Swing Image Thailand Magazine

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Ian PoulterFashion

Greg NormanCourse Design

Simon YatesDrive for show

Justin Rose Building a better swing

Black MountainGolf Club

Tin MineGolf & Country Club

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Swing Image Thailand compliments of

www.druhbeltsandbuckles.com

Thailand

for information on corporate golf days visit www.redmountainphuket.com

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RED MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB - PHUKET119 Moo 4 Vichitsongkram Rd.,Kathu, Phuket

Tel : 66(0)76 322 000-1 Fax : 66(0)76 322 009

E-mail Contact : [email protected]

Web: www.redmountainphuket.com

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SIMON YATES

It is difficult to choose between a golf tournament and a car race when they run on the same week-end, but at the end of the day golf is my job and this must come first.

Justin rose building a better golf swing

2008 European Tour Order of Merit winner Justin Rose demonstrates swing drills that have helped him improve the lines of his swing.

TIN MINE GOLF & country club

Winding its way through a truly dramatic 800 acres of a former tin mine site in the heart of Thailand, Red Mountain is surely one of Asia’s most exciting new courses.

GreG noMan Golf course desiGn

I learned from studying thedesigns of classic architectsthat each golf course has itsown personality and characterthat is determined by theproperty where it is located.

ian Poulter desiGn

Ian and trousers go together.The IJP brand philosophyis to ‘lead with the legs’ bydesigning the trousers first andthen coordinating the rest ofthe outfit around them.

blacK Mountain Golf club

After opening its links to the public in mid 2007, Black Mountain is now one of the first choices for golfers in the area of Hua Hin.

Published byPhuket Golf studio22/11 sirirad roadKathu, Phuket, 83150 thailand

editorsean [email protected]

art & designMaxMediatel: +66 (0) 822 717 424

advertisingMaxMediatel: +66 (0) 822 717 424

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50 swingimage

Swing Image Issue 06.indd 50 21/7/08 21:34:36

swingimage 35

“If clothes maketh the man, then Ian poulter is one heck of a flash geezer”

Paul Mahoney,

Golf International,

May Issue

Classic trousers in golf ball whiteIJp laser cut beltMulti striped sleeveless top in golf ball whiteRaglan sleeve top in turquoiseMasters limited edition visor


Thailand

Swing Image Thailand is produced quarterly and distributed throughout the country to every golf course, golf events, golf resort hotels, airport lounges, travel agents, tourism agents and other holiday destinations.

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laguna Phuket, one of asia’s finest luxury destination resorts, is a holiday paradise with hotels linked by sparkling lagoons and tree lined avenues, allowing guests easy access to everything that the hotels and golf course have to offer. the resort based 18-hole, par-71 golf course was designed by Max Wexler and david abell and measures 6,654 yards from

Play 18 holes of golf on a magnificent tropical golf course • six deluxe resort hotels • five luxurious spas • Pristine sandy beach • boutique shopping • Wedding chapel

Laguna Phuketone of asia’s finest luxury destination resorts

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the back tees and 5,464 yards from the forward tees. the award winning laguna Phuket Golf club features a wealth of tropical scenic lagoons, undulating fairways and majestic golf holes that are all set against a stunning backdrop of mountains, adjacent ocean in a convenient private community.

Play 18 holes of golf on a magnificent tropical golf course • six deluxe resort hotels • five luxurious spas • Pristine sandy beach • boutique shopping • Wedding chapel

one of asia’s finest luxury destination resorts

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Laguna Phuket Hotels• banyan tree Phuket

• sheraton Grande laguna Phuket

• dusit thani laguna Phuket

• laguna beach resort

• allamanda laguna Phuket

• laguna Holiday club resort

• laguna Phuket Holiday residence

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SIMON

YATE

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scotish golfer, simon yates, has found another sport which will fulfil his desire and obsession for speed. a scottish ski champion and Great britain internation-alist as a teenager, simon moved to asia in 1995 to compete on the asian tour where he has amassed $2.0 Million in prize money.He has won twice and had twelve second place finishes. He has also won a lexus car for a hole in one, shot a course record 61 in the Hong Kong open and shot the most number of birdies on tour in 1999 and 2003, with 232 and 239 respectively.simon, who now lives in Hua Hin, thailand, has recently found his passion for car racing in asia where he has won several races.

What led you to car racing and when did you start? two years ago a thai friend of mine, who is one of the top driv-ers in thailand, asked me if i would like to join the racing scene. from a young age i have always had the need for speed, after being a ski racer since the age of six, so i thought it would be a good challenge and a new exciting sport to try.

