doghaus

As far as I am aware, there are no direct flights from UK to Phuket. When we book customers through to Phuket we normally connect through Bangkok. Thai Airways will check your baggage straight through and you can clear customs at Phuket. I have also managed this with Eva connecting with Thai but that can be random. Other options include flying with one of the European carriers that goes direct to Phuket - SAS and Finnair are a couple I know of but I am sure there are more. You could also consider flying through Singapore with Singapore Airlines or via Hong Kong with Cathay. Stand by for a response from Cheshire Tom who will pick up this thread I am sure! He is a mine of good information about flight options. If you are booking your flight, you can't go wrong with West East Travel www.westeasttravel.co.uk. Thai Airways are currently offering Phuket as an add-on for £40. You can see this on the West East web site. Doggie

Thanks for that JFG. We also do some short breaks that you and other golfers might be interested in. For next season, we are offering: 3 days/2 nights at Mission Hills in Phuket 3 days/2 nights at Santiburi on Koh Samui A round at Alpine in Bangkok and a round at Lamlukka with an overnight stay. Details will be on the website soon. We also organise group trips to other parts of Thailand. Kanchanaburi and Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai are popular. Doggie

Pattayamad Gulf Air are offering companion business class fares from Thailand to UK right now - baht 67,000 plus tax for two which is a great deal. You might be able to find a deal with them in the other direction. Doggie

Thanks for your vote Bob. I support Bob's recommendation for the Residence Gardens. We are including the RG in our golf holiday packages for 2006/07. You need to book early with RG - it is a popular stop for the regulars who play golf and enjoy a bit of fun. Doggie

Good point jfg. We usually try to book couples into the non-guest friendly hotels and the single blokes into guest friendly. In general, I would advise single guys to go for one of the good 3 star hotels that we offer. Most of the 4 and 5 stars charge a joiners fee. I had one customer who booked a tour with another operator and was booked into the Woodlands. They charged him 1000 extra per night for joiner fee and additional person in the room. He was not a happy bunny! Doggie

Hi Los Omm Your query reminded me that I should write an article about How to Organise Golf in Pattaya! A number of golfers have asked the sort of question you raised. I have published my comments about this on the Pattaya Wiki at the following link Organising golf in Pattaya This should retain the article for all to view and for other to edit and comment upon. Here is a copy of the article. Hope this helps! Organising golf in Pattaya There are a number of options for the golfer who wants to play golf in Thailand. A packaged holiday or golf tour You can buy a complete holiday package that includes flights, transfers, accommodation and golf. These packages are offered by tour operators in your country of residency and will be fully bonded by the Aviation Authority to protect the traveller in the event of failure of the operator or the airline. My company, Solar Golf Ltd, offers fully inclusive packages from the UK to Thailand that are ATOL bonded. Solar Golf Website These packages can be booked by individuals, couples or groups. For larger groups, we can tailor-make a package for any of the golf destinations in Thailand. We also run a number of fixed itinerary tours during the golf season for couples or individuals who like the company of other golfers. These tours often include activities and excursions for the non-golfers and days when we are not playing golf. A packaged golf holiday is the easiest way to come golfing in Thailand. All the organising is done by the tour operator and you pay in your own currency before departure. You also have the peace of mind that a competent operator will have local representatives in Thailand who look after all the local arrangements and deal with any problems or emergencies. This is not necessarily the most expensive option. Although the operator will be making a profit on the holiday you will benefit from the fact that we negotiate rates with airlines, hotels and golf courses in advance and these will generally be lower than the prices that an individual can get. There are exceptions during low season when hotels and golf courses have special deals but these can never be predicted in advance and you still have to make your own bookings and transport arrangements. Buy your own flight and buy a package from a tour operator in Thailand This differs from the package tour described above in that you buy your own flight and then buy the rest of the package from a golf tour operator in Thailand. This is likely to save you a bit of money because the operator does not have to incur the cost of an Aviation Authority bond. Also, you can buy the ticket from a discount travel agent who may offer better rates than the package tour operator has negotiated. This option is usually cheaper during the off-peak periods when the last-minute fare deals are at their lowest levels. The tour operator will generally offer you a complete package that starts on arrival in Thailand. From that point onwards you should expect the same package and services that you would get with a flight-inclusive package tour. Solar Golf organises flight exclusive golf holidays and tours and we take payment either in the UK before departure or by transfer to Thailand in local currency. If you are buying a package from a local golf tour operator, it is worth checking out a few points before making your booking: Take up references with other golfers that have used the company. A reputable operator will be happy to give you these. Make sure that the local staff speak English - especially if the company is not run by an English speaker. There are also some golf operators who specialise in looking after German and Scandinavian clients. Check out that they know the golf courses in the Pattaya area. I have encountered a bus load of Koreans parked outside our hotel with a driver who didn't have the slightest idea how to get them to the golf course. Booking golf as you go If you don't want to have an inclusive package, it is perfectly feasible to organise your own hotel and travel and then to book golf whenever you want to play. There are 3 ways you can book up your golf in Pattaya. Option 1. Do it yourself! If you like hassle, you can book your own tee times and then rent a taxi to take you to and from the golf course. Whilst some golfers go for this, I would not recommend it. If the courses are busy, the first booking that will be "lost" is a once off group of farangs. There are no risks in pissing off someone who is unlikely to return! You also have no guarantee that the taxi driver knows where the golf course is. Naturally, he will tell you he knows it like the back of his hand until he sets off down Sukhumvit and stops at every garage to ask directions! Do it yourself is, in my opinion, a high risk route for those of you that like an adventure! Option 2. Play with one of the bars in Pattaya. There are a number of bars in Pattaya that organise golf days. They are generally associated with the Pattaya Sports Club or another club that has discounts negotiated with the golf courses. You have to join the relevant sports club to enjoy the discounts on green fees. Pattaya Sports Club The bars will usually play 2 or 3 days a week and they run a competition each day. In addition to your green fee and caddy fee you will pay the bar a competition entry fee and a few hundred baht for transport. Playing with the bars is a good way to enjoy competitive golf and to play in company. The groups can vary from as many as 70 in high season to just a carload from a smaller bar in low season. There are a few downsides to playing with the bars. You have to make your own way to and from the bar – they wont collect you from your hotel. Transport to and from the course can be in an air-conditioned mini van or in the back bench of a member’s 10 year old pick up truck or anything in between! Also, the larger bar groups can suffer from slow play and many of the golfers are too competitive for visitors who just want a friendly round in good company. Option 3. Have your golf organised by a local golf tour operator. There are a number of golf tour operators based in Pattaya who can organise your golf days. Solar Golf provide a complete package which includes booking your tee times, collecting you from your hotel, transport to the course, escorting you to the locker room, organising your caddies and making sure you are on the first tee. After your golf, we collect you from the course and transport you back to your hotel. We have English-speaking staff and all our vehicles are air-conditioned cars or mini vans. Solar Golf only uses the better courses in the area – Laem Chabang, Khao Kheow, Phoenix, Burapha and the 2 Legacy courses for example. Our golf groups usually vary from a four ball during low season up to a maximum of 48 golfers on any one course. We do not exceed this number because we like to keep the pace of play moving. Prices vary according to the number of golfers and the level of the course e.g. from 1550 baht for 6 players at Khao Kheow to just over 3000 baht for Laem Chabang with 2 golfers . You can book golf with Solar Golf by telephoning us in Pattaya on +66 400 35030. In the final analysis, there are many ways to get on the golf courses in Pattaya. Whichever you choose, you will have great fun and some unforgettable days! Retrieved from "http://www.pattayatalk.com/wiki/index.php/Golf"

