Golf trip report- would it be of interest?

[farcanal]

4 hours ago, SirL said:

I've never played golf in Thailand, so please forgive an ignorant question:

You're hiring both a caddy and a cart, the caddy I guess driving just one golfer around.  I thought the idea of hiring a caddy was that they carried the clubs.  If the clubs are on the cart, wouldn't you prefer to drive yourself so you get two golfers per cart?  Is it not allowed to hire just one of caddy and cart?

Caddies are compulsory

A cart is optional ......you can choose to walk if you want and the caddie drags your clubs on a trolley.

If you choose to ride in a cart the caddie MUST drive it...golfers are forbidden to drive carts....for obvious reasons

Having said that...some clubs do allow 2 golfers per cart, which means the caddies ride on the back and one of the golfers is allowed to drive the cart

[Kanga]

16 hours ago, farcanal said:

Caddies are compulsory

A cart is optional ......you can choose to walk if you want and the caddie drags your clubs on a trolley.

If you choose to ride in a cart the caddie MUST drive it...golfers are forbidden to drive carts....for obvious reasons

Having said that...some clubs do allow 2 golfers per cart, which means the caddies ride on the back and one of the golfers is allowed to drive the cart

But most courses still state that it is your responsibility to pay for any damage even if the caddy is driving............

[farcanal]

8 hours ago, Kanga said:

But most courses still state that it is your responsibility to pay for any damage even if the caddy is driving............

Yes, you must sign off on the cart at Khao Kheow

[farcanal]

Sorry guys for not keeping up....bit busy on the home front.

Day 3...Pleasant Valley

GF 900 (voucher from PSC) caddie 350 cart 600

Had a good run out from Pattaya , only 35 minutes and 45 minutes for the return.

This was our 1st go at Pleasant Valley, been going to Thailand for golf for 9 years, don't really know how we have missed it.

I had a caddie booked, number 160, named Kob. I actually met her in ThaiFriendly and chatted with her on and off before we got to Thailand. She took it upon herself to arrange 3 more caddies for my mates. A good group, lots of fun. Caddies are tipped 300 baht.

We're disappointed to be told no food or drinks to be taken out on the course. For many years we've taken small eskies (An Aussie term....a small ice box) with ice, a few snacks and fruit and water. Up until now it's only been Phoenix who have banned this practice.....I don't have a problem with it because refreshments are available out on the course but the selection of food is limited. Personally I like to eat chocolate and some dried fruit neither of which can be bought in the small shops on the course. And also no ice so any drinks bought soon get warm in the cart. We were told later that the eskies are ok if empty apart from ice.....IF you can get ice.

Course was in ok condition but slow greens got some getting used to. Nothing about the course to rave about, certainly plenty of sand and water. Would only warrant a return if the price was right.

It's the first golf club restaurant to provide live music at lunch.....most enjoyable.

I will post pics separately

[farcanal]

Pleasant Valley.....somewhere

 

[farcanal]

A nice par 3 , Pleasant Valley

 

[farcanal]

Kob....160

[farcanal]

Some are a tad shy

 

[farcanal]

My 78 year old mate

 

[Clem Fandango]

Great reports and photos, I'm happy I started this thread now. I due in town in 34 days will put up a few reports myself.

[farcanal]

Day 4...Emerald

GF 1000, caddie 350, cart 600...a bit more expensive than usual for this course....on occasions we've paid 1250 all up for everything..

50 minutes travel......I think our (usually very good) driver made an error in judgement and took route 36 again.....and major roadworks still happening so probably lost 15 minutes. Straight down 331 would have been the go.

We had our regular caddies who we book every time we go to Emerald...all close friends and a million laughs. Wherever we play we joke with the caddies about earning a "joop joop" if we manage to have a birdie. My Emerald caddie suggested I might earn a "boom boom" for a birdie. After my 3rd or 4th attempt at birdie came up short my lovely caddies says...."darling...you want boom boom or not?"

We always enjoy this course, some fast greens, as I've mentioned before the 6th green is a tad ridiculous with a massive slope from back to front. They could do a lot worse than making this green more friendly by levelling it off. Fairways always lush, sometimes over watering has made them damp in the mornings. We like to start about 8.30am. The lockers and showers need a serious upgrade but I can't see this happening anytime soon. Lunch is always good and cheap here......but NO watermelon shake.

