the airport and situated right on the gulf of Thailand, Pattaya is our favourite destination for many of our players. This tournament we will be playing all three Siam Country Club courses and throwing in Thai Country Club to boot. These 4 championship courses will certainly show you the best golf courses and conditioning in Thailand.  October is an ideal time to be playing these courses as they have just come out of the raining season and all the courses are in tip top, championship condition.

Chiang Mai Amateur Golf Week: 25 October - 1 November, 2014
As our season ending event, Chiang Mai has become popular with the tournament players for a relaxed week in a cooler climate. Many of the golfers enjoy the more laid back atmosphere of this event compared to the hustle and bustle of Pattaya and Hua Hin.  The hotels we have selected are all centrally located to the night market and restaurant districts. Chiang Mai Highlands and Alpine Country Club rate high in the course rankings in Thailand and will surely test all the player's skills over the week-long event.

Registrations for these events can be made online on this tournament link or you can email [email protected] to secure your position.

Should you have any questions regarding these events, please contact us on [email protected]

For further details please go to www.asiagolfweek.com and join our Facebook Page.

[Register today!]

Due to popular demand, Golfasian is now offering TaylorMade Graphite & Steel Golf Club Sets for rent during your stay in Thailand.

This gives you even more freedom and flexibility when planning your golf trip to Asia. Simply contact our golf travel experts and mention that you would like to rent clubs.

For more information contact us directly.

Special Promotional Offer
25,000,000 BAHT (REDUCED BY 3 MILLION BAHT) UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER 2014!!! Absolutely stunning home. Some of the most comfortable living spaces of any home in the area. Perfect for the long term expat who's looking to enjoy some tranquility and play golf regularly as well.

Best Bargain Home on a Golf Course
Palm Hills Golf Club Modern Villa is built to modern specifications, and is a nice little home away from home for anyone looking for a small villa in a scenic setting. This home offers three spacious bedrooms and three bathrooms as well as lovely views and good old peace and quiet.

Feel free to stop by our office and see what we can offer or take our property tour (free of charge).

For a complete listing of Thailand properties visit our website.

If you've sampled the energy of Bangkok and Pattaya on your Thailand golf experience, or enjoyed the sea air and world renowned courses of Hua Hin's Black Mountain and Banyan perhaps you should try a completely different dimension, Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai is where locals and expatriates alike escape to, relishing the change of pace, clean air and a temperature that inevitably is 5 or more degrees cooler than the south.

Chiang Mai is the former capital of the Lanna Kingdom and is considered an area more allied with nature, with a diverse culture influenced by its position near the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers and borders of Myanmar and Laos at the infamous Golden Triangle. As a hub of several ancient realms, Chiang Mai has been a center of knowledge exchange, religion, architecture and commerce for centuries.

[Read the entire article]

What you say about the Thailand Golf Experience

My name is Bill Williams. I live in Yamba, a small seaside town on the far north coast of New South Wales in Australia. The town is famous for its prawns which are harvested by a fleet of some 16 fishing boats. I have golfed for about 50 years and peaked as a 7 handicap; I'm now a respectable 16.

I am a member of Yamba Golf and Country Club. The course was established 55 years ago close to Pippi Beach, a local beauty spot. It is a parkland course with Bermuda greens that are rated the best in the district. The course is both challenging and a pleasure to play. It is also home to around 100 Kangaroos which pay little attention to golfers on the course. The trip I undertook was my third to Thailand but my first involving golf. I organize golfing trips for small mixed groups from our club playing prestige resort courses in the Hunter Valley, a major wine growing area, or on the beautiful east coast of Australia as far south as Nelson Bay.

Why Thailand you may ask, when we have access to some of the best golf Australia has to offer? A group of members returned from a trip to Hua Hin and were full of praise, so rather than go to the Sunshine Coast I decided to sample the Thai golf experience. Whilst I checked a number of tour providers, I was immediately impressed with the efficiency of Golfasian. Their representative Ian Morgan quickly put together a program, having listened to my requirements, and kept me informed of all details right up to the day we left.

[Read Bill's complete story]
[Find out about Golfasian's Travel Satisfaction Guarantee]

The seaside resort of Hua Hin is located three hours south of Bangkok and is one of the fastest growing destinations in Thailand. There are a great selection of places to stay from the top 5 star properties, luxurious villas to basic guest house accommodation.

The two best courses in Hua Hin are Black Mountain (the first course in Thailand to be voted in the top 100 in the world by Golf Digest)  and the Banyan Golf Club which recently celebrated its 5 year Anniversary, have been instrumental in Hua Hin being voted best golf destination in Asia at the end of 2013. There are other very good courses in the area that have helped make Hua Hin such a good golf destination, not to mention Royal Hua Hin GC which was built in 1924 and is the oldest golf club in the country. The prestigious Kings Cup Asian Tour Event will be played in Hua Hin for the next five years, so golf looks in a very healthy state for the coming years.