How is your time split between golf on the European and Asian Tours and your racing? you can always find time to do other things other than golf. for me it is nice to get away from the golf and do something totally different. is it difficult to set out your schedule, especially when an important golf event clashes with a race? it is difficult to choose between a golf tournament and a racing event when they run on the same dates, but at the end of the day golf is my job and this must come first. the first race of the season in the Honda series was the same weekend as the bMW asian open, so obviously i missed the car race! Last year you raced the Toyota Vios in the ‘One Make Race’. What car are you racing now? last year i raced the toyota one Make (Vios) and had a great season, winning the championship which was a nice experience. in this series the cars are all the same so basically it is down to drivers’ ability. this year i am racing in two series - the toyota yaris series and the Honda civic series. i pretty much just turn up for the weekend and race as i don’t really have the time to test the car.

driVe for sHoW!

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What are the specifications of the Honda? the Honda is a standard 140bhp road car. Honda changed the ecu box (electronic control unit), which controls the whole car and gives it some more power, the gearbox to a centre differential for better road holding, the exhaust system for extra power, the brake system for better brak-ing and much later braking, the springs and shocks for much better road holding and a roll cage for safety aspects.

Would you class car racing as an expensive hobby?

car racing is probably one of the most expensive hobbies, as we are all there for the fun, adrenline factor and not for the prize money which is very small!

How do you compare the Honda car with the Toyota? the Honda and toyota cars are fairly similar to drive as they are both front wheel drive and are fairly light cars. the

Honda’s accelleration is a little quicker due to having more power, but it is a heavier car too. the road holding is very similar and it is quite scary how quick these little cars go round corners!

How have the races gone for you so far this season? the Honda series has gone very well and i finished first in chiang-Mai. last weekend i finished fifth in Pattaya which wasn’t bad, considering that i was carrying 20kgs extra as a weight penalty for winning the race in chiang Mai. the top 3 on the Podium have to add weight to make the next race closer, which makes it more fun for the spectators.i would rather forget the start to the season in the toyota yaris series. in the first race someone slammed me from behind and took me out of the race. in the second race i actually didn’t start because in the second practice session i clipped the edge of some tyres at a corner causing the car to flip over and roll 5 times! i was fine except for a stiff neck, but the car needed a new frame as it was badly bent. if there was not a roll cage in the car it would have been flattened!

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You must suffer the heat sometimes inside the car, especially when racing in Asia in temperatures of over 100 degrees? yes, it can be very exhausting racing in temperatures around 100 degrees. remember there is no air-con and you are wearing a racing suit which is fire proof and a fire mask un-der your helmet which can be very steamy. you then come out of the pits which are in the shade, wait 10 minutes on the grid (baking in the sun!) whilst waiting for your warm up lap before the lights go to red then green. before i go out i pour a bottle of water over my head to cool down and while i am sitting on the grid for 10 minutes i get my mechanics to pour half a bottle of ice cold water inside my race suit and down my back to give me a wake up call and at the same time refresh me. Have you ever been involved in or seen any crashes? i have seen crashes on the track but fortunately no serious ones. i know some fans who go to car racing to see crashes, but it is never nice to see people get injured.

You live in Hua-Hin, Thailand. Are there any places near to you where you can take the car for some practice? living in thailand is really good especially when the road rules are not the same as the uK. yes, driving in the uK is very boring as there are rules that you must stick to and that is why there are not nearly as many road crashes as there are here, but on the other hand i like the rules here! are there any? over the years i have had fast cars in thailand and my driving skills have improved on the normal roads. i actually use my race car from last year on the nor-mal road and drive it up to the golf course everyday which can be fun! At golf events last year you were teeing it up with Retief Goosen and Vijay Singh. How can you compare this with sitting on the grid starting a race? it is very difficult to compare golf and racing driving. i actually quite enjoy playing with big stars like Vijay and retief as you can always learn from them, watching what they do and how

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they conduct themselves on the course. it is similiar on the race track when practising. if i have a better driver in front of me i stay behind him to watch the lines he takes and try to learn where he takes the corners faster than i do and where i can pick up on him. every sport is a learning game and we can always inprove. How do you compare the buzz of winning a race with winning on the golf tour? you get a great buzz from winning anything in life. My best feeling was when i finished third in my second ever race. i was very proud of myself as i was a new comer to this sport. the next race which i won was another proud mo-ment as i was thinking to myself that all these guys that i had just beaten had a lot of racing experience karting from a young age. now it is still good but not as good as the first time.in golf it is a similiar feeling because a win is a win. it doesn’t matter which sport and i am sure most people’s first win is one of there biggest memories. You have mentioned before you would love to race the Porsche in the GT Cup. How can you move towards this in the future? it would be my dream to race the Porsche in the Porsche Gt cup cars around asia, but you would need a sponsor to do that. as most people know, racing is a very expensive sport and when you start travelling to other countries it

becomes more expensive. i will stay in thailand at the mo-ment and see what happens later. Do you know of any other golfers on the tour that race cars? i don’t know of any other golfers who race cars but i do know that richard Green, who plays on the european tour, has a fully race prepared Porsche Gt cup car which he has fun in when he has the time to go out in it. there is certainly a different adrenaline kick from racing compared to golf! you have had some good fortune when it comes to cars. tell us about the hole in one you had at the lexus open and the prize? in 1997 i was playing in the lexus open in thailand and they had a lexus Gs 300 as a prize for a hole in one on the 16th

