Golf Memberships

[icebear]

I fully agree with PET's comments regarding Members activities.

SP particularly is not a Member's friendly operation. As stated before by somebody else, Members have a hard time to be playing during the high season. We're just not welcome...The golf shop with the cashiers is a place to avoid. Lucky for me my Thai wife takes care of getting us on the course. How many times we didn't have a booking and we were told to play course C....

SF will be in for an experience. Handicapping, what? Parties, where? and organized by Members? Most Members do not even drink or eat after the game any longer, due to the high prices. Billabong 5 minutes away by car on the way to HH is just what is needed.

The only reason for us to be playing there is the good condition of the courses A+B. Another positive is the work done by Marshall Sam. Even when it is busy, often we finish a round in 4 hours.

[SunandFun]

@ PET and Icebear...Thanks for the reality check! Yes I am "new", to answer the question. Can understand the "politics" involved. Income being the main driver during the high season. No worry on my end. I am not after the "country club atmosphere" just a nice place to play golf. I have spent a lot of time there, as a guest while a Referee for Asian Tour Q-School, for the last four years. I too, would limit my spending at the restaurants and bars there. It was expensive and lonely, not very crowded. It seems that not many people live there. That is a major requirement to a night life and social atmosphere at a distant golf course. You must have a base. Interesting to hear about there being a committee for two years. There was interest at one time. I can imagine that social life will be more private parties and smaller get togethers. Does the Golf Societies have regular get togethers or social events? Do they include wives/partners? It sounds like Billabong is the favorite watering hole on the way back to Hua Hin. yes?
I can only hope for some nice folks to play a round of golf with and have some laughs. From the personalities I have met over the Forum so far, I don't think that will be a hard requirement to fill. Present Company included. Many Thanks

[heartofmidlothian]

Very interesting to read all the comments on golf memberships. Some from people new to Hua Hin and others like myself, that have been here for a long time. I have been in town for 18 years and watched all the golf courses open up and get busier and busier and also Hua Hin expand at an alarming rate. For sure, in another 10 years, Hua Hin will be very big. There is already a huge demand for golf and it will only increase. There is also a huge demand for a golf course that is mainly a member run course - basically the same as we all played at before we moved here. The golf courses in Hua Hin are mostly very good, but they will never give us residents the golfing facility we want. We either have to accept what we have or do something about it as a collective group.
Just over a year ago, a small group of us, held a meeting with about 40 people present. I explained how it would be possible to create a members golf course if there was enough support.
We did our homework - we talked to many people in the golf construction business regarding suitable land, water requirements, cost of construction, suitable grasses, irrigation systems, maintenance machines, clubhouse building etc. It was a very interesting project and we found a beautiful piece of land that was ideal for a golf course. We took an experienced golf course construction manager to have a look and he said it was the best piece of land he had ever seen.
The land is about 45 mins drive from Hua Hin. Of course it would be a difficult project and would take at least 2 years. A good law firm and finding about 150 to 200 people to back the project.
One person in particular, made a lot of noise at the meeting, telling me that I was crazy, but I am still convinced that doing a golf course the right way, in Hua Hin, would work. It would then be a member owned and run golf club. Then all the other golf courses in this area could be free of all us difficult locals and they wouldn't have to waste so much energy trying to make it difficult for us to get a game in the high season. Of course they are going to try to stop you playing if they can get 3000 baht from a visitor or nothing from you "the member". This will always be the case at every non member owned golf course.
Of course, the easy option, to create a member run golf course, would be to lease an existing golf course. Legally this is very easy to do and would need a much smaller investment and time frame.
From our experience and from our meeting, what most people want is a golf course that is more playable for higher handicaps and elderly people, less forced carries and easier to play with running shots, member events and competitions, handicap maintenance, optional caddies, reasonably priced f and b, members committee to run the course, good marshalling and starting and a club pro to take care of the members. Sound familiar? For sure you will never get it in Hua Hin unless a group take it into their own hands. In actual fact, such a golf course is a much better viable business than what we have in Hua Hin at present because of the demand from locals (both farang and Thai).
Would be very happy to explain our ideas in more detail if anyone would like to know. Golf is my passion and really would like to see the right type of golfing facility in Hua Hin area. Golf is very simple - you just find out what the vast majority want and you give it to them.