Boasting the best climate in Thailand and throw in some of the best international and local restaurants, you have the perfect golf destination!

[Read the entire destination review]

Majestic Creek Country Club is a challenging course that was once rated by a German golf magazine as Hua Hin's best golf course. This view is shared by many Hua Hin locals and expatriates. Designed by Dr. Sukkitti Klangvisai, an experienced Thai golf course designer who is also responsible for Phuket's Loch Palm, Majestic Creek is arguably the best laid out golf course in Hua Hin. Major renovations covering all 27-holes have been undertaken in 2012 including some of Hua Hin's best Tifeagle turfed greens.

Majestic Creek Country Club is set in the foothills 20 kilometers west of Hua Hin. The journey towards the course offers rural views of Thai life including sugar cane, tapioca, and pineapple plantations and farms. Majestic Creek is surrounded by nature. Valleys in the nearby mountains supply water to the maze of streams winding around the course, and the builders have been careful to preserve them as natural hazards; making for some tricky shots over water.

[Read more about one of Hua Hin's Best Golf Courses]

Find the elegance of Hyatt Regency in Hua Hin. This high-class beach resort is situated alongside 200-metre of beautiful beach. The resort has uniquely designed landscapes with hidden lakes.  Hyatt Regency Hua Hin provides guests with a range of high-class bedrooms and packages looking over a lavish unique lawn or spectacular lagoon. You can enjoy delightful delicacies at one of this high-class Hua Hin hotel's dining places or relax at the award-winning Spa

[Read more about one of Hua Hin's Best Hotels]

Hua Hin is the home of golf in Thailand and the area's golf courses are conveniently located only 20 minutes from the town center. Beachfront resorts range from traditional Thai to ultra-modern designs and some properties are located within walking distance to town and all the attractions.

The Banyan and Black Mountain golf clubs are so good that they are consistently ranked as the best in Asia. Be sure to play them! In fact, why not play at all the Hua Hin golf courses and stay on one of the lovely beach resorts of Hua Hin?

[Two Week Hua Hin Golf Package Itinerary...]

BANGKOK, Thailand, August 25, 2014 --- Golfasian Co. Ltd., www.golfasian.com, Southeast Asia's largest dedicated pure-play golf tour operator and local Thai SME darling has bucked the 2014 trend in Thai Tourism once again with a reported 22 percent increase in turnover for the 12 months ending July 31 2014.

The Thai tourism industry has been in a state of flux since November 2013 and this can be seen in the number of arrivals decreasing by 10.7% in the first six months of 2014. However, with new investments and the success of new divisions catering to golf tournaments, corporate golf travel and events, and even real estate, Golfasian has managed to continue their unabated growth. Moreover, this industry-leading boost in golf travel revenue is a direct consequence of the company's industry leading service quality and diversity of destinations offered.

Golfasian reported that year-on-year golf visitor volume rose 23.4 percent to 9,756 golfers, while median revenue per person increased 9.2 percent to US$1,750. Thailand accounted for 70% of the company's revenue, Vietnam 15%, Malaysia 10%, and the rest of Asia 5%.

The company's golf stay-and-play packages continued to fuel growth, comprising more than 80% of total revenues.

"In 2014 we saw an overall slowdown in Thai tourism with Bangkok hit hardest," said Managing Director, Mark Siegel.  "However, demand for Golfasian's services went the other way. Particularly strong were other Thai destinations like Hua Hin and other countries including Vietnam, Malaysia, and Bali. Also, as our clients' leisure time becomes scarcer, more are choosing to use Golfasian for the superior golf holiday experience and beginning-to-end service we offer."

Golfasian has expanded its operations including establishing new offices in Bali, Danang, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. Additionally, the company has brought to market new products such as amateur golf tournaments and corporate golf events.

"The recent Centara World Masters (CWM) Golf Championship is an excellent example of our new services. The 450 person event, held in June in cooperation with Go Golfing from Australia, was Thailand's largest ever amateur golf tournament. In 2015, we plan no less than 8 events, including the second edition of the CWM," Mark Siegel said.

On the traditional leisure golf holiday side of the business, the company continues to maintain a strong web presence from a network of 65 high-ranked web sites to attract new clients.

Director of Business Development, Pascal Orczech, said "I am especially proud of our new Chinese language web site www.golfasian.cn and although the job of human translation of over 1,500 pages was daunting, Golfasian now maintains not only the largest informational Asian golf web site in English, but Chinese as well. This will assist Chinese golfers in selecting the best destinations and golf courses for their golf holidays."

