Clark in Thailand: Chapter 7

Another round completed at the wonderful Thai Country Club!!

Despite a horrendous double bogey start that included hitting it fat in the opening fairway bunker, I managed a bogey free 33 on the back nine to get it back to -1 for the day.

My gal “Nit” was spectacular on the bag from start to finish and what an absolute Gem of a person. Her experience and knowledge saved me at least 4 shots this round. I also had the privilege of playing with a local Thai member today whose name was Tonyee. He’s recently just retired from his manufacturing business here in Bangkok, which is making specialty Christmas decorations. He was proud to say his biggest clients are Walmart, Costco and Target. He spoke excellent English and was a fun guy to play with. Crazy the folks you can meet on the golf course. He was telling me that Gino Thitikul uses Thai Country Club as a home base and practices here regularly when in town. Many who read this may not recognize her name but in Thailand she’s a National Hero and is seen on countless billboards endorsing one thing or another. She’s as famous as Nelly Korda in the US.

It was extra hot today and I’m in dire need of a shower. I wanted to take one at the club but the idea of not dawdling around and getting ahead of evening Bangkok traffic was even more enticing. 

Nit & I back at it!

The amazing Thai CC

World class range

Nit getting things sorted out with the starter

Tonyee & Hope

Stopping at the turn for a beer & chicken leg

1/2 way house view... easy to just sit & enjoy this spot

Bronze plaque at the turn

Nit & the gals

Another club view

Trying to stuff it in there on 18

The amazing Nit!

18th fairway

Gals always having fun

Clark in Thailand: Chapter 6

While here in Thailand, there are a few exclusive clubs that I want to play. One is public….“ Nikanti” but difficult to get on, the other one is “Robinswood.”

I passed Robinswood on the way to the Cascata club a couple days ago and all I can say is that it’s “blow you away Impressive”. As we passed it, I thought it was the grand entrance to some type of Thai Royalty palace but my driver quickly cleared things up….. and softly said the word “Robinswood” like it had some type of mystical power behind the gates. All I know is that it looks exclusive and I want “IN”

I love starting the day off with good news, and I was pleasantly surprised when I got the early email that I now get to play Nikanti.

Today finds me at the Vintage club after a rather long car ride out of Bangkok. It’s a really nice club designed by Arthur Hills, an architect I’m familiar with as I worked at an Arthur Hills layout when I lived in Hilton Head.

My caddie today is another sweetheart by the name of “Bo”. This course has a driving range and Bo has me loaded up and off in the cart to use it right away. It turns out that the hitting area is mostly sand, but it’s better than nothing. I dump out my trays of Easter egg colored balls and have at it. Bo loves the translation ear piece and we are chatting back and forth like old friends. It’s just she and I today, but at every refreshment stop she eagerly shows the other caddies the device and how it works and everyone is impressed. It’s not an expensive item and I can’t believe others before me have not tried it. It’s not perfect technology but it sure is helpful.

This layout is challenging and I played one set up from the tips at 6,600 yards. Fairways and par 3s are nicely framed with flowers and mature landscaping and the place is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

 

It was quite windy today and hot so the ball was flying well with some roll out which was helpful on those longer holes. There was no shortage of water here either and I managed to rinse a couple shots but scoring was good and I ended up +1 for the day. Bo was exceptionally happy that I played well as I get the feeling it’s certainly not the norm. I told her the story of yesterday‘s phone trauma which judging from her expression only reiterated the dire consequences of such a loss for not only me but for the caddie. That was not going to happen today as she held onto that IPhone like it was a $20 gold piece.

Nice relaxing stress free day ends with some Krab Kapow lunch which is a minced pork dish accompanied by a fried egg and rice. Thai food can come very spicey hot if not careful. I ordered not too spicey and all was well until I ate what I thought was 1/2 a cherry tomato…. Incredibly bad move on my part. The other half of it I left on my plate as I attempted to ease the inferno in my mouth with nearly a full glass of beer. 

