Nong Bua Lamphu Golf Society

05/07/2016

The excavator is busy at our Community College doing the earthworks for the first 6 holes of our new golf course in Nong Bua Lamphu. I will take a few pictures later today and keep you all informed of the progress and when we expect the holes to be completed and open. :) ;)

02/07/2016

Golf in the Kingdom Thai Style: I played golf in the Nong Bua Lamphu Area 2 Education Department golf day last Saturday. I don’t get a chance to play very often so a big day with my school directors, teachers and admin staff is a chance, once in a while, for some weekend golf. Playing with our local Thai golfers is a completely different and fun game when you get used to it. We officially stop at every watering and food waypoint after every three holes. We play in six or even seven balls or more/less depending on the event and entry numbers. They play a max bet of 20Bht per hole (twenty pence a hole – sorry that’s 22 pence a hole after Brexit) they agree the handicaps for the bets on the first tee. It’s always a shot-gun start so everyone finishes together. Most people get a prize one way or the other and the non- players help and man everything and have a hell of a great time. There is little or no western golf etiquette. You can be putting out and the first person who holed out is already teeing off on the next and you hole always out after you start putting unless you might stand on someone line. Everyone laughs when you hit a bad shot and everyone cheers when you hit a good one. The caddies mark your cards and you sign them off as a true reflection of your score- as they are the only people who are sober and concentrating at the end of the round. All the scores, like in South Africa, are posted on a massive score boards into categories that I have yet to work out, but everyone looks at the boards and how their mates have fared. Everyone gets their photo taken and given a framed memento of the day in mid swing, in groups and posing with your team of players. It isn’t for the average western golfer – but despite the humidity, heat, noise and general horse play on the course – the Thais take their brand of golf seriously. We in the west have ruled out many of the fun aspects of our game in the search to emulate the tour golf we see on TV. The Thais spend a whole day at golf with their families and friends and boy do they have a great time! Hackers and their serious golfers play together, THEY PLAY LIKE WE DID AS BOYS. Good on them and we can learn a lot from their style of golf.

21/06/2016

Still not been able to get time to play any regular golf - I was in Udon this week and the boys up there are playing a lot of regular golf. I made an outing last Sunday and played the Army course in Loei - nice 9 holer - finished my last 18 holes two over. Not bad on a tricky course with lots of doglegs and tight lies on the faiways - i met up with little Chuck at Chris's Pizza bar and tall Tony at the driving range this week - both are playing regularly and Chuck even said he might head to the driving range this week - although he was more concerned with his putting than his long game. THE NEWS ABOUT THE PAR THREE COURSE at the Community College is that it is still being planned - but really it must take a step forward this year or it will be years before it is ready. THE SAME FOR THE jUNIOR GOLF ACADEMY at the driving range. I could not find any volunteers/parents to help when i am away teacher training or seeing my Expat Financial Clients. There were also very few Juniors who wanted to come on a Saturday and Sunday morning - so until my lad wants to learn to play golf - it's on hold!.

21/05/2016

Sorry guys..i have been out of the golf scene for the best part of the year. Now that the rains have come and it is geting a bit cooler first thing in the morning, although it feels like it is getting hotter with the increase in humidity, i might venture onto the course over the next few weeks. :)

19/03/2016

27/02/2016

The proper way to arrive at length and full shots generally is by lengthening out from chips, etc. ; and the wrong way to secure control is by shortening the swing from the full-blooded effort.
In a word, the professional's method of learning the
game is the best. Now all along I have advised the beginner to proceed to long shots from chips and half shots, for in this way
he will secure first of all control. Abe Mitchel circa 1933 (the longest hitter of his generation and by a big margin)

09/02/2016

Having played with a few of you - maybe these new Rules should be introduced ;)
Rule 1.a.5
A ball sliced or hooked into the rough shall be lifted and placed on the fairway at a point equal to the distance it carried or rolled into the rough
with no penalty. The senior should not be penalized for tall grass which groundskeepers failed to mow.

Rule 2.d.6 (b)
A ball hitting a tree shall be deemed not to have hit the tree. This is simply bad luck and luck has no place in a scientific game. The senior player must estimate the distance the ball would have travelled if it had not hit the tree and play the ball from there.

Rule 3.b.3(g)
There shall be no such thing as a lost ball The missing ball is on or near the course and will eventually be found and pocketed by someone else, making
it a stolen ball. The player is not to compound the felony by charging himself or herself with a penalty.

Rule 4.c.7(h)
If a putt passes over a hole without dropping, it is deemed to have dropped. The law of gravity supersedes the Rules of Golf.

Rule 5.
Putts that stop close enough to the cup that they could be blown in, may be blown in. This does not apply to balls more than three inches from the hole. No one wants to make a travesty of the game.

Rule 6.a.9(k)
There is no penalty for so-called "out of bounds." If penny-pinching golf course owners bought sufficient land, this would not occur. The senior golfer deserves an apology, not a penalty.

Rule 7.g.15(z)
There is no penalty for a ball in a water hazard, as golf balls should float. Senior golfers should not be penalized for manufacturers' shortcomings.

Rule 8.k.9(s)
Advertisements claim that golf scores can be improved by purchasing new golf equipment. Since this is financially impracticable for many senior golfers, one-half stroke per hole may be subtracted for using old equipment.

08/02/2016

a great day out golfing with Tony, Japser and Harry. congratulations to Tony...broke 100 for the first time...just keep practicing and you will be beating 90 in the next few weeks. :)

24/01/2016

Sport & fitness instruction

22/01/2016

Now that the NB Community College has finished their ASEAN International Conference - we are holding a meeting tomorrow morning Saturday 23rd January at 10:00am at the Community College to finalise the start date of the Junior Golf Academy and discuss the development of the 9 - hole golf course. I will keep you posted on what we are planning on Sunday.