[Read the entire Press Release]

The Tourism Authority of Thailand launches "China Common Project Golf 2014" to boost numbers of hi-end Chinese golf tourists visiting Thailand.

Banyan Golf Club Hua Hin, Thailand, August 20 2014 -- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) culminates its China Common Project Golf Tournament 2014 held at the Royal beach resort cities of Hua Hin and Cha Am.

The initiative was conceived by TAT's Chinese offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Chengdu and Guangzhou who agreed a joint campaign to boost the promotion of hi-end golf tourism packages for the China market. The objective of the tournament was to increase awareness that Thailand is the top golf destination in Asia.

[Read the entire Press Release]

Thailand

• Bangkok
  • Lotus Valley Golf Resort - Course will be closed on 13 September for a tournament.
  • Panya Indra Golf Club - Course will be closed in the mornings from 1 - 5 September for a tournament.
  • Riverdale Golf Club - Course will be closed on 5, 16, 19 & 27 September for tournaments.
  • Royal Golf & Country Club - Course will be closed on 9, 10, 23, & 26 September for tournaments.
  • Vintage Golf Club - Course will be closed on 18 September for a tournament.
• Hua Hin
  • Banyan Golf Club - Course will be closed from 6 - 7 September for the Hyatt Open tournament.
  • Black Mountain Golf Club - Course will undergo coring green from 25 August - 5 September. Further, the course will be closed from 23 - 30 November for the King's Cup.
  • Imperial Lake View Golf Club - Course will be closed from 4 - 5 October for a tourment.
  • Majestic Creek Country Club - Course is in good condition.
  • Palm Hills Golf Club - Course condition is 90%
  • Royal Hua Hin Golf Club - Course condition is 70% - with plans for coring green during October/November.
  • Springfield Royal Country Club - Course will be closed on 13 September for a tourmanet as well as from 12 - 24 January for the Asia Tour.
• Pattaya
  • Laem Chabang Intl. Country Club - Course will be closed on 12 & 26 September for tournaments.
• Phuket
  • Blue Canyon Country Club, Canyon Course - Course will be undergoing coring green from 1 - 3 September.
  • Blue Canyon Country Club, Lakes Course - Course will be undergoing coring green from 6 October - 8 October.
  • Laguna Phuket Golf Club - 9 holes will be closed for 18 months from July 2013 onwards. The back nine holes have been freshly renovated and are ready for play while the front nine holes are closed for renovation until approximately early 2015.
  • Phuket Country Club - Course will be closed on 14 September for a tournament.
  • Red Mountain Golf Club - Course will be undergoing coring green from 1 - 2 September.
• Chiang Mai
  • Alpine Golf Resort - Course will be closed on 21 & 27 September, 5, 11 and 21 October, as well as from 1 - 18 November for tournaments.
  • Chiang Mai Highlands Golf Resort & Spa - Course will be closed on 11, 18, 19, 22 and 26 October for tourmanents.
  • Mae Jo Golf Club - Course will be closed on 12, 20 and 21 September for a tournament.
  • Royal Chiang Mai Golf Club - Course will be closed on 24 October for a tournament.
• Kanchanaburi
  • Mida Golf Club - Course will be closed from 5 - 7 September for the USGC Tournament.
  • Royal Ratchaburi Golf Club - Course will be closed on 6 September.

Vietnam

• Hanoi
  • Hanoi Golf Club, Heron Lake Golf Club and Resort, Tam Dao Golf Club, Van Tri Golf Club - Closed every Monday morning for maintenance.
  • Kings Island Golf Resort - Mountainview course is closed on Mondays and Lakeside course is closed on Tuesdays for maintenance.
• Saigon
  
  • Long Than Golf Club - The course will be undergoing coring green on 4-6 August, 11-13 August, 18-19 August and 25-26 August.
  • Vietnam Golf & Country Club - Course will be closed for tournaments on 12, 16, 17, 19, 20 & 27.
• Danang
  • Montgomerie Links Vietnam - Course will be closed on 6 September for the Heineken Qualifier Tournament.
• Nha Trang
  • Vinpearl Golf Club - Course is closed on Mondays for maintenance.

Malaysia

• Kuala Lumpur
  • Awana Genting Highlands Golf & Country Club - 9 holes closed alternately every Monday.
• Glenmarie Golf & Country Club - Garden Course closed every Monday, Valley Course closed every Wednesday.
• Kota Permai Golf & Country Club - Course will be closed on 16 October for a tournament.
• Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club - Closed for the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia from 9 October - 12 October and for the CIMB Classic from 30 October - 2 November.
• Mines Resort & Golf Club - Closed on Mondays for maintenance.
• Saujana Golf & Country Club - Palm course is undergoign renovation during 2014.
• Langkawi
• All courses are in great condition.
  