I’m sure there’s going to be a price to be paid for that error later.

"Bo" at the Vintage Club

Clubhouse enterance to the Vintage Club

Driving range work

Miss Bo says it's the driver

The uneaten second 1/2 of that death pepper 🌶

Clark in Thailand: Chapter 5

Well at last!!! There is a place to at least get a bit of practice in before the round. Today finds me at Muang Kaew Golf Club and after my bag is unloaded in the front of this very lavish clubhouse and in the hands of “Bell” my caddie of the day, 

I’m ushered down the steps to the cart staging area. I’m so pleased to see a lovely well manicured practice green with a neatly raked white sand bunker and a separate chipping green with closely mown run off areas offering the opportunity to hit all kinds of shots. I’ve got the warm fuzzy feeling and it’s going to be a banner day. No range, but at least I feel I won’t be starting my day with zero prep as in days past.

I’m paired up today with a wispy thin guy from Malaysia smoking like a chimney, another guy from Japan outfitted in the latest Malbon golf gear from head to toe including bag and umbrella, and a solo woman from Japan. She’s wearing all Adidas gear, visor, shirt, skirt, socks and shoes.

 

On the first tee we are all eyeing each other up as none of us knows the other and we are like the group that’s thrown together because the starter wasn’t sure what to do with the lot. Mr Malbon has the tee and he hits it solid as can be right down the middle. I can tell he can play a bit and he also thinks he’s at the top of the pecking order evidenced by the way he’s strutting around. 

Arthur from Malaysia is next and hits it solid, but he’s just playing for fun and happy to light another cigarette now that the pressure of the first tee shot in front of strangers is behind him.

My turn and I’m lucky to absolutely blister a tight draw that ends up splitting the fairway and 30 yards past Mr Malbon. I’m not gonna lie…. I caught it good. Slight reorganization of the pecking order, much to the dismay of Malbon.

Out of my group I’m most impressed by the Japanese woman. I can tell she works hard on her game and I admire her confidence. It’s not the easiest thing to step in and join 3 men and she does not seem the least bit nervous. She goes about her business with a nice pre shot routine and hits it right down the pipe. Good for her!

I managed to hit it close and birdie the first hole, much to the delight of “Bell” my caddie and to the dismay of Malbon. Case closed on him as he proves himself to be a cheater on the first hole, as I see him improving his lie and then stepping in like nobody saw it.

 

Arthur from Malaysia managed to lose at least a dozen new pro vs today, the gal from Japan lost her fair share of brightly bi colored Srixons and dipshit Clark managed to lose his phone somewhere between 16 and 17. Now since my entire life, business and the keys to the castle revolve around this lithium powered device, you can only imagine the empty feeling of utter hopelessness if it’s not found. I’m trying to remain calm and just respond logically to the situation as it’s gotta be laying on the course within the last 2 holes. “Bell” on the hand is in full distress and meltdown mode. The caddie is 100% responsible for the bag and her player including accessories. No phone = immediate termination for her and she’s heart attack worried.

Play is halted as 3 rangers , Bell and myself are looking with no luck from fairway to tee on the previous hole. To Bell’s utter relief and delight, she finally found the phone in the rough next to the cart path on 17 green. The original place I’d first discovered it missing. It was on her side of the cart, but we had been using it for Google translate back and forth so it was all my fault. It most likely just slipped off the seat when one of us exited the cart. None the less, had we not found it, I’d still be there relentlessly searching. 

Fun day today and despite the near flat-line trauma of pending doom and phone loss I’d be happy to play this track again.

"Bell" caddie of the day & still employed

  

Mr. Malbon

Chipping & shorgame area

Nice par 3

Woman from Japan!  Hats off to her.  She told me her name and I could not

understand any of it..., but for the most part, all she heard from me was "good shot"!

Nice relaxation station every 3rd hole

View of the clubhouse

Bell & I... Right before we discovered that we lost the phone.