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hole. In the second round I walked onto the tee and looked at the pin position. it was 7 yards on, just over the bunker, and my actual words were ‘”what a stupid pin position”. the hole was 176 yards long so i was wondering whether to hit a soft 7 iron, or a hard 8 iron. i decided to hit the hard 8 for extra height and the ball took off just left of the pin, drifted back with the wind and landed directly in line with the pin. as i could not see the hole, i looked at the guys standing on the next tee to get some reaction from them. as there was none i presumed the ball wasn’t even that close. Walk-ing up close to the green there was no sign of the ball, so i thought that the ball might have plugged in the face of the bunker. Whilst looking in the bunker for the ball i saw a pitch mark 6 feet ahead, right in line with the pin. i suddenly had a feeling that the ball had gone in. i gingerly walked up

to the hole and there was the ball lying in the bottom of the cup. that was certainly a different experience. on the next tee i could hardly hold the club as my hands were shaking with excitement and the adrenaline was pumping through my body. We noticed The Toyota you had last year, sponsored by Black Mountain Golf Club, is now parked up at their clubhouse, very clean with no dents. Any offers?

i am actually using this car on the road now (only to the golf course and back to my condo) and enjoying it thoughoughly. sometimes i drive it as if i am on the track but don’t tell anyone!!

Simon enjoys winning on the race track as much as on the golf course.

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on the land of “the banyan estate” they are developing 85 cd investement houses, 166 private villa’s (all combined with a garden) and 204 condominiums/apartments. the cd investment houses have a total living area of 120 sqm, the villa’s ranging in size from 120 sqm to 870 sqm. next to that will be a high class commercial shopping area with the aim of attracting quality name brands. the cd investment houses have completed construction including the swim-ming pools and will be operated as a resort by the end of

22

Banyan Estate and Golf Club - Hua Hin, is the region’s most prestigious and illustrious golf and real estate project. Across the mountain from the golf course realizes a high quality housing development of approximately 432,000 sqm. A large majority of the villa’s enjoy stunning seaviews and the development is just less than 2-km from the beach. Membership to the golf club is limited to property owners of the Banyan Estate.

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2008. there are just a few remaining cd investment homes available at just 4,850,000 tHb which includes a guaranteed return on investment of approximately 7% for the first three years as the property will be rented as a golf resort during the time it is unoccupied.

to compliment this development the championship de-signed, 7,361 yard, Par-72 golf course has been designed by one of thailand’s most talented young golf course architects Khun Pirapon namatra of Golf east.

banyan estate and Golf club - Hua Hin is now in full swing after opening its doors on 1st october 2008 for golfers and visitors to enjoy one of the areas newest championship designed golf courses and finest 5-star dining spots.

after opening earlyer this year, the golf course has raised a lot of anticipation for the many keen visitors over the past few months who have been to watch this development take shape.

stacey Walton, General Manager commented “the golf

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course has been ready since the first quarter of this year, however, the rainy season presented us with some drainage challenges which have now been fixed as there is no real test than the real weather test! our golf course superin-tendent Khun Minachai is one of the best in the country and is now finalizing the golf course preparations to be of the highest standard in the region for you to enjoy. i am frequently asked the question whether we will be the best golf course in the region and i would rather allow our golf-ers to be the judge of that”.

“our board of directors and management team from Gls asia are quality driven, which is reflected throughout this project as the master plan extends from the golf course to the other side of the mountain with high end quality real estate homes and condominiums for sale. therefore, banyan Golf club, Hua Hin was not ready to open its doors until now even though the golf course has been ready for sometime”.

the clubhouse will become an icon for Hua Hin’s, if not thailand’s, golf industry as it was designed and inspired by a well known thai architect “smith obayawat” from the office of bangkok architects (oba). other successful proj-ects designed by smith include the Veranda Hotel (chiang Mai), Veranda Hotel (cha-am), Major cineplex’s, esplanade shopping center and rachadalai theatre.