• Malacca
  • Orna Resort - Closed on Mondays for maintenance.
• Johor Baru
  • Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club - Closed on Mondays for maintenance. Course will be closed on 28 September for a tournament.
• Penang
  • Bukit Jawi Golf Resort - Course will be closed on 11 and 18 October as well as 1 November for tournaments.
  • Penang Golf Club - Course will be closed from 4 - 8 August for a tournament.
• Kota Kinabalu
  • Borneo Golf & Country Club - Course will be closed on 13, 19 - 21 and 27 September for various tournaments.
  • Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club - Course will be closed in the mornings of 6, 7, 13, 16, 20, 21 and 27 September for various tournaments.
  • Nexus Golf Resort - Course will be closed on 6, 7 and 13 September
  • Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club - Course will be closed on 6 and 13 September for tournaments.

Indonesia

• All golf courses are in good condition

Singapore

• All golf courses are in good condition.

Hyatt Regency Hua Hin Amateur Golf Week - October 2014
Date: October 12 - 18, 2014 | Location: Hua Hin, Thailand [Find out more]

Siam Country Club Amateur Golf Week - October 2014
Date: October 18 - 25, 2014 | Location: Pattaya, Thailand [Find out more]

Chiang Mai Amateur Golf Week - October 2014
Date: October 25 - November 01, 2014 | Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand [Find out more]

Hua Hin Amateur Golf Week - March 2015
Date: March 1 - 7, 2015| Location: Hua Hin, Thailand [Find out more]

Pattaya Amateur Golf Week - March 2015
Date: March 8 - 14, 2015| Location: Pattaya, Thailand [Find out more]

Malaysia Amateur Golf Week - May 2015
Date: May 10 - 15, 2015| Location: Malaysia

Bali Amateur Golf Week - May 2015
Date: May 17 - 23, 2015| Location: Bali

Phuket Amateur Golf Week - June 2015
Date: 7 - 13 June, 2015| Location: Phuket, Thailand [Find out more]

Centara World Masters Golf Championship - June 2015
Date: 14 - 20 June, 2015| Location: Hua Hin, Thailand

Bangkok Amateur Golf Week - June 2015
Date: 21 - 27 June, 2015| Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Cambodia Amateur Golf Week - August 2015
Date: 2 - 9 August, 2015| Location: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Vietnam Amateur Golf Week - August 2015
Date: 10 - 16 August, 2015| Location: Danang, Vietnam

Hua Hin Amateur Golf Week - October 2015
Date: 11 - 17 October, 2015| Location: Hua Hin, Thailand

Pattaya Amateur Golf Week - October 2015
Date: 18 - 24 October, 2015| Location: Pattaya, Thailand

Chiang Mai Amateur Golf Week - October 2015
Date: 25 - 31 October, 2015| Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Siam Country Club, Waterside – Comparison With Old and Plantation Courses

Most golfers in Pattaya agree that the Siam Country Club Old Course and Siam Country Club Plantation Course are the two best golf courses in Pattaya. However, if there are any complaints about the two courses, it is that they are both quite difficult for high handicap golfers. Around the greens it is not uncommon for weekend golfers to take five or more shots to get up-and-down as the slopes, elevated greens, and bunker complexes require accuracy and precision in chipping and putting. Perch yourself one afternoon above the Old Course's 18th and you will see what I mean!

With this in mind, the owners of Siam Country Club have given the design brief to IMG to develop a new golf course that is friendlier and accommodates a wider variety of golfers. The Waterside Course takes advantage of gentler terrain and does away with raised greens and high-lipped bunkers to create a more balanced course with many excellent scoring opportunities.

[Read the entire article]

Other golf stories can be found at the Thailand Golf Zone, Vietnam Golf Zone and Phuket Golf Zone where there are over 600 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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Although Thailand's golfing dress code is fairly casual in general, shirts with collars and sleeves are required for the courses. Tailored shorts with sports socks are also acceptable. A good tip is to take a change of clothes to the course as the clubhouse facilities are very good, and a shower after your game is very refreshing.

[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

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

You can find us at the following events:

• October 27 - 30, 2014 - International Golf Travel Mart (Villa Erba, Lake Como, Italy)

Arrange an appointment with Golfasian at one of these exhibits.

• Licensed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), License No: 14/00515
• Licensed by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, License No: 79-302/2011
• Recommended by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
• Member of Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA)
• Member of the International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals (SKAL)
• Member of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM)
• Founder and member of Golf in a Kingdom (GIAK)
• Founder and member of Golf Coast Vietnam (GCV)

Toll Free US/Canada: 1-866-550-2284

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.golfasian.com