Thanks for the recommendation Slobbert. It was a pleasure to have your company on and off the golf course over the last 3 months. And as for the health warning about drinking with me, you guys did a pretty good job on your own when I went back to UK for a week. I kept getting texts from our local rep informing me how you and Surprice were progressing through a piss up in Catz! Hope to see you again later this year. Doggie

Sorry guys. I meant 2000 baht a round. My Scottish computer seems to have applied a 90% discount! Doggie

My company organises golf for visitors to Pattaya. If you let me know which dates you are here we will try to fit you in with some other golfers. We provide an all-inclusive service including booking tee times, transport to and from your hotel, green fees and caddy fees. The price depends on which course you play andwhether it is a weekend. If you work on a budget of around 200 baht for good courses you will be about there. A cart will add 500 to 600 baht and you should also budget 200 to 300 baht for a caddy tip. We can rent you clubs for 500 baht per round. Just send me a PM and we will be pleased to help you. Doggie

Echo Saigon's comment. November is RideHer Cup time so just keep you eye on the golf section on this board in the members section. If you aren't a member then get along to FLB when you arrive and ask for me. Cheers Doggie

We are at the halfway stage - here are the points positions after the second day's play: Rawlins 97 points Pieman 79 Cheshire Tom 41 Deuce 38 Steve O 38 Conley 37 Soft Rabbit 37 Hub 32 Dungheap 21 Doggie 16 Daz 6 All to play for over the next 2 days! Spreadsheets have been dispatched by email. Doggie

Ok Guys Entries have closed. We have 11 entrants so there is 5,500 baht to the winner. Make sure you drop your 500 baht into Catz and have the cashier put it in the envelope marked "Masters Competition". I have created an Excel spreadsheet with the details of the entrants and their selections. I will update this as we go along with the points positions in running! PM me with your email address if you would like a copy of the file sent to you. Best of luck everyone! Doggie

The Masters Competition - pick 4 from the field A number of the golfers on another board have been nominating their choices for the 2006 Masters which starts Thursday. We will be pleased to extend the competition to FLB Board members. Here are the entry details. I will sort the field into two groups - the top 20 players (group A) and the rest (group . The top 20 are listed below based on a Dodgy decision. The betting list was closed this morning so I gave it my best shot. You each pick 2 players from the top 20 and 2 players from the rest of the field. Players earn points according to their finishing position. To score, a player has to be in the top 25 after the final round. If a group A pick finishes in the top 25, they get one point per place. So, first place gets 25 points down to 1 point for 25th. For group B picks, the points are doubled - 50 for a win down to 2 for 25th. The entry is 500 baht payable over the bar in Catz on or before the Catz Open in November. Winner will be decided by adding up the total points scored by all their 4 selected players. Here are the Group A players: Woods Els Mickleson Singh Goosen Mike Weir Adam Scott Luke Donald Olazabal Garcia Ogilvy Ames Harrington Toms Chad Campbell Davis Love III Jim Furyk David Howell Immelman Stenson Nominations will close at 12 midnight US East Coast time on Wednesday 5th April. Get your 4 selections in asap and let's have a fun competition. Dodgy Bookie

