TRAVEL | BANGKOK
48 Hours in Bangkok Only have time for a short break? You can’t go wrong with the Thai capital and these three gems, writes Paul Myers.
green just 100 yards from the tee, while those not wishing to lose a ball in the water can opt for a plateau green 140 yards away. The course is also rather more rolling in nature than the majority in the region, and is superbly maintained. Owned by MBK Public Company, which operates Bangkok’s famous MBK shopping centre as well the Red Mountain and Loch Palm courses on the island of Phuket, Riverdale can be played for as little as HK$550 (excluding cart and caddie) during the week in low season. Although further from the city, Suwan Golf and Country Club, is worth the drive. It has hosted Asian Tour events and with water on 17 of its 18 holes, as well as routinely swift putting surfaces, this a course that needs to be treated with respect. It’s also a lot of fun navigating around and between the lakes and channels while observing an abundance of birdlife and large water monitor lizards. Owned and operated by the Pongsak family, which has textile and hotel interests, the course derives its name from the family’s original textile company, Suwan Spindle and Weaving.
Riverdale’s lowslung clubhouse offers commanding views of the course
TRIP PLANNER
A
vid golfers who travel within Asia on business or pleasure have a common dilemma: where to play golf when they have a day two to spare? And even if you’re so inclined, is it worth the hassle? Fortunately for visitors to Bangkok, playing golf is definitely worth the effort. On all sides of the city there is oodles of choice. Indeed, for those of us in Hong Kong who habitually work long hours and lack club membership, Thailand – and Bangkok in particular – has become almost an automatic destination choice. Here you can play exotic beautifully-groomed courses inexpensively (compared to mainland China), hire quality clubs (if you haven’t brought your own) and enjoy the benefits of attentive caddies. Getting there couldn’t be easier either. With nearly two dozen direct flights operating between Chek Lap Kok and Bangkok daily, you’re far from restricted as far as travel timings are concerned. It really comes as little surprise to learn that the kingdom is the world’s fastest-growing tourism destination. Thanks to the Thai golf boom of the 1990s and the opening of a slew of decent tracks in rather more recent times, Bangkok is almost saturated with courses – and by and large they have one thing in common: pancake-flat terrain. If you’re hoping for sweeping vistas and dramatic shifts in elevation then you’re better off heading three hours south to the resort town of Hua Hin, which is home to a number of first-rate courses in its own right. As a result, the capital’s clubs and resorts work hard on impressing golfers with their strategic design, their excellent conditioning, well-appointed clubhouses and superior service. Three of better courses are Muang Kaew (about 25km east of the capital), Riverdale, a similar distance to the northwest, and Suwan, which lies 60km due 72
HK GOLFER・SEP 2013
Muang Kaew Golf Course on the edge of the city benefitted from a 2003 renovation by Schmidt & Curley west, about halfway to Kachanaburi, the starting point of the infamous Thai-Burma railway built by World War II prisoners. Redesigned in 2003 by the team at SchmidtCurley Design, who have a large presence in Asia – being the architects of 21 of the 22 courses at Mission Hills China – Muang Kaew (pronounced “moong cow”) is a highly enjoyable track on the city’s edge with a great clubhouse, first-class facilities and excellent landscaping and maintenance practices. Owned by the Samoses family who also own and operate Chiangmai Highlands in the north of the country, Muang Kaew bills itself as an oasis in the city and you certainly have this feeling as soon as you step onto the course, which is a largely accommodating layout that features its fair share of water, generous landing areas and excellent bunkering. Riverdale Golf Club is only three years old, but is already rated among Bangkok’s top 10 courses. Set in a bowl with a modern low-slung clubhouse overlooking the 10th and 18th holes, this Jonathan Morrow-designed course is notable for offering a choice of two greens on the par-3 eighth hole. The adventurous choose the island HKGOLFER.COM
GOLF Muang Kaew Golf Course Yardage: 7,015 Par: 72 Designed by Schmidt & Curley Riverdale Golf Club Yardage: 7,006 Par: 72 Designed by Jonathan Morrow Suwan Golf & Country Club Yardage: 7,125 Par: 72 Designed by Weeyos Design For further information about these courses and others in Thailand, visit golfinakingdom.com
A caddie in the Land of Smiles, here at Riverdale
COSTS
Taxis are inexpensive in Bangkok and drivers will wait for you while you play golf, ensuring you get back to the city in a timely manner. All up, a day’s golf at one of the three courses detailed here will cost about HK$1,100-1,300 per person including transport, green fee, club hire, cart, caddie and a beer or two after the game. The recommended caddie tip is between 300 and 400 baht, which equates to approximately HK$75-100.
GETTING THERE
Numerous carriers operate daily direct flights between Hong Kong and Bangkok, including Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com) and Thai Airways International (thaiairways. com.hk). Emirates (emirates.com), which uses the Airbus A380 on the route, usually offers attractive business class fares.
HKGOLFER.COM
The water-laced course at Suwan is well worth the journey HK GOLFER・SEP 2013
73