Mini golf

[Gregjam]

I have never played it here and cannot guarantee my memory is working properly but recall a mini/crazy golf course being along the Market Village stretch way back in the nineties. I recall an area on the landward side of Phetkasem and trees with fairy lights in them along that stretch. For some reason I thought there was a course there at that time. For what it is worth perhaps ask Bernie as although he is into full size golf he was certainly around at that time.

[dozer]

I see floodlight poles in the photos, so probably was more popular in the evening rather than daytime.

[bsdk1960]

I see floodlight poles in the photos, so probably was more popular in the evening rather than daytime.

I think your right and Billy also told me it often was flooded when its raining

[Roel]

From 1994 to 1996 I played there regularly. I think it was 100 Baht for a round but you could buy a membership-card for one month unlimited rounds for 500 Baht. There were around 10 to 12 expats who had these cards and who -including myself- played regularly. I remember one retired German guy (Karl) who was there every single day. He used to keep player's average scores and display them on a tree. He took it very seriously. We let him. The course had actually 18 'holes' and was well kept. Good quality nice green carpet without the common wear and tear that you would expect in Thailand. During all my visits I hardly saw any tourists. The owners of the business apparently decided it was better to keep it all a secret. The only visiting outsiders were tourists who were informed about the mini-golf by the owner of their guest house like Kees (Amsterdam Bar & Usaah Guesthouse) always did.

We tried to play in the evening but the lighting was not sufficient for professional top mini-golf players like us. Even worse was that the ground was surrounded by flooded swamp land and in the evening there were many sightings of snakes and the mosquito air force came out in full attack mode. Not very pleasant.

In the evenings there was more action going on in the karaoke/bar/restaurant that was also on the premises.

Only after they started to prepare the surrounding swamp land for construction by raising it with sand the mini-golf course was affected and flooded as soon as it started raining making it useless for days and during most of the rainy season.

And the winner is:
The mini-golf course was definitely farther south than Market Villa.
Because there is a beer at stake I just called Kees and he is 100% sure too.

[bsdk1960]

^^ thank you very much Roel,after your great post every thing gets a lot clearer now, and it seems
I have to buy a beer when I'm back in DK.
again thanks

[cookie102]

There was definitly one just over the flyover going south, on the right hand side up a small road just before Banyan resort. The sign was written roughly on the wall,with an arrow pointing to the small road.

[keestha]

I can confirm what Roel posted, it was South of the present Market Village, at about 40% of the distance to the fly over, on the land side. In 1999 or 2000 the place was demolished. I spent quite a bit of time there. Expats meeting up there established a mini golf association which was quite active, besides playing we also met up once a week in one of the restaurants to enjoy a meal together. At least twice a tournament was organized, with prices to win. The members were mostly German speakers, but for instance Luciano was also a member, he is probably still in Hua Hin, running his umptieth Italian restaurant. Other members were long forgotten Hua Hin rock 'n roll stars like Karl who passed away, Frank (Crocodile bar, Berlin bar) who lives in Bangkok now, Dieter (Scorpion Tours) and Rainer(Berlin bar) who are both since long back in Germany. At the time, the mini golf association enormously stimulated the expat social life in HH. But so did another informal association, the Bullshitters (mainly English speakers) who met up Sunday morning over beers at a small shop at the Nebkehat road. Oh well, we are now talking about the period before 1999, when the expat scene in HH was still overseeable, when you were socially active you more or less knew everybody.

[Farang]

I am sure we played the minigolf on Phetskasem between 98 and the flyover some 14 - 15 years ago. Playing surfaces were of painted concrete, so it was like playing ping-pong with golf balls. I do not think anybody visited there twice. Not to play minigolf at least.

[bsdk1960]

Thanks a lot guys, looks like I have lost a beer