johnk

On my last trip I noticed the price of used Pro V1s range from around 400 baht to 990 baht. On the road out to Phoenix there are at least 4 shops/stalls that sell golf balls. You should be able to get decent quality Pro V1s for 400 baht. There is also a stall after the 8th hole at Bangpra and again the same sort of price for decent quality Pro V1s. At Greenwood I noticed they were selling 5 Pro V1s for 200 baht. I wasn't able to find the person you mention but I found 2 others that sell copies. One visits Rich Man Poor Man guest house/bar in Jomtien regularly and the price is 13,000 for Callaway copies and the other one seems to visit most bars in Pattaya leaving his card and his price is the same. I also visited the Golf Shop on 3rd Road and the price is 9,000 for Callaway copies. I tried the reall Callaway X18s for a week and they were nothing special. The asking price for these was 18,000 baht. Those sort of prices are a little expensive considering they can be bought in China for around US$120. I know people that go to China for business but they would have the same sort of difficulty trying to find the people that sell copies/knockoffs.

"Copy" or "knockoff". I have no idea of the difference and I am most likely using the wrong terminology. I would still love to try one or the other or both. For 3,000 baht I am prepared to throw this money away. I am at the stage in my golf game where I am not enjoying it and frankly anything that may even remotely help would be great. Which forum? Secrets? Addicts? If anyone has any free time can you please do a search and post some contact details. I would really appreciate it as I am leaving for Thailand in under 2 days and I will not have access to this site while I am over there. I wonder what chance I have of finding this bloke in Jomtien without any contact details?

I would like to have a game if possible. Boardname = JohnK Official Handicap = 13 I am not in Pattaya until Wednesday 19 March. Is it OK if I drop into Catz that night to pay the entry fee? May I please have a contact name of who is collecting the money? I may also need to hire a set of golf clubs but I think I should be able to hire a set of left handed graphites at Burapha for around 500 baht. Also what is the time that we need to meet in the morning? I am staying in Soi LK Metro and I think I need to get 2 baht buses to get to Residence Gardens.

I agree as well but for only 3,000 baht I think it is worth purchasing knockoffs. I know a few people here in Australia who have purchased knockoffs in Thailand and China and they are completely happy with them. Who knows maybe they will help me find my golf game again. And if not then the worst that can happen is losing the 3,000 baht.

This is the only Pattaya forum that I visit. To be honest I do not have any interest in visiting any other forums. I joined this forum to receive advice and hopefully contribute once in a while. Anyway I would appreciate a contact phone number or address. I will be in Pattaya in 5 days and I am really interested in buying some clubs. I am also left handed which will make it harder. If you do not have contact details then no problem. By the way I shoot 4-5 shots better in Pattaya with hire clubs than I do back home. I think it is the whole holiday relaxation thingy. The places that I remember on the side of the road on the way out to Plutaluang, Emerald, Green Valley, Eastern Star. I didn't buy any last trip in December but did buy some last July and that was the price I paid. Maybe they have gone up since then and the price you quoted is the new price. Anyway I am in Pattaya next week for 2 weeks and I will have a look at the current prices, plus the exact location, and report back here.

Do you have contact details? At that price it would be worth it to buy a set and leave them in Pattaya for future trips. At the moment I am paying 300 baht a day to hire clubs and I usually play 8-10 games on each 2 week trip. The clubs would pay themselves off in one trip.

I think the rate for a sedan is 2,500 baht Bangkok-Hua Hin and 3,500 baht Pattaya-Hua Hin. Try The Limo Pattaya or you may be able to find a cheaper rate in Hua Hin coming back to Pattaya.

Maybe the public taxi desk is quoting different rates to get to Pattaya to some people. During my last few trips I have noticed that they are quoting a fixed rate for travel to Bangkok. I know better so I just say meter + toll + airport surcharge. A Korean couple in front of me were quoted around 400 baht to go to Sukhumvit which should only be around 300 baht even with tolls and airport surcharge.

On the roads out to most golf courses around Pattaya there are places on the side of the road selling used golf balls. You can buy 1 dozen used Titleist Pro V1X for 400 baht, some have only been hit once or twice and in excellent condition. Many other brands including Callaway, Maxfli, at decent prices. Not great for a present but certainly OK to use whilst in Pattaya or even bringing a few dozen back home.

Near Mo Chit/Chatuchak you will find the Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok Hotel, All Season Gold Orchid Bangkok Hotel, Sena Place Hotel, Elizabeth Hotel and Grand Tower Inn Rama VI Hotel. Sofitel Centara Grand is ~US$100/night. The other hotels are between US$35-$50/night.

Reception told me that the only difference between superior room and standard room is the size of the room. I have stayed in room 607 (standard room) on most trips and have walked past room 601 (superior room) on the way to the lift when housekeeping was in there and it did not look any different to a standard room.

I have done this many times as I have stayed at Dynasty Inn the last 4 trips and I usually have a meal at Tipp Plaza. I have also stayed at Areca Lodge one trip. No mobility problems but just concerned about walking too much under the heavy influence of alcohol. Even if I get to Second Road and it turns off to Big C is good enough. Soi 7 not far from there. I have not been on a moto taxi in 14 trips. I can almost guarantee that I will not be using a moto taxi next trip. Thanks for the very useful advice.