[PET]

My God far too much common sense here.

A 45 minute drive to the course is a big minus for me, but only as an initial thought because I left Pattaya for this reason a number of years ago.

I also lived in Florida a number of years ago, and when the club there made it difficult for members - after purchase by a Japanese consortium ( it was a 72 hole layout and at that time held the PGA Qualifying School Finals each year) some members got together and built a course next door. The result was a huge success and within 3 years the Japanese went bust and sold on. I only say this because I saw the ( members) course on the Golf Channel a few moments ago

It just shows what is possible but unfortunately I am very sceptical that one could raise the finance from farangs in Hua Hin

If only one could it would work

[Hezze]

Interesting and good points made by all. I have some hard decisions to make in the near future. Buy house/apt on BM, 2 rai land for house build on SF, 1 rai on Palm Hills, or build on already purchased land and look for family membership somewhere. All falls in to approximately same budget.
I hear very little about PalmHills. Does the golf suck? Have visited friend living there and I was not so impressed with club restaurant or gym/swimming pool. I can imagine its pretty busy due to "good" location.

[JimmyGreaves]

Palm Hills Gym is dreadful and the swimming pools is cracking at the seems!

[dws]

Having a golf club in Thailand "owned & run" by (mainly??) farang members sounds like a political mess. Not to mention the difficulties over the actual legal ownership

It can be bad enough in our home countries, but here I imagine it would be a nightmare!

Not for me.....I want to be part of a club that is well managed, maintained, and funded!

if I lose out on my preferred tee time for a few months a year, I can learn to live with it. I'm sure I'll get it back when the tourists leave..after all, this is "Sabai-Sabai" land.

I am sure that the clubs must be open to more members activities, as long as we, the members, actually support the events and contribute to growing them.

[Condoking]

Majestic Creek have issued their new membership fees as follows

1 year - 39,000
2 year - 70,000
3 year - 99,000

All subject to annual maintenance of 9,000

[heartofmidlothian]

Will be interesting to see how how Majestic get on with their renovations. Has always been a great layout but the greens definitely need changing. If they also remodelled their bunkers (they are terrible pieces of work!) then would be one of the best courses anywhere. Not sure why anyone would buy the 99 000 baht for 3 years when you can get 39 000 per year? They have a lack of caddies, if the course gets busy - could be a good chance for them to try optional caddies. If you are a member who plays regularly then that would be a big annual saving and would appeal to many, myself included.
I'm at a bit of a loss to understand why anyone would think 800 000 baht for 15 years, with by far the highest main fee of 24 000 baht, is a good deal at Banyan? I guess they are just looking for the rich.
Hua Hin is just crying out for a well run, well maintained course, that is also reasonably priced for both tourists and locals. Walk in green fee of 1500 baht, annual membership of around 35 000 baht, sensibly priced food and drinks, optional caddies and a well run members section. Fancy they would clean up. Well, here is your chance Majestic - let's see if you actually understand what the golfers want.

[dws]

not sure where the mix up is on THB 800 k for the Banyan Membership is

It's a lifetime membership (have the proposal on hand now)...with buy back clause for 20 years.....It is not a 15 year deal

As for optional caddies....in this heat..??....forget it...I'll pay my fee & tip gladly!

FORE...!

[dws]

Crikey.....I'm sounding like a salesman....

I'll definitly be looking at the Majestic deal with interest....heard the course is looking better now....

I cant wait to get back to tee it up

[PET]

not sure where the mix up is on THB 800 k for the Banyan Membership is

It's a lifetime membership (have the proposal on hand now)...with buy back clause for 20 years.....It is not a 15 year deal

As for optional caddies....in this heat..??....forget it...I'll pay my fee & tip gladly!

FORE...!

If you take a buggy, and C course at Majestic has some long walks from green to tee, then why does one need a caddy?

