GOLFERS CAN expect to be able to play on a new course on Phuket before next high season. But this course, being sculpted in Chalong at a cost of 600 million baht, will be different.
For a start, it will be the first course in the south of the island. It will cover nine holes, with a driving range and an entertainment zone as well.
The course will be floodlit so golfers can play at night. And for the first time on the island, caddies will probably not be compulsory.
The development will also include a golf academy, where visitors will be able to stay and learn the game, at every level, plus a property element of 25 new villas around the course, available for long-term rental.
The Chalong project is the brainchild of Suwat Wangkiat, who loves the game and decided with other family members to devote 200 rai of land to this bright idea.
While all of Phuket's existing golf courses are in the north of the island, more than 60 percent of the population lives in the south.
''We want to encourage as many people as possible to play, and to let children develop their talents without having to spend a lot of money,'' Khun Suwat said.
He engaged golf course designer Jon Morrow, who lives on Phuket, to conceptualise the fairways and greens.
Morrow, whose up-hill, down-dale design for the new Red Mountain course at Loch Palm is being hailed as a triumph, enjoyed the challenge of doing something with terrain that was quite different.
He took his pet cockerspaniels for a walk recently and showed Phuketwan around the Chalong course on a flying visit from Bangkok, where he is already at work on what will eventually become a prestigious low-lying riverside course.
While the sculpting is still taking place at Chalong on what's been named the Phunaka Golf Course, after the nearby Nakkerd Mountains, the date for an auspicious opening has already been set - August 8, 8-8-8.
The number 8-8-8 may be great as a date. But it wouldn't be greeted too happily as a score on the par 31 course, which includes full-length holes ranging up to par 5s. It will definitely not be an easy pitch-and-putt course.
Morrow says it will be a links course, the first of its kind on the island, incorporating the flavor of the seaside courses in Scotland where the game began.
''It couldn't be more different to Red Mountain,'' Morrow said.
Very little original terrain remained on the old tin mine site, so the characteristics of various layers of sediment and silt had to be taken into account.
A bonus came in the discovery of huge amounts of buried sand, an expensive ingredient amid Phuket's building boom. There's also plenty of water to bring into play.
For Morrow, a former teaching pro and golf writer, designing a different course so close to home was clearly a labor of love.
The driving range, which will eventually have 56 bays on two levels, will have target greens at appropriate points stretching across some 300 metres.
It's also likely to be an entertainment centre, as some driving ranges in Bangkok have become, with shopping, a restaurant and perhaps even a karaoke.
Both Morrow and Khun Suwat emphasised the importance of allowing everybody to play, especially children.
This is why green fees are likely to be the lowest on the island at 600 baht, or 1000 baht for 18 holes, with an extra 50 baht to cover the cost of the lights at night.
This is again vastly different from Red Mountain, where a golfer would be lucky to see change from 6000 baht.
Golfers will probably be able to carry their own bags for the simple reason that children playing a game should not be expected to also have to pay for caddies.
Khun Suwat's family also gave land to neighboring Wat Silasuparam, which adds to the spectacular views across water and towards the mountains.
The course is on the right side of Chaofa Road East, heading south from Phuket City, about a kilometre before Wat Chalong.
Phuket's other courses are at the northerly Blue Canyon and north-central Loch Palm, with 36 holes apiece, the central Phuket Country Club, where there are 27 holes, Laguna Phuket with a resort-style 18 and the Jack Nicklaus-designed 18 hole course at Mission Hills, to the east.
The nearby off-island course at Thai Muang in Phang Nga closed in 2007 and a spectacular multi-million-dollar redevelopment generated via Hong Kong is expected to revitalise golf there shortly.
A little further afield and open to the public is the Royal Navy course at Tablamu, which boasts charming rolling fairways and seaside breezes.
Members will be soon be able to join Phunaka Golf Course in a variety of categories.
Applicants can go on the waiting list now. Call the course manager, Khun Booncherd, on 081 6913420.
For a start, it will be the first course in the south of the island. It will cover nine holes, with a driving range and an entertainment zone as well.