Hub That's advice we save for competitions only! LMFAO. Doggie

I've played golf in South Florida in August and I would say that Thailand is less humid and more bearable. I would not recommend walking and drink plenty of water. Doggie

It is better to tee off before 12 noon in the summer if you want to avoid afternoon rain risk. Of course it is hot and humid in the summer but bearable nonetheless. Doggie

Sorry I didn't post a reply Sammy. I haven't been on the board for a few days. i assume you found ThaiGer Golf who are the guys I would recommend. Cheers Doggie

Steve Smiffy and photo are both novice golfers who have been in touch with me asking about lessons and a round or two. I will be happy to arrange something for all of you - I will meet up with you at Catz on Saturday night and then we can arrange to meet on Sunday (not too early!!) Doggie

We had a good day at Khao Kheow yesterday for the FLB Texas Scramble. Only 12 golfers registered so we changed the format to teams of 2 players. The competition was fierce with some fine scores returned by all the teams. The winners were Noi and Ann Marie returning a gross score of 84 and a net 69! Congratulations to the winners! We had a great party at FLB with Italian food provided by Don Joe's in Walking Street. Thanks to Martin and Keith for their sponsorship and support of the event. Doggie

Play Alpine and Lamlukka in Bangkok 2 day excursion for only 8,950 baht including one round with our PGA professional First tour - 7th and 8th March The Alpine is one of Asia’s finest courses. Home of the 2004 Johnnie Walker Classic, this exclusive private members course is normally closed to visitors. Our special package includes one round at Alpine in the company of Jeremy Paulson – a PGA golf professional based in Thailand. Coupled with a round at Lamlukka, one of Thailand’s most scenic courses, this is a golfers dream! This exclusive package includes: ·Green fees and caddy fees at Alpine and Lamlukka ·Return transportation between Pattaya and Bangkok ·Bed and breakfast accommodation at the Chaophya Park Hotel in a superior room ·One hour golf clinic at the hotel’s driving range ·Upgrade option to Business Deluxe room for just 1,000 baht extra For more information and bookings, email sales@solargolf.co.uk

Look forward to meeting you Ed! Let me know if you would like to play Phoenix on 27th. Doggie

Welcome aboard Brewmaster. There are plenty of places on the golf days. I look forward to seeing you on Monday at the registration evening. If you are in town earler, just ask for me at FLB or Catz. Keith, Martin and Robert can all give you my number. Doggie

Golf Festival Road Trip Here are two suggestions for the road trip on 7th to 9th March. Option 1 A 2 day trip to Bangkok playing Alpine and one other Bangkok course. The programme can include some night golf which is fun. My suggested programme would be: 7th March - drive to Bangkok and check in to hotel. Shopping and a run around town in the afternoon and evening. 8th March - Afternoon tee time at Bangkok Golf Club- front nine in daylight and play the back nine under floodlights. 9th March - Morning tee time at Alpine Golf Club and return to Pattaya in the late afternoon. Option 2 7th March - fly from Pattaya to Phuket. Check in to Mission Hills Resort. Evening trip to Patong. 8th March - 18 holes at Mission Hills 9th March - Tee off at Mission Hills around 0830, play 18 holes and then fly back to Pattaya in the early afternoon. Mission Hills Phuket To give some cost estimate, the Bangkok programme will cost about Baht 12,000 per golfer for single rooms. The price for twin share will be around Baht 10,000. That would include transport, 2 nights bed and breakfast accomodation at the Chaophyapark Hotel in one of their Executive Deluxe Rooms. The Phuket option will be more expensive because of the cost of the flight and the fact that Mission Hills is a first class resort. I would estimate around Baht 26,000 for single accomodation and 18,000 for twin share. I need to know how many people are interested in the road trip and which package you prefer. It only makes sense if we have at least 8 people. Please either post your response or email me at sales@solargolf.co.uk. Doggie

Yes - there is a lift. However, a word of warning. The bulldozers moved in on the adjacent land 2 days ago and site clearance has started. There is noise from dawn to dusk and I can't wait for the piledriving to start! Unless you are deaf as a post, this is one gaff to avoid until further notice! I am out of here at the end of the month! Doggie

I played Amata in the Royal Trophy Pro-Am in January. It is a fine course and very different from Laem Chabang. It is a new course with a lot of water and bunkers. However, it is a private members only course and you can only play there by invitation. If you are looking for a great course around Bangkok, I would recommend Alpine. PM me and I can send you details. In Pattaya, I reckon that Burapha is playing very well right now and is a good challenge for the low handicapper off the back tees. Doggie