Mulligan’s Pub is the golfer’s watering hole at banyan Golf club and is very traditional similar to those that you would find in europe. it’s long wooden bar counter and brass foot rest is an ideal après golf drinking spot. or, it’s pleasant bal-cony overlooking the 9th green and the mountain views of burma is simply stunning after 6pm with the beautiful asian sunset making it an ideal meeting place before dinner.

the dinner menu at banyan Golf club’s terrace restau-rant has been prepared by the banyan Golf club’s executive chef together with stuart daly the golf club’s director of operations who is a pedigree in food and beverage having

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worked in some of the world’s finest international restau-rants and 5-star hotels.

stuart daly comments “We want to offer our guests at the banyan Golf club something different for dinner. i suc-cessfully implemented a similar dining concept in an ultra deluxe resort in the Maldives which received many acco-lades for providing food lovers with a special kind of din-ing experience that brought back the feeling that dinner is meant to be an outing”.

the menu has been well prepared, with a lot of thought going into it’s concept, providing visitors with not only a fine dining experience but also offering fantastic value for money. it features wine recommendations with the idea being to choose dishes that match your favourite bottle of wine, making the walk-in wine cellar (boasting up to 100 different varieties of new world wines) a special treat.

dishes such as Grilled duck breast with fried gnocchi and bell peppers in olive oil is perfect with a Merlot, or a

Our Board of Directors and management team from GLS Asia are quality driven which is reflected throughout this project as the master plan extends from the golf course to the other side of the mountain with high end quality real estate homes and condominiums for sale.

sirloin steak with grilled vegetable and truffle mushroom sauce goes well with a cabernet sauvignon.

there is even more at the banyan Golf club - Hua Hin. the private suites on the rooftop have private infinity plunge pools - an ideal place for an overnight stay.

banyan Golf club - Hua Hin seems to have it all for the taking, even if you are not a golfer the views of the moun-tains at sunset are simply spectacular and accompanied with the warm friendly thai hospitality makes it a place to stay for everyone.

contact banyan Golf club directly to make a golf booking or for more information on banyan estate and Golf club.

e: email [email protected]

w: www.banyanestatehuahin.com

t: 03 261 6200

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There’s more to discover at than 18-holes of brilliantly

designed Golf, it’s the complete Banyan Estate experience that

creates a life style you want to live for!

8 different villa types starting from 4.8 million Baht up to 24.5 million Baht

Golf membership only available for home owners

7,361 yard, par 72 championship designed golf course

State of the art Clubhouse

For further details please contact The Banyan Estate & Golf Club, Hua Hin101 Moo 9, Tab Tai, Hua Hin 77110, ThailandTel: +66 (0)3261 6200 Fax: +66 (0) 3261 6222Email: [email protected]

www.banyanestatehuahin.com

International all day dining restaurant

Traditional public house

Luxurious changing facilities

Modern Pro Shop with the latest golf gear

Terraces overlooking the entire golf course

Sunset views over the mountains

Villas Investment Homes Shopping Complex Golf Club

Be part of it!

Thailand

Justin RoseB u i l d i n g a b e t t e r

G o l f S w i n g

27

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stand up tall and bend from the hips to create a distinct spine angle.

clubhead outside the hands, but inside the ball-to-target line.

a good swing can be regarded as a chain-reaction, with one good move leading on to another. Hence the importance of getting off to a good start. the key is that the arms, hands and the club work together to trace a natural path away from the ball.

looking from this angle (above), the clubhead can be seen to remain just outside the hands (even though it is travelling inside the ball-to-target line) the first few feet it moves back. this is what you should be looking for. you don’t ever want the club to get too ‘deep’ and too far inside the ball-to-target line too early.

tHe set uP HalfWay bacKby the time my left arm reaches the horizontal, i expect to see a full wrist cock ‘setting’ the club up on its end. the shaft bisects my right shoulder, which confirms my swing is on a good plane.

MoVe-aWay

Fully set, club on plane

When i video my swing, the one position i look at most closely is here, at the halfway-back or ‘9 o’clock position’. specifically, by the time my left arm is horizontal with the ground, i like to see my wrists fully ‘loaded’ and (looking down-the-line) i want to see my hands right here, in the middle of my chest (i.e. not too ‘deep’ or inside the line, and not outside my body).

if you compare it with the original shaft angle at address, you can see that the process of setting the wrists causes the shaft to steepen fractionally as the club swings up.

this is perfectly oK, as it encourages the desired shallowing of the plane on the way back down.

so why not simplify your backswing, using this 9 o’clock position as your key checkpoint. as you develop the technique to set the clubshaft at a 90-degree angle to your left arm, so you will enjoy the powerful sensation of being ‘loaded’ up as you complete your turn to the top - energy you can then release in the downswing.