I appreciate that a good caddy can club you and give putt lines but if you are just considering the heat issue then a buggy without a caddy would be fine IMO

[heartofmidlothian]

Sorry about the mix up over Banyan membership (I read it in one of the previous comments). 800 000 baht for life time is definitely better than for 15 years, but still think Springfield's lifetimes, at about half that, is a far better deal. Considering their annual fee is also less than half of Banyan's. Yes, Banyan is a lovely course, but most would agree that Springfield's layout is better, although that is just a matter of opinion. Still nothing on Banyan's web site about their memberships (except for property owners), in fact their web site is still advertising April's events?
Don't really understand how anyone could be against optional caddies? Optional means you have the choice. Take a caddie, not take a caddie, take a cart, not take a cart. Surely that is the best for us the "customers". Any business that keeps its customers happy, will do well. Sorry DWS, don't really understand your logic?
The golf courses are really struggling to find enough caddies these days. Just not so many girls that want to do that for a living.
Anyway, let's hope Majestic gets its act together and gives us another good golfing option.

[cookmanchef]

The greens at Majestic are being changed, they are closing nine holes at a time to completely reseed with the same grass used at Black Mountain. B was closed first and are now far better than previously but will need another few months to be perfect, A is currently closed for the same treatment.

Totally agree about optional caddies, I would take a membership immediately if this was the case as I would go early morning 2/3 times per week and get round and be at work for 10, maybe optional for members only before 8.30 and after 3.00?

Heartofmidlothians idea about a members course is very appealing, how about approaching Majestic to build another 18 on their land? They have enough land for another 3 courses and they would benefit from the revenue in the clubhouse.

[T.I.G.R.]

I've been reading this with interest since it started but hadn't intended to post anything. I see lately a couple of posts mentioning Palm Hills so have some information for you and also a little about Lakeview.

We moved here in 2006 from California where we owned a home and membership in a golf community. Had hoped to find the same thing over here but club and golf activities pretty much are limited to local groups like the Hua Hin Golf society. Palm Hills does have a member group but I believe it's either limited to residents or members.

In regards to playing memberships we have two: One at Palm Hills which you get from owning property there; not sure if you can buy one otherwise. There are two ways to pay for your golf after your membership is processed:

One is to pay 400 baht each round you play; the 400 baht is per individual.
Two is to pay an annual fee of 15,000 baht per individual for unlimited play.
In both regards you can walk whenever you want, caddy fee is 250 per individual and mandatory. Cart fees are reasonable, you can rent a cart (again per individual) for I think 600 baht....I am renting one lately for nine holes at 450 baht due to recent surgery. Normally we walk but if you are a visitor or only play occasionally look out for the heat. Even in Hua Hin's temperate climate you'll be pretty sweaty playing golf here....of course it is the tropics so you get used to it if you live here. Palm Hills clubhouse is in decent condition but nothing like we are used to in America, where country club facilities are generally pretty nice. Here, it's like all of Thailand where preventative maintenance isn't something Thai's usually worry about too much.

The golf course itself is very playable but does have some very fast and sloped greens. I used to cuss them out every time I played but after five years I've come to enjoy the challenge. If you are someone who has to play alone because you don't know anyone you can always play as a walk on and frequently join others so you can meet some new friends.

Now a little bit of info about Lakeview. Aside from my very favorite golf course in Thailand (Black Mountain) I've always like Lakview the best of all the local golf courses. You've got four nine hole layouts to choose from (normally you'll either play A/B or C/D....don't know if you can mix them up, have never tried. The A/B layout is my favorite and I've always found the course in pretty good condition, not withstanding some peoples complaints about the conditions.......maybe referring to my above comment about maintenance of the clubhouse at Palm Hills will give you some insight about that. Our memberships (two individual...they don't have family memberships as far as I know) cost us around the 120,000 baht mentioned on the thread earlier.....you have the same 400 baht option to pay each time, and in Lakeview's case the unlimited play option was only 10,000 each last year (our first). In my opinion the restaurant is pretty good, Palm Hills being the worst for us and Black Mountain, Banyon and Springfield all offering what I feel are superior meals to elsewhere. I always enjoy eating at Lakeview though even though it's not the same style as the other more fancy courses...the view and ambience is spectacular. I love their Pro Shop as they have lots of goodies and the prices are pretty reasonable.

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