Planning your Golf Trip to Thailand

Thailand has a great infrastructure in place for visitors who are golf enthusiasts, with its huge variety of top quality golf courses, golf schools and country club / resort accommodation, all of which make the country an excellent destination for a golf trip. However, before you spend ten to twenty hours and thousands of dollars on a plane flight “just to play golf,” it pays to learn more about the Kingdom of Thailand and what is to be expected on your visit. This will better equip you to plan your golfing vacation and get the most out of your trip to Thailand.

When to go

Thailand, as a tropical country, experiences warm and humid weather more or less year round. The months of November through January are known as the “cool season,” which tends to mean temperatures in the 80s rather than in the 90s. This is the best time to visit, especially if you will be outdoors on a golf course much of the day. (You are still advised to wear a hat and apply sunscreen liberally.) In the late winter and early spring, the mercury will rise to the point when it is uncomfortably hot in the middle of the day. However, if this is the only time when you can take your vacation, you can work around the heat by teeing off early in the morning or trying out a course that offers night golfing. Late spring through early fall is Thailand’s rainy season. While the exact dates vary according to location, the effect is the same – heavy drenching rainfalls. This can cause muddy conditions or even flooding on some golf courses, not to mention the fact that you will get soaked if you are outside when the storm begins. There are some golf tourists who see this as a minor inconvenience, while others find it quite unpleasant.

Setting up your Itinerary

Thailand, as a tropical country, experiences warm and humid weather more or less year round. The months of November through January are known as the “cool season,” which tends to mean temperatures in the 80s rather than in the 90s. This is the best time to visit, especially if you will be outdoors on a golf course much of the day. (You are still advised to wear a hat and apply sunscreen liberally.) In the late winter and early spring, the mercury will rise to the point when it is uncomfortably hot in the middle of the day. However, if this is the only time when you can take your vacation, you can work around the heat by teeing off early in the morning or trying out a course that offers night golfing. Late spring through early fall is Thailand’s rainy season. While the exact dates vary according to location, the effect is the same – heavy drenching rainfalls. This can cause muddy conditions or even flooding on some golf courses, not to mention the fact that you will get soaked if you are outside when the storm begins. There are some golf tourists who see this as a minor inconvenience, while others find it quite unpleasant.

Besides Golf

Golfing at Thailand’s beautiful courses is a unique experience that may well provide one of the major thrills of your lifetime. However, if you are like most people, you can’t play golf twenty four hours a day. Fortunately Thailand has plenty of other fun and exciting things to do. The country’s white sandy beaches and sparklingly clear turquoise seas are the basis for all kinds of activities. You can swim, snorkel, scuba dive, surf, take a boat tour (or rent a boat to pilot or row by yourself) or relax in a lounge chair with a paperback book. Climb mountains, ride horses or elephants, explore the rain forest or splash in lovely secluded waterfalls. Learn to strike a yoga pose or to cook piquant and tasty Thai cuisine. Experience deep physical and mental relaxation with an inexpensive traditional massage or a facial. Visit a night market – or one on boat. Shop in high end fashionable malls. Sample snacks from street vendors or enjoy a five star gourmet meal. Hit the disco or a full moon party on the beach and dance till dawn. These are just a small sampling of the activities Thailand has in store for you. Try a few in addition to your golfing, to make for a well rounded visit. If you’re traveling with non-golfer friends or family, it’s especially important to spend some quality vacation time together, doing things you will both enjoy.