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AT THE TOP...completing a full shoulder turn rewards you with a compact and ‘loaded’ backswing position.

feel the resistance from the ground up...looking at this sequence face-on, you get some idea of the resistance in the lower body - specifically the right knee and thigh. that’s the feeling i have; i am turning and coiling against the resistance in the right knee and thigh, winding my torso and co-ordinating my arm-swing.

obviously, a secure footing is vital; the one thing i am very aware of is anchoring the right foot as i turn and shift my weight both against and into my right side. Good footwork is the often overlooked element of a good swing, so as you work on winding up your backswing, pay attention to the role of the right foot in anchoring the right side, so that you create the necessary resistance. as i rotate my upper body away from the target, my weight is absorbed up the inside of my right thigh. in other words, my weight is not allowed to roll onto the outside of the right foot. thats a power leak - so don’t allow it to happen! coil up against a braced right thigh; feel and use that resistance.

if you can achieve this fully ‘set’ halfway-back position, turning against the resistance of your right knee and thigh...

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the baseball drillProbably the best way to explain the sensation and illustrate the move i am looking for through the transition, at the start of the downswing, is to show you the baseball drill (right). Holding a club up at about waist height, swing back as if making a baseball action, and then ‘settle’ your lower body as you change direction; you want to get this ‘squat’ look in the legs as you start back down and your weight shifts back across to the left side. Get the hang of this move and you will create a wonderful sense of ‘lag’ as your upper body recoils in response to this lower body action.

as if by instinct, the arms shallow the plane of the swing and you’re all plugged in for a powerful acceleration of speed through the impact area.

and that’s exactly what you are looking to achieve in the swing itself, as you see in the sequence below. from the top, i wait for the subtle move in the feet and knees, unwinding from the ground up as my left foot and left knee signal the reverse in momentum. the left knee (in fact the whole left side) is - for a split-second - pulling away from the right hip (and whole right side). that dynamic move increases the torque in my swing.

always looking to improve the ‘lines’ of my swingi have worked hard this year on improving the ‘lines’ of my swing. We all have individual tendencies to be wary of, and mine is sometimes to get the club working too ‘deep’ behind my body on the backswing, to the extent it ends up across the line at the top. now that it’s on a much better line, i am able to focus on the dynamics of my body action to maximise eneregy. at my best, i feel that i am able to benefit from the energy i store up in the full ‘setting’ of the wrists going back; through the transition i feel the ground through my feet and have the confidence to unwind aggressively through the ball.

Feature courtesy of Golf International Magazinewww.golfinternationalmag.com

Hold a club at waist height, and then turn your shoulders to create a swing.

compact backswing (this with a 6-iron); a full shoulder turn with a three-quarter armswing is ideal.

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subtle weight shift back into the left side initiates the change of direction, and that ‘lag’ shallows the arms and club.

spine angle maintained as clubhead free-wheels through the ball.

braced right thigh provides the resistance to the coiling motion of the upper body. note the full wrist hinge.

remember sam snead? the squat look in the legs indicates a powerful transition. left arm maintains good width.

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Hips rotate all the way to the finish, while hands swing to a position above the left shoulder

left foot/left side provides the stability as my body recoils to a

totally balanced finish.

Justin RoseB u i l d i n g a b e t t e r

G o l f S w i n g

32

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Tin MineGolf & Country Club

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As I drive up to the

clubhouse entrance,

I experience a truly

magnificent feeling.

Complete and utter privacy

in an oasis immune to the

headaches and troubles of

my reality. The lush green

fairways clashing against

the red mountainous

backdrop is a sight I’m

certain I won’t forget

anytime soon.

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it is clear to the naked eye that a great deal of care has been

taken with the construction, with attempts made to avoid

destroying the existing natural vegetation that now surround

every hole. the effort was well worth it as it also attracts local

wildlife that can be seen or heard whilst strolling along.

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The Clubhouse

the recipe combines a clubhouse that meets international standards amid a state of the art golf course that has been created with an eye for preserving nature and a philosophy of being at one with its surrounding environment.

the clubhouse facilities include a snazzy pro shop with all of the top brands the golfing world has to offer, as well as warm and friendly staff waiting to help me pick out a piece of memorabilia.

a superbly designed terrace restaurant serving 5-star cuisine and broadcasting live sports on well positioned screens, adds to the atmosphere around the clubhouse. the terrace sets the mood for a splendid experience with its views overlooking the 18th hole that winds its way down a ravine, making its way to the green. What a grand finishing hole for both players and spectators.

for those golfing travellers who do not wish to lug their

clubs half way around the world, the pro shop offers top brand rental clubs from nike, taylormade, Ping to cobra and all the different shaft flexibilities and weights available. they even rent golf shoes! after a round, golfers can relax in the refreshingly modern, yet calming locker room that blends architecture and functionality to precision.

red Mountain Golf club also offers competitively priced corporate event rooms and since the soft opening in March, have held numerous events from some of the thailand’s leading companies such as Kasikorn bank, Honda, isuzu and siam cement Group. this global trend is well recognised a positive way to express thanks and appreciation to cli-ents at a 5-star golfing venue. Possibly another reason the golf industry is continuing to experience growth in these troubled times.

