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Q&A with top Thai export: Thongchai Jaidee
Question: You are currently ranked #46 in the world, good enough to earn a U.S. Open place this week, at Pebble Beach. Is this a thrill or just another competitive opportunity?
Thongchai Jaidee: As a professional golfer, I try to perform well in every tournament but since the U.S. Open is one of the Majors, every player will try harder to perform well - because the field is full of talented people. I am really looking forward to the challenge.
Q: You have won 12 times on the Asian Tour; you competed in your second Masters this year, you were a quarterfinalist at the World Match Play in 2010, and you are slated for this week's U.S. Open. What are the similarities between players in the U.S. and Europe, compared with Asian tour pros - and what separates them?
TJ: Looking at world golf generally, there aren't many differences between each tour. This shouldn't surprise anyone because players from the Asia-Pacific region, such Y.E. Yang and Michael Campbell, have already won Majors. Other leading players are performing well on the European Tour. The standard of play today is very high everywhere.
Q: Thailand is by far the most popular golf destination for Asians, but North Americans and Europeans may not know much about it. In your view, what recommends golf in Thailand?
TJ: I recommend Golf in Thailand for its year-round golfing, and for the numerous world-class golf courses. There are hundreds. Nevertheless, I believe the hospitality of Thai people is the one thing that will impress visitors most when they visit my country. Thailand offers so many relaxing activities - Thai massage, the world's finest beaches and so many other tourist attractions - but it is Thai hospitality that makes the strongest impression.
Q: You didn't play golf until you were 16 years of age, and soon thereafter you entered the Royal Thai Army. Where did you learn the game?
TJ: The very first course, where I started my golfing life, was Jompol Por Golf Course, located in the army camp in my home town. This is not unusual: Many army bases in Thailand include golf courses that are accessible to public play. My old house was right beside the course and my first contact with golf was serving as a caddie, there at Jompol Por.
Q: When you play golf in Thailand, today, where do you prefer to play? What are your favorite Thai courses and why?
TJ: When I am home, I still practice at Jompol Por GC, and Narai Hill Golf and Country Club in Lopburi. These two courses are close to my home and make for easy access. But when I have more time, I will practice at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, which I can highly recommend for beginners, serious golfers, even professionals. It is one of my favorite courses because it boasts a very challenging layout and championship-standard course conditions. Also, the way the wind blows up there, it prepares me well for the conditions I can expect when playing in Europe.
Q: Lopburi, your hometown, is a rather new area for golf in Thailand. What makes it special and do you recommend golfers visit this area of Thailand?
TJ: Well, it's a bit early to consider Lopburi in the same breath as golf destinations like Hua Hin, Phuket, Rayong or Samui. These regions are home to some of the top resort courses in the world. But the courses here in Lopburi do offer a fine challenge to golfers who seek new venues. They are standard courses and well equipped with facilities.
Q: Tell us about your golf foundation. What does it set out to accomplish?
TJ: The Thongchai Jaidee Foundation officially launched in 2009. My initial thought was that I wanted to support children, hoping to create new generations of Thai golfers. Who knows? We might find another Tiger Woods among those boys or girls. My intention is to give them knowledge of the game, a tool to earn their living perhaps. I'm hoping at the very least to assist in turning them away from drugs.
Q: How can people get involved?
TJ: They could come to the school to meet my team of kids! Or they could visit www.thongchaijaidee.net; write us at Thongchai Jaidee Foundation, 322 Moo 8 Tambol Nikomsangtoneang Amphur Muang Lopburi 15000 Thailand; or they could call or fax on +66 36 652730.
Q: You surely play many pro-am tournaments alongside amateur players. Have many of them played Golf in Thailand? What's their impression of golf in your native country?
TJ: If I am playing a pro-am in Asia, most of them already know very well that Thailand is a wonderful golf destination. I would include some of those who play with me in European pro-ams, as well. Thailand has been promoted as the ultimate golf destination for golfers seeking championship-standard courses, offered at very reasonable prices. That describes Thai golf very well, in my opinion.
