Harold's Driving Range

[garfunkel]

Does anyone know what happened to Harold's Driving Range (used to be located close to Asia Hotel)? I hit some balls there and took a few lessons from a pretty good South African golf instructor when I was here in 2006. Now I see that the driving range is gone--the pro shop has been dismantled and the field has been planted with baby cocunut trees!

[fm2002]

It is on siam country club road. on the left as you go east.

[garfunkel]

Thanks!! Things change so fast around here--not only the bars and gogos.

[Hawkeye]

Are there any driving ranges close to the Second Road area and are they open at night?

[bonzer]

Does anyone know what happened to Harold's Driving Range (used to be located close to Asia Hotel)? I hit some balls there and took a few lessons from a pretty good South African golf instructor when I was here in 2006. Now I see that the driving range is gone--the pro shop has been dismantled and the field has been planted with baby cocunut trees!

 

Shit this is bad news, we are staying at Cabbages and Condoms next to the range in a couple of weeks, I use the driving range every day when I`m there!!! Last time I was told it was closing in 3 years making way for condominiums, obviously something has changed.

Think the nearest range is about 20 mins drive on the outskirts of Pattaya

[fm2002]

Diana driving range off 3rd rd on the right hand side as you go north.

[garfunkel]

Bonzer--For golf addicts, it's not so nice at the Birds and Bees Resort (the NEW name for C & C --although the hotel restaurant is still called Cabbages and Condoms) without the driving range next door!! I tried the driving range next to the Pattaya Sports Club yesterday. It's not bad there if you hit balls in the morning, but in the afternoon you will be hitting balls directly into the sun.

[bonzer]

Bonzer--For golf addicts, it's not so nice at the Birds and Bees Resort (the NEW name for C & C --although the hotel restaurant is still called Cabbages and Condoms) without the driving range next door!! I tried the driving range next to the Pattaya Sports Club yesterday. It's not bad there if you hit balls in the morning, but in the afternoon you will be hitting balls directly into the sun.

 

Hi Garfunkel

 

Thanks for the correction on the name, I still call it Cabbages as we have stayed there since it first opened!! Can you tell me where the Pattaya Sports Club is? I`m still trying to decide whether it is worth taking my clubs with me if I can`t hit balls every day.

 

Regards,

Bonzer

[garfunkel]

bonzer--I can understand your feelings about whether or not to bring your bags now that the driving range is no longer next door to C&C. When I stayed at C&C in 2006 it was only a 3 minute walk from my hotel room to the driving range--how convenient!!! This time here the extreme convenience is gone, but I still have managed to get to 2 decent driving ranges within Pattaya City, although with quite a bit of hassle since I have no car (I'm envious of the locals here who do have cars--but I don't have the guts to rent a car and drive it around here!). Both the driving range near the Pattaya Sports Club and the Diana driving range are about 15 minutes drive from C&C. I used the Asia hotel car drivers because I wanted return pickup service and I just didn't have a good feeling about the baht bus folks showing up to get me. I probably overpaid (300 baht round trip) but at least the driver showed up on time to bring me back. Return pickup is a good idea as both the PSC driving range (on 3rd road close to the bus station) and especially the Diana range (even closer to the bus station!) are off the regular routes of most of the baht buses here. One bit of advice--the Asia drivers stick to their posted price list when you talk to them in the Asia parking lot, but once you are in their car you learn they that seem to do a lot of freelance work--then you can get them to lower their prices for any future driving you might need them to do for you. So, I still hit golf balls but it takes longer (and more of an effort!) to get to the driving range and it costs more than when I used to to just stroll over to Harold's range from my hotel room. Oh, I recommend you try the Diana range first--I enjoyed it there quite a bit.

[bonzer]

bonzer--I can understand your feelings about whether or not to bring your bags now that the driving range is no longer next door to C&C. When I stayed at C&C in 2006 it was only a 3 minute walk from my hotel room to the driving range--how convenient!!! This time here the extreme convenience is gone, but I still have managed to get to 2 decent driving ranges within Pattaya City, although with quite a bit of hassle since I have no car (I'm envious of the locals here who do have cars--but I don't have the guts to rent a car and drive it around here!). Both the driving range near the Pattaya Sports Club and the Diana driving range are about 15 minutes drive from C&C. I used the Asia hotel car drivers because I wanted return pickup service and I just didn't have a good feeling about the baht bus folks showing up to get me. I probably overpaid (300 baht round trip) but at least the driver showed up on time to bring me back. Return pickup is a good idea as both the PSC driving range (on 3rd road close to the bus station) and especially the Diana range (even closer to the bus station!) are off the regular routes of most of the baht buses here. One bit of advice--the Asia drivers stick to their posted price list when you talk to them in the Asia parking lot, but once you are in their car you learn they that seem to do a lot of freelance work--then you can get them to lower their prices for any future driving you might need them to do for you. So, I still hit golf balls but it takes longer (and more of an effort!) to get to the driving range and it costs more than when I used to to just stroll over to Harold's range from my hotel room. Oh, I recommend you try the Diana range first--I enjoyed it there quite a bit.

 

Hi Garfunkel,

 

Thanks for the advice, I don`t think I will take my clubs as it will be a pain to go to the range every day but I will visit them and hire a club a cpl of times during my stay.

 

Regards

Bonzer

[penconfellang]

Theres a good driving range on Sukhumvit road opposit water world called Greenway driving range, it is the closest to Asia hotel. BUt get off these ranges and get on all th great courses that Pattaya has

[garfunkel]

Thanks for the Greenway tip--and the push out to the fairways and greens!! Phoenix tomorrow and Laem Chebang on Monday. My last full day here is Tueday--any recommendations? If not, I'll try Siam--where the LPGA tournament was played a few months ago.