The Course in the midst of such a mixture of great golf holes, it’s difficult

View from the 1st tee.

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to pick just one to elaborate on… however, the Par-5, 2nd-hole is a great testament to course management and can set you back early in your round if played recklessly.

standing on the tee-box, golfers are faced with an uphill drive without any sight of the green, let alone the hole. the fairway dog-legs sharply to the right hiding the green behind a mountain, hence anyone wishing to hit the green in two will need to position themselves on the left hand side of the fairway.

the 8th is a downhill “risk and reward” Par-4 which is reachable to the long hitters, yet any slight miss-hit will flirt with the water hazards on the left or right, consequently an easy lay-up seems to be the percentage play.

demanding both length and accuracy the Par-3, 14th, has water winding along the right side of the hole, from tee to green, with a wide, yet shallow, green that insists only a quality strike will land the ball safely on the putting surface.

i could go on and on about more of red Mountain’s

spectacular holes as it’s so uncommon to find a course with no two holes alike, yet the one that remains full of charisma and character.

With this said, i must mention the course designer of red Mountain, Mr Jonathan Morrow, as it took Jon a pains-taking 3 years to complete his masterpiece of a golf course, resulting in such beauty and pure splendor.

it is clear to the naked eye that a great deal of care has been taken with the construction, with attempts made to avoid destroying the existing natural vegetation that now surround every hole. the effort was well worth it as it also attracts local wildlife that can be seen or heard whilst stroll-ing along.

Golfers may also notice that the native plants and trees are labeled with their correct latin name, which again shows the amount of time and care that has gone into this project.

iGolf is one of the world’s leading environmental sus-

View from the 18th tee looking towards the clubhouse.

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tainability organizations, originating from switzerland, that promotes eco solutions on golf courses by using organic materials to reducing waste. red Mountain and loch Palm golf clubs are both members of iGolf and continue to work closely in finding new ways of reducing their impact on the environment.

Looking forward

red Mountain is the latest 18-hole golf course to be cre-ated in Phuket. designed and created adjacent to the exist-ing loch Palm course, they share an interesting fact with both sitting on land which was one of Phuket’s tin mines in times gone by.

With this in mind, it makes sense to name the upcoming community ‘the tin Mine Golf & country club’.

both courses are branded under the MbK umbrella, along with their 5-star hotels and other major investments

around thailand, such as the world renowned shopping paradise MbK center.

future plans look bright for the area with preparation al-ready starting for the red Mountain Hotel, which is planned to be situated along the course grounds. the company re-search shows there is a demand for golfers who wish to stay literally on the golf course during their time in Phuket.

conceptual design plans include; conference rooms, an executive lounge, spa and fitness center, villas, a sports com-plex and a community mall, all included within the gates of this world class community.

With all this available on their doorstep, why would golf-ers wish to stay anywhere else?

Thailand swingimage 31

Boot leg trouser in turquoise, jade green, pistachio, and acid yellow tartan.Button placket top in golf ball white.Masters limited edition visor


Ian

Poul

ter

“He is a brilliant golfer as well as a brilliant self-publicist. at a time when it is incredibly difficult to tell the difference between so many of the world’s (often rather dull) professional golfers, it is wonderfully refreshing that Ian poulter sets himself apart.”

Chris Jones, Editor Golf World, April 2008


swingimage 31

Boot leg trouser in turquoise, jade green, pistachio, and acid yellow tartan.Button placket top in golf ball white.Masters limited edition visor


43Thailand

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International Professional Golfer & Sports Fashion Icon

Sponsors: Unlike other pro golfers, Ian only has 7 key sponsors as he chooses to wear his own brand of clothing – IpD. sponsors are Cobra, Footjoy, Titleist, Woburn Golf Club, Ea sports, Technogym and Oakley

Future tournaments: please visit www.ianpoulter.com for up to date scores and tournament statistics

Classic trousers in jet blackRaglan sleeve top in jet blackangular stripe ‘V’ neck jumper in jet blackMasters limited edition visor


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Ian took up the game of golf at the age of four when his Dad, Terry, a single figure handicap golfer gave him a cut down three wood. Ian turned professional at the age of 19 when he won the Open de Cote d’Ivoire on the Challenge Tour in 1999. Winning the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year title in 2000 provided the spring board for Ian to become one of the most exciting talents on the European tour.