[For more information on Golf in Thailand, visit www.golfinakingdom.com or www.golfasian.com ]
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Phuket - A Personal Destination Review by Ian Morgan
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Montgomerie Links Vietnam's General Director: Jon Tomlinson
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Featured Golf Destination - Pattaya
While Pattaya has been on the radar for over 50 years as an R & R area for the Armed Services during the Second world war and the Vietnam war, it is now getting great reviews from the golfers for the championship courses that are available in this area. Over the last 5 years there have been 5 new courses built and with over 40 other courses within an hour's drive of downtown Pattaya, it's simply a golfers heaven. Where else in the world ticks all these boxes Value for money [more]
St. Regis Offers Bangkok Golf Access
When the luxury five-star St. Regis Bangkok hotel opened in April, its inaugural general manager, Andreas Oberoi, couldn’t have been more delighted to assume responsibility for the remarkable new property. Andreas Oberoi came from The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, another typically superb St. Regis property on the island of Majorca, Spain. Being located next to three championship golf courses on the island, Andreas admits to having developed a keen interest in the game during his time t[more]
Your Golf & Travel Friend in Southeast Asia – Golfasian and Mark Siegel
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Grant to Popularize Golf Caps Banner
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A Players Diary - Phuket Amateur Week
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Fenix joins Golf in a Kingdom; both on the rise
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Golf Styles Thailand - The Good Life
Strolling down the main drag in Pattaya, Thailand, the local clocks ticking toward 11 p.m., I am reminded of the golf destinations we North Americans regard as desirable. Front and center is the golf component, of course. Normally it's the primary factor in determining quality or desirability. But there's no denying that packs of (primarily) male golfers generally prize golfing locales for their nightlife, too. Any gaggle of eight to 12 golfing buddies will include a few lads determined t[more]
VGA Sponsors Key Moves Toward Golf Equality
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Top Vietnam Golf Destinations Link Up
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Golf Tour Operators Convene North American Conference
As appeared in Focus on Travel NewsPublished by Ozgur Tore Wednesday, 19 May 2010 Golf tour operators from across North America will gather this week Palm Beach, Florida at PGA National Resort & Spa for the 2nd annual North American Golf Tourism Convention, organized by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators.More than 70 golf tour operators that sell North America as a golf destination will meet for three days starting Wednesday, May 19. Approximately half of [more]
Be the Ball
As appeared in United Hemispheres Inflight Magazine Thailand may seem a little off the beaten path for golf lovers, but when you apply the teachings of the Buddha, you might just become one with the hole. Author James A. Frank Illustration Barry Blitt There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. - SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA ("THE BUDDHA"), 563-483 BCE THE BUDDHA WOULD HAVE made a good golf instructor. Rather than show his students the proper grip or stance, he would point them [more]
All the King's Courses
As appeared in Colorado Avid GolferBy Jake Kubie' - May 03, 2010A heady confluence of Buddhist culture, surreal golf experiences and frenzied nightlife defines a journey to Asia's storied kingdom.Nuer, my caddie at Siam Country Club's Old Course, was borderline frantic as she hastily plucked off the green the ball marker I had dug out of my pocket. With Ninja-like agility, she replaced it with an oversized Mickey Mouse coin from a magnetic holder clipped to the brim of her lampshade hat.Thanks t[more]
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Improve Your Game with a Golf Package in Thailand
Our golf school vacation packages can dramatically improve your game and score, but you must also remember to consider the green. Once you've mastered control of your putter and the perfect stroke, you must be able "to read the green". First you have to know the type of grass, meaning you need to kneel down and figure out which way it grows, then you have to judge the distance and how the ball will break. Then the speed! All of which can be learned at our excellent golf school vacation[more]
The Rules of Play on a Thailand Golf Course
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Luxury Golf Travel And More! Exclusive golf tours to Thailand don't have to be all about golf, in a country this beautiful and diverse it would be a crime not to explore and travel and it presents the perfect excuse to sample a variety of golf tours! The Kingdom of Thailand is renowned for its natural beauty, awe-inspiring temples, hospitality and international and local cuisine of the highest stature. Golf tours Thailand are just one of the examples of how foreign cultures are impacting on th[more]
Golf Instruction Packages
Golfasian are experts and creating, designing and organizing golf travel packages and luxury golf vacations, all you need to organize is your game! Golf has been played for centuries.
About Golf in Thailand
Golf & Travel in Thailand As a leading tourist destination Thailand has a number of alternative attractions and exciting opportunities to combine golf & travel. Thailand golf tours, and its tourist magnetism, remain unrivalled in any other part of the world. Not only is the country steeped in history and culture, but also, there is an abundance of quality golf courses. If desired, your golf tours in Thailand can be designed to provide ample opportunity for sightseeing and shopping at th[more]
Golf in Phuket
Find out more about Golf courses in Phuket Island- set amongst the most idyllic locations with perfect beaches.
Golf in Pattaya
The resort for Pattaya golf is located south east of Bangkok, less than 2-hours away driving. The region hosts the greatest variety of the finest championship golf courses in Thailand.
Alpine Golf Bangkok Beach Black Mountain Golf Blue Canyon Chiang Mai golf Hua Hin Johor Khao Yai Kuala Lumpur Long Thanh Golf Pattaya Penang Phuket Phuket Country Club Phuket Golf Red Mountain Saigon Shopping Siam Country Club Thai Country Club Vietnam Golf