The course will be floodlit so golfers can play at night. And for the first time on the island, caddies will probably not be compulsory.
The development will also include a golf academy, where visitors will be able to stay and learn the game, at every level, plus a property element of 25 new villas around the course, available for long-term rental.
The Chalong project is the brainchild of Suwat Wangkiat, who loves the game and decided with other family members to devote 200 rai of land to this bright idea.
While all of Phuket's existing golf courses are in the north of the island, more than 60 percent of the population lives in the south.
''We want to encourage as many people as possible to play, and to let children develop their talents without having to spend a lot of money,'' Khun Suwat said.
He engaged golf course designer Jon Morrow, who lives on Phuket, to conceptualise the fairways and greens.
Morrow, whose up-hill, down-dale design for the new Red Mountain course at Loch Palm is being hailed as a triumph, enjoyed the challenge of doing something with terrain that was quite different.
He took his pet cockerspaniels for a walk recently and showed Phuketwan around the Chalong course on a flying visit from Bangkok, where he is already at work on what will eventually become a prestigious low-lying riverside course.
While the sculpting is still taking place at Chalong on what's been named the Phunaka Golf Course, after the nearby Nakkerd Mountains, the date for an auspicious opening has already been set - August 8, 8-8-8.
The number 8-8-8 may be great as a date. But it wouldn't be greeted too happily as a score on the par 31 course, which includes full-length holes ranging up to par 5s. It will definitely not be an easy pitch-and-putt course.
Morrow says it will be a links course, the first of its kind on the island, incorporating the flavor of the seaside courses in Scotland where the game began.
''It couldn't be more different to Red Mountain,'' Morrow said.
Very little original terrain remained on the old tin mine site, so the characteristics of various layers of sediment and silt had to be taken into account.
A bonus came in the discovery of huge amounts of buried sand, an expensive ingredient amid Phuket's building boom. There's also plenty of water to bring into play.
For Morrow, a former teaching pro and golf writer, designing a different course so close to home was clearly a labor of love.
The driving range, which will eventually have 56 bays on two levels, will have target greens at appropriate points stretching across some 300 metres.
It's also likely to be an entertainment centre, as some driving ranges in Bangkok have become, with shopping, a restaurant and perhaps even a karaoke.
Both Morrow and Khun Suwat emphasised the importance of allowing everybody to play, especially children.
This is why green fees are likely to be the lowest on the island at 600 baht, or 1000 baht for 18 holes, with an extra 50 baht to cover the cost of the lights at night.
This is again vastly different from Red Mountain, where a golfer would be lucky to see change from 6000 baht.
Golfers will probably be able to carry their own bags for the simple reason that children playing a game should not be expected to also have to pay for caddies.
Khun Suwat's family also gave land to neighboring Wat Silasuparam, which adds to the spectacular views across water and towards the mountains.
The course is on the right side of Chaofa Road East, heading south from Phuket City, about a kilometre before Wat Chalong.
Phuket's other courses are at the northerly Blue Canyon and north-central Loch Palm, with 36 holes apiece, the central Phuket Country Club, where there are 27 holes, Laguna Phuket with a resort-style 18 and the Jack Nicklaus-designed 18 hole course at Mission Hills, to the east.
The nearby off-island course at Thai Muang in Phang Nga closed in 2007 and a spectacular multi-million-dollar redevelopment generated via Hong Kong is expected to revitalise golf there shortly.
A little further afield and open to the public is the Royal Navy course at Tablamu, which boasts charming rolling fairways and seaside breezes.
Members will be soon be able to join Phunaka Golf Course in a variety of categories.
Applicants can go on the waiting list now. Call the course manager, Khun Booncherd, on 081 6913420.
I have two superb detached 4 bed villas (each with private infinity pool and fully staffed with Thai chefs ) available for holiday rental in Kata. I wish to encourage golfers to stay so would like to feature your course on my website, and exchange links for our mutual benefit. Go to www.privatevillasphuket.com for full details and say hello to your professional Ollie from me .
Best wishes
Brian Phillips
Posted by Brian Phillips on May 25, 2009 16:49