Ian won the Italian Open in October that year and has gone on to triumph every year since; the Moroccan Open in 2001, the 59th Italian Open Telecom Italia in 2002 and The Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open and the Nordic Open in 2003. He came close to earning a place in The 2001 European Ryder Cup team by finishing 11th in the Qualifying Table, was on standby to join sam Torrance’s team at The De Vere Belfry if required and finally joined the triumphant European team that clinched the 35th Ryder Cup by an historic 18½-9½ Oakland Hills in september 2004. He was one of only seven players in 2007 to make all four cuts in the majors, to finish 13th at the Masters, to have two top tens on the Us Tour, to win his eighth title in Japan. He might have had a chance of finishing in the top 15 on the Challenge Tour, but for tripping over his golf bag leaving the BIl luxembourg Open and suffering torn ligaments and tendons in his ankle, necessitating a lengthy recuperation. None the less all this is quite an achievement for someone who has fought his way up the hard way from working as an assistant pro to thrusting himself into the world’s Top 20.

2007 saw the realization of one of Ian’s life long passion – his very own clothing label – Ian poulter Design (IpD). Ian’s passion for clothes began at the age of 11. To feed his desire to look good he would work at the market on saturdays in stevenage, merchandising and selling clothes. He would save up his weekly earnings to be able to purchase the latest fashion apparel. For Ian looking good and playing well go together;

Today Ian is proud to say that IJp has been launched in over 17 countries worldwide and it is fast becoming one of the most dynamic and exciting golfing brands on the market. Ian is still involved in the design of every garment he makes and is adamant that each one is personally tested on the golf course to ensure that their ethos of fusing fashion and practicality is continued.

Ian is an avid arsenal supporter and is personal friends with many of the players. He is also a regular visitor on the BBC’s Question of sport and is a personal friend of presenter Matt Dawson.

When not touring the world, Ian lives in a village near Northampton with his new wife Katie and their two children, aimee (6) and luke (4).

“In a world of terminally bland golfers who fail to understand the point of press interview, praise be for Ian poulter, undeniably a national treasure.”

Lawrence Donegan, Golf World, April 2008


46 Thailand

The Launch of IJP and the brand philosophy

Ian began sketching designs in 2003 on hotel letterhead and airline coasters as he toured the world. It was not until four years later that Ian was able to realize his dream by translating his ideas into reality with the launch of IJp – (Ian James poulter) which coincided with the British Open in July 2007

IJp is a high quality, unique and exciting golf and lifestyle brand with a fashionable edge. It is entirely focused on creating clothing which is both eminently practical but equally extremely stylish. Unlike many other sports fashion brands associated with international sportsmen and women, Ian is highly involved in each garment from conception to fruition. He is focused on the quality and fine details of each design so it will come as no surprise that each garment has been tested by Ian on the course prior to production.

Ian and trousers go together. The IJp brand philosophy is to ‘lead with the legs’ by designing the trousers first and then coordinating the rest of the outfit around them. as such, the poulter Tartan is also one of the key elements of the IJp brand. The bespoke poulter Tartans are milled in scotland and for each different collection three different tartans are woven. The fabric is then cut and the trousers are handmade by a london tailor.

Where we are today

One year on and you can now see the IJp designs both on and off the golf course. IJp has been launched in over 17 countries worldwide and it is fast becoming one of the most dynamic and exciting golfing brands on the market. april 08 sees the launch of the second collection in the story of IJp with their spring/ summer range hitting golf stores worldwide.

Ian is not the only touring professional to be wearing IJp. young rising British stars Gary Boyd and steve lewton are both dressed in IJp from top to toe. also the talented British female twin golfers sam and Jo Head wear IJp headwear.

34 swingimage

the Story of an International Sports Fashion Brandthe Story so far ......

“Look good, feel good, play good has always been my mantra.” Ian poulter

Ian was one of only seven players in 2007 to make all four cuts in the majors. He also finished 13th at the Masters, had two top tens on the Us Tour and won his eighth title in Japan. Quite an achievement for someone who has fought his way up the hard way from working as an assistant pro to thrusting himself into the world’s Top 20.



“If clothes maketh the man, then Ian poulter is one heck of a flash geezer”

Paul Mahoney,

Golf International,

May Issue

Classic trousers in golf ball whiteIJp laser cut beltMulti striped sleeveless top in golf ball whiteRaglan sleeve top in turquoiseMasters limited edition visor


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Thaicountry club

The Thai Country Club is a joint venture between the Phataraprasit Group and the the Hong Kong and shanghai Hotels limited. the Phataraprasit Group is a thai-owned business conglomerate with extensive business interests in the north of thailand, primarily in the distilling industry. the group expanded its interests into banking, ceramics, property development, investment, and retailing. the Hong Kong and shanghai Hotels, limited was originally incorporated on the Hong Kong stock exchange. the principle business of the company is the ownership and management of luxury hotels, such as the Peninsula Group, prime residential and commercial property and club management and consultancy services. the course was designed under us PGa international standards by denis Griffiths, at that time president of the world-renowned american society of Golf course architects, and opened in december 1996. the design adapts to everyday member use up to a very tough challenge for major international tournaments featuring the finest players in the world. the 7,157-yard course, from the professional tees, was tested during the 1997 asian Honda classic won by tiger Woods. the high-tech computer designed greens make for many interesting pin placements. the entire course features immaculate conditions, a neo-classic design and alkali variety from hole to hole, along with an abundance of water and sand hazards. the course is a constant test of one’s golfing proficiency. off the course, you’ll find the friendliest staff of professionals in the Kingdom, committed to making your golf experience a memorable one. so, whether you play from the tees for 7,157 yards, or prefer a more leisurely round at 6,105 yards, or somewhere in between, we have the ultimate golfing experience waiting for you.