My apologies. I completely missed the reference to "check-in" when I read the post.

Thanks for that information. It looks like a nice place to stay. Just trying to work out an easy way to get from/to Soi LK Metro to bottom of Soi 7 Beach road. I assume baht buses going down Soi Buakhow towards Pattaya Klang turn left. If so, do these continue on down to Beach Road? Also to return back to Soi LK Metro would it require 2 baht buses? One down to Walking Street or South Pattaya Rd and then another up Second Road or walk down to Soi Buakhow and get one heading up to Pattaya Klang.

I haven't stayed here but from their website "We do not require a reservation deposit unless you are checking in after 18:00. All room reservations will be held until 18:00 unless guaranteed for late arrival by a credit card for the first night's stay." Not since the Dynasty Inn increased their rates for low and high season back in October.

On my last night in Pattaya in December we went to have a drink at the bar next door. I noticed this hotel for the first time and liked the look of it. It has so many positive reviews from the posts on this thread. Is this all rooms or just the deluxe room? The website just mentions safety deposit box which could be located at reception. The website has pictures of a superior room and a superior twins room. The superior room looks to have a bedhead indicating a double/king size bed. Either way the superior room looks OK and reasonably priced. It may well be worth a try for my next trip in March.

These are room rates for Areca Lodge. I have stayed at Areca Lodge and whilst it may be a good hotel there are too many family tourists and the staff are very unfriendly to the point where they made my regular TG feel very unwelcome. Personally I think the Dynasty Inn is a very good hotel but not worth the new prices I posted above....

Probably a bit late now but I think this is the place you are after. The Holiday Mansion Email:front@theholidaymansion.com

Can anyone provide further information regarding the discount card? Is this something issued by the hotel? How much is the discount on the room and is there any criteria required to get the discount card? I know the suite has in room safe but does the normal standard room have in room safe? I had a look at the standard room with balcony in December but don't recollect if it has in room safe or not.

An update on prices at Dynasty Inn for anyone that is interested or has plans for booking in future. Information is available on their website anyway. As of 16 October 2007 the standard room rate is 1480 baht/night while the superior room rate is 1680 baht/night. They have also introduced a high season rate in effect from 16 December through to 20 February where the standard room rate is 1680 baht/night while the superior room rate is 1880 baht/night. I had a booking there for 2 weeks in December and was not going to stay once I found out the new rates but they offered to leave the room rate at 1280 baht/night for the duration of my stay as I had made the booking back in July. While it is a nice hotel I do not think it is worth an extra 200 baht a night and will be looking for new hotel for future stays. I think Sandy Spring is OK as I had a quick look at the rooms in December but did not notice if there was in room safes.

My favourites are Laem Chabang, Burapha, Khao Kheow, Plutaluang and Green Valley. All golf courses are good and very challenging. Will be there again in a few days and hope to play 10 games of golf during my 2 week stay.

Yes you can hire clubs from Peter for 300 baht/day. He has many sets of hire clubs for right handers and to be honest I really did not take a close look at the manufacturer as I am left handed and he always has a set of clubs for me. In fact on my last 3 trips I have been able to hire the same set of clubs. Another alternative is to hire from any of the Pattaya pro shops if you are after a specific set of clubs but they charge 500 baht/day or you can hire from the golf course direct but they will charge you somewhere between 500-800 baht/day and from what I have seen do not have a wide variety of hire clubs. Well at least for left handers anyway.

I would avoid this hotel even if the room is for free. I gave it a terrible review in the review section. I stayed there during 5 trips to Pattaya. Last stay was in July 2006 so I don't think if has been refurbished since then. I could see the rooms deteriorate with time, the bathrooms are filthy, cockroaches all over the place, carpet has stains all over it, airconditioning not working all the time, phone calls at all hours from crazy bar girls ( I would think these were intended for previous occupants), the bed sheets are not always clean, etc. I think you get the picture.

I have played golf with Peter at the Soi 7 Fun Bar during my last 4 trips to Pattaya. Just to confirm some details from my last trip in July. Depart the bar at 10:30am after having breakfast, arrive at golf course around 11:30am and usually hit off between 12:00 and 12:30, shower after the game and then have a drink, your own expense, at the golf course and arriving back in Soi 7 around 6:00pm. On arrival at the bar there is a free draught beer, sometimes 2, and very good food from the diner. There are also prizes for nearest to pins and winners, runners up and third place depending on how many people attend. All of this included in the cost which ranges from 1,300 baht to around 2,500 for Laem Chabang including cart. In the high season Peter organises golf 5 days a week on weekdays while in the low season it can be as low as 3 days a week depending on number of people interested. In July the number of golfers was very low compared to my trips last New Year and Easter. I will be there again for 2 weeks early December and will hopefully play 10 games of golf.

I don't think there is a website for Palm Garden. Try telephone or fax. Address 240/1 M. 5 Pattaya 2nd Road, North Pattaya Tel. +66 38 429188, 429386, 429454 Fax. +66 38 429188