Playing golf in Thailand during the off-peak months, May, June, September and October offers an appealing blend of value, tranquillity and surprisingly good playing conditions.
Although these periods fall within the wetter seasons, the rain generally arrives in short, sharp bursts rather than prolonged downpours, leaving long stretches of playable weather.
Courses remain beautifully lush, and the quieter fairways create an unhurried atmosphere that many golfers find refreshing.
Softer turf conditions during these months can also be more forgiving, making play enjoyable for golfers of all abilities.
Best of all, the off-peak season represents exceptional value. Green fees, accommodation and caddie services are often significantly reduced, allowing visitors to experience some of Asiaβs most celebrated courses at a fraction of the usual cost.
Resorts and clubs tend to offer enticing seasonal packages, and tee times are easier to secure without the crowds of high season.
For travellers happy to trade a little weather unpredictability for substantial savings and a more laid-back experience, Thailandβs off-peak golfing months are arguably the smartest time to go.
CAPITAL CHOICE
I stayed for the first couple of nights at the exceptionally smart and comfortable Landmark Hotel right in the heart of the city.
It has no fewer than six restaurants! I only ate in two β both were good β and I would strongly recommend the one at the top of this skyscraper hotel.
The food was equally as good as the breath-taking panorama of Bangkok at night, which says a lot both about the food and the view.
As well as a half-a-dozen restaurants, curiously it has 399 rooms. Is the number 400 considered unlucky in Thailand?
Feeling somewhat weary after the long flight, I went for a straightforward stroll around the block before retiring to bed.
DRIVING AHEAD
As well as the congestion and numerous mopeds, I was impressed with the fact that traffic in Thailand drives on the left-hand side of the road.
Unlike most other countries in the world where they drive on the left, the fact that they do so in Thailand is not a consequence of British colonisation.
Thailand was never colonised but came under considerable foreign political and economic influence from the middle of the 19th century, principally from Britain, and so maybe thatβs why theyβve opted to drive on the leftβ¦
And maybe thatβs why Thailand took up golf; to embrace Western ways so as to reduce the likelihood of having them foisted on them though colonisation.
The first golf course in Thailand, the Gymkhana, was opened in 1898 in the northern city of Chiang Mai; it was founded, as was customary back them, by a group of, mostly British, golf enthusiasts.
MY FIRST ROUND
To continue with a historical theme, the course on the edge of Bangkok that I was about to play, about three-quarters of an hour from downtown, is called the Siam Country Club, Siam being Thailandβs name before it was changed in 1932.
Since it lies in the suburbs of Bangkok, itβs hardly a βcountryβ club but it offers rather more than just golf and βCountry Clubβ is very much the fashionable title for golf clubs in Thailand today.
To be honest, Iβm not sure what they mean when they describe it as a βhybrid linksβ unless the βlinksyβ look that has been created by moving earth to create hillocks in an otherwise flat landscape explains it.
Designed by Toby Cobb and opened only a few years ago, itβs the fifth in the Siam Country Club series and so, if youβre taking a taxi, make sure youβre going to the right one otherwise the fare might make it an expensive holiday.
COOKIE TO THE RESCUE
Perhaps now is the time to deal with the female caddy phenomenon, which is almost universal in Thailand. Women of all ages, but mostly fairly young girls, assume the role of caddy at every course I played.
They are generally extremely courteous and respectful and some even go so far as to suggest the line when youβre putting.
Although I personally would prefer not to embarrass myself by hitting a bad shot in front of a young girl, I have to confess they did both speed up play and contribute to the overall experience.
My friendly caddie at Siam was called βCookieβ and she was not responsible in any way for my indifferent score.
As was the case, she didnβt carry my bag but did drive our buggy and dutifully obeyed the 90 degree rule.
There is a walking option but not taking a buggy is regarded as somewhat eccentric.
A sign states that gambling on golf is illegal, which is almost certainly ignored by the locals who appear to enjoy a bit of a bet.
The course is both very pretty and perfectly playable with wide fairways and extremely modest rough that is barely worthy of the name.
The greens are described at βturtle backβ in shape and decidedly tricky to read even with the help of Cookie.
There are a lot of grass-faced bunkers full of soft sand which, although they are mostly quite small, nevertheless frequently come into play.
What looks like a sort of dwarf pampas grass grows on some of the hillocks and helps give the holes clear definition.
Water only comes into play four times on this pretty track that has a large attractive and modern clubhouse where you can round off your round with an excellent curry.
Perhaps the only thing missing is a driving range but you can loosen up in one of several nets.
TOSCANA VALLEY
The following day we drove for just about two hours to breathe in the fresh mountain air of the Khao Yai region in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima and tackle two fairly tough courses that are more or less next to one another and are part of the numerous attractions to be found at Toscana Valley.