[farcanal]

Emerald...someones ball in there somewhere

 

[farcanal]

Taking a break....I'm "cheating" a bit here...these are from 2015 because my camera wasn't taken out at Emerald this trip

 

[farcanal]

Exhausting for some....I think my mate has just been "violated" by his caddie

 

[Kanga]

On 4/7/2017 at 8:50 AM, farcanal said:

Sorry guys for not keeping up....bit busy on the home front.

Day 3...Pleasant Valley

GF 900 (voucher from PSC) caddie 350 cart 600

Had a good run out from Pattaya , only 35 minutes and 45 minutes for the return.

This was our 1st go at Pleasant Valley, been going to Thailand for golf for 9 years, don't really know how we have missed it.

I had a caddie booked, number 160, named Kob. I actually met her in Thaifriendly and chatted with her on and off before we got to Thailand. She took it upon herself to arrange 3 more caddies for my mates. A good group, lots of fun. Caddies are tipped 300 baht.

We're disappointed to be told no food or drinks to be taken out on the course. For many years we've taken small eskies (An Aussie term....a small ice box) with ice, a few snacks and fruit and water. Up until now it's only been Phoenix who have banned this practice.....I don't have a problem with it because refreshments are available out on the course but the selection of food is limited. Personally I like to eat chocolate and some dried fruit neither of which can be bought in the small shops on the course. And also no ice so any drinks bought soon get warm in the cart. We were told later that the eskies are ok if empty apart from ice.....IF you can get ice.

Course was in ok condition but slow greens got some getting used to. Nothing about the course to rave about, certainly plenty of sand and water. Would only warrant a return if the price was right.

It's the first golf club restaurant to provide live music at lunch.....most enjoyable.

I will post pics separately

Nice pics - I like the layout of the course but have stopped playing there as the greens just annoy me by being generally so slow and tee boxes in poor condition. They do have some fun caddies however.

A lot of courses have signs up about food and drinks but if you are reasonably discrete I have never seen it enforced (yet). An eskie is probably not that discrete..........

Your first pic is hole no 3 - a par 5 around the water.

Par 3 is the 8th.

[farcanal]

11 hours ago, Kanga said:

Nice pics - I like the layout of the course but have stopped playing there as the greens just annoy me by being generally so slow and tee boxes in poor condition. They do have some fun caddies however.

A lot of courses have signs up about food and drinks but if you are reasonably discrete I have never seen it enforced (yet). An eskie is probably not that discrete..........

Your first pic is hole no 3 - a par 5 around the water.

Par 3 is the 8th.

Yeah, we decided a few years ago to take small eskies because with a bit of ice everything is kept nice and cold. 

Even when the caddies were picking up a plastic cup full of ice it didn't seem to last very long sitting in the cart cup holder.

Now, at Phoenix, Burapha and Pleasant Valley we'll take them empty and fill them with ice (if it's actually available) at the golf clubs.

I'm tipping, in time, all clubs will stop food and drink being brought to the course.....which makes sense because they do provide some food and a good range of drinks.

I hate drinking tepid water.

[farcanal]

Day 5, Eastern Star

GF 1000, caddie 350, cart 600

A fair drive south of Pattaya 50 minutes out and 1 hr 10 min to return.

Had a couple of regular caddies mum and daughter 106 and 107. My mate had the daughter (17 yrs old) and on the 2nd hole asked "how far to the green"...her reply...."yes". Mate not happy.

We actually had 2 teenagers in the group which should not happen....1 beginner is ok, but not 2.

We really enjoy this course, very well presented with enough water to make it interesting. A few places there's reward for risk but also the option of baling out.Magnificent old clubhouse and great restaurant. The only downside is the lack of smooth cart paths (ie concrete) ....many are just rough as guts dirt tracks and if you've got a dodgy back it's bloody uncomfortable. A careful caddie helps here.

[farcanal]

Just back tracking a bit...these are our Emerald caddies

 

[farcanal]

Now for some Eastern Star pics

[farcanal]

No idea of the hole in this pic

 

[farcanal]

Cute...but young

 

[farcanal]

Same girl....you could get locked up in Oz for taking some of these

 

[farcanal]

....but ....what the hell......sometimes sweaty is erotic

 

[farcanal]

These guys really love their job

 

[robw]

Nice pics,thanks for posting