Play Golf in Thailand

Golf has become an extremely popular sport in Thailand over the past century since it was first introduced to the kingdom. Today there are more than 200 golf courses, a number of them world class, located throughout this beautiful country. Many of the courses were designed by renowned golf course architects such as Pete Dye or Robert Trent Jones or developed by famous professional golfers like Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer, and new ones are being opened each year. It’s no wonder that Thailand has been nicknamed “The Golf Capital of Asia.” Every year 400,000 golfers come from foreign countries to play on the Thai courses. Golf can be an important element, or perhaps the starring attraction, of a very pleasant and enjoyable Thai vacation.

Why Thailand?

The question may be asked (usually by a non-golfing partner), “Why Thailand? Why go all the way to Thailand for a sport that you could just as well play at home?” Aside from that fantastic selection of golf courses, a large part of the answer to that question consists of the reasons why tourists in general head to Thailand in droves. The Kingdom of Thailand is a gorgeous country, with year round warm weather. The “cool season” from November to February means temperatures in the 70s and 80s Fahrenheit in central Thailand, very pleasant for golfing, especially if you are from a northern country where the courses are covered with snow at that time of year. In addition a Thai vacation affords great value for money as high quality accommodation, in country travel, fine dining and excellent shopping are all extremely well priced. And golfing is equally reasonable, with low greens fees, equipment rental and caddy service. Add to that the unique traditional Thai style featured by a number of the golf courses, and you’ve got an exceptional vacation to look forward to.

Where to go

Where exactly you will choose to go for your golfing vacation depends on a number of factors. Because the country is quite large and varied, a lot depends on you and your tastes. You can find golf courses near a bustling urban atmosphere or in quiet country surroundings, as you wish. Bangkok offers a wide variety of accommodation at different price ranges; choose a home base that will be within easy access of the courses you’d like to visit. An option you may want to consider is traveling around the country and checking out several golf courses in various locations. If you enjoy golf as a spectator as well as a player, you can also take in one or more of the international golf tournaments that take place in Thailand. Of course, all this depends on how much vacation time you have available and your personal preferences.

Other Activities

If you are traveling with friends or family who are not such big golfing fans, compromise on a location that will offer them interesting activities as well. Thailand is full of outdoor adventure, such as swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, jungle hiking, mountain climbing and trekking by elephant, to name just a few possibilities. For many people, a Thai vacation would not be complete without a visit to some of Thailand’s exciting modern shops and old fashioned markets. And Thailand is internationally famous for its nightlife – international restaurants, great bars and spectacular shows.