My room at the Hotel La Cassetta, which was ideally located in the heart of what felt like an Italian holiday village, was both very spacious and extremely comfortable.
Next to a large lake that was populated with plenty of fish, it was just a short stroll from the main restaurant and various powerful attractions that included a short-game area and driving range.
Rancho Charnee golf course benefits considerably for being so close to Dong Phaya Yen Khao Yai National Park.
The gently sloping terrain is perfect for golf and there is plenty of elevation that evidently offered considerable opportunities for visual appeal to the architect.
However, the same person clearly doesnβt subscribe to Robert Trent Jones Juniorβs belief that the opening hole should be like a warm handshake that welcomes you onto the course.
The first hole here is more like a gentle kick in the crutch as it requires a 150-yard carry over water.
The lake wouldnβt be anywhere near so frightening if it didnβt come so early in the round before you have properly warmed up. I
f you fail this early test, donβt worry, there are plenty more water hazards to negotiate later on.
Perfectly level stances on flat ground are comparatively rare on this undulating parkland course and so I suggest you make the most of the excellent tees.
But even a perfectly flat tee doesnβt make the daunting carry over a biblical waste bunker any easier on the second hole.
When you eventually reach them, the fairways are generous and beautifully maintained. Mature trees keep an eye on proceedings from a reasonably safe distance and donβt much bother
the better players. On the other hand, the large bunkers donβt discriminate and are a menace to all golfers irrespective of their handicap.
And all golfers can enjoy the almost ever-present birdsong. The greens are enormous and three- putting is not unusual and might at least provoke a little giggle from your caddy.
The view down the first hole at nearby Toscana Valley is magnificent with a pretty striped fairway to aim for and an equally attractive lake that you are just as anxious to avoid.
The conditioning on this course is quite superb and contributes significantly to the enormous enjoyment to be had from taking on what is undeniably a tough challenge.
Water poses the greatest threat and it features frequently on this cracking course in many frightening forms and on most holes.
Sometimes it comes in the shape of an attractive lake to be carried off the tee while frequently itβs just a pretty stream weaving its watery way just short of the green.
There are even a couple of island tees where an over-exuberant follow-through is probably best avoided.
Also best avoided are the cyclists who, in places, are permitted to share the buggy path. But cyclists arenβt permitted to pedal through the several tunnels that punctuate the round and offer welcome relief from an invariably scorching sun.
Majestic mountains provide a dramatic backdrop on this majestic parkland course that rightly regards itself as one of the finest in the country.
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PATTAYA CALLING
My final port of call was Pattaya, which many readers will have heard of because its reputation as the most popular seaside resort in south-east Asia has spread right around the world.
I stayed at the towering Somerset Hotel that literally rose majestically above the dodgy goings on downstairs at sea level.
But, as I continually had to remind myself, I was there for the golf and the next morning I was teeing it up at the nearby Old Course at another facility under the ownership of the Siam Country Club.
Itβs called the Old Course but is in fact just a little over 50 years old, which is hardly βoldβ in golfing terms.
Voted by Golf Digest as the 73rd best course in the world, it is simply magnificent. For the last 15 years, it has been the home of the US LPGA Honda Classic and photos of past events adorn the sumptuous clubhouse, which is unashamedly opulent.
After such an imposing introduction it would be comparatively easy for the course to be something of a let-down, but it most certainly isnβt.
Manicured in a most appealing way, it reeks of class all the way
from the first tee to the 18th green.
With her branded yellow top and blue slacks, even my caddie, curiously named βBambieβ, resembles the Ukrainian flag and somehow looks perfectly right.
The terrain is gently undulating and looks luscious with strikingly mature trees separating the holes. Not that unusual in Thailand, we teed off behind a five-ball, which was surprisingly speedy.
Professional gardeners would drool and even I was conscious that my mouth fell wide open at some of the more gorgeous holes and a particularly attractive ornamental pond complete with fish and wildfowl.
The fairways were very generous and, again, the βroughβ was barely worthy of the name.
They might grow it a bit for the Honda Classic but, for the moment, its length was appropriate for the casual golfer not wanting to waste time searching for his, or her, ball.
There is a fair bit of water and you cross over what I suspect is the same stream several times.
But the course is eminently playable for all but the most erratic golfers and is certainly blessed with the βwowβ factor. If you ever, for whatever nefarious reason, find yourself in Pattaya, then you simply must pay the Old Course a visit.
I assure you that you wonβt be disappointed.
Curiously, the flight back from Bangkok took about a couple of hours longer that the flight out. But, as any golfer worth his sand-wedge will tell you, a headwind has to be taken into account
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