For further information visit www.thaicountryclub.com

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Greg

Nor

man

Gol

f Cou

rse

Desi

gn

after consulting on a couple of golf course design projects in the mid 1980’s, i came to the realisation that the most successful designers had a dedicated approach whereby they established their own company and resourced it appropriately.

So, in 1987 I decided to create “Greg Norman Golf Course Design”.

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swingimage 51

I spent time studying several of the great golf course architects, namely a. W. Tillinghast and alister MacKenzie. For me, it was relatively easy to identify with the old masters as my favorite golf courses include Royal Melbourne, augusta National, st. andrews and Winged Foot, shinnecock and Cypress point.

Tillinghast interested me, in part, because of his commitment to the environment. “The creator of golf holes must not only possess imagination, but a keen appreciation of the offerings of nature,” he once wrote. “and the art of landscaping must be allied closely with that of the architect.”

In becoming one of golf ’s most respected architects, MacKenzie immersed himself in all aspects of the business. and the time he put into each and every golf course was incredible.

First of all, he worked in an era that was before jet travel, traveling instead by steamship and staying for weeks or months at a time. By spending that amount of time on site he was able to understand how a course would play under different weather conditions and he was able to give a tremendous amount of thought to the strategy of each and every hole.

a great example of his thinking, for instance, comes through in the 14th hole at st. andrews. The longest hole on the old course, it is a

581-yard par-5 that features the famous “Hell Bunker.” In the R&a building, there is a hand-drawn diagram by MacKenzie that shows how he designed the hole to be played in five different ways.

MacKenzie, similar to Tillinghast, strived to be one with the landscape and neither pushed a lot of dirt. They chose to work with the topography of the land, which, in my opinion, made for a more interesting challenge.

Essentially their philosophy was unique to each course they designed, which is a premise I adopted. Rather than imposing artificial features on the landscape, I believe it’s best to work with what the land has to offer.

after studying the great golf course architects of the past, I set out to get some experience under my belt. The late 1980s and early 1990s are today looked back upon as the halcyon days of golf course development. The game of golf was booming, real estate was booming, and new markets were emerging all over the globe.

My general strategy was to begin in australia, expand to asia and eventually move into the United states and Europe. This plan was not unlike the way I approached my golf career in the early days. I wanted to first prepare myself and gain sufficient experience before I entered the big leagues.


swingimage 51

I spent time studying several of the great golf course architects, namely a. W. Tillinghast and alister MacKenzie. For me, it was relatively easy to identify with the old masters as my favorite golf courses include Royal Melbourne, augusta National, st. andrews and Winged Foot, shinnecock and Cypress point.

Tillinghast interested me, in part, because of his commitment to the environment. “The creator of golf holes must not only possess imagination, but a keen appreciation of the offerings of nature,” he once wrote. “and the art of landscaping must be allied closely with that of the architect.”

In becoming one of golf ’s most respected architects, MacKenzie immersed himself in all aspects of the business. and the time he put into each and every golf course was incredible.

First of all, he worked in an era that was before jet travel, traveling instead by steamship and staying for weeks or months at a time. By spending that amount of time on site he was able to understand how a course would play under different weather conditions and he was able to give a tremendous amount of thought to the strategy of each and every hole.

a great example of his thinking, for instance, comes through in the 14th hole at st. andrews. The longest hole on the old course, it is a

581-yard par-5 that features the famous “Hell Bunker.” In the R&a building, there is a hand-drawn diagram by MacKenzie that shows how he designed the hole to be played in five different ways.

MacKenzie, similar to Tillinghast, strived to be one with the landscape and neither pushed a lot of dirt. They chose to work with the topography of the land, which, in my opinion, made for a more interesting challenge.

Essentially their philosophy was unique to each course they designed, which is a premise I adopted. Rather than imposing artificial features on the landscape, I believe it’s best to work with what the land has to offer.

after studying the great golf course architects of the past, I set out to get some experience under my belt. The late 1980s and early 1990s are today looked back upon as the halcyon days of golf course development. The game of golf was booming, real estate was booming, and new markets were emerging all over the globe.

My general strategy was to begin in australia, expand to asia and eventually move into the United states and Europe. This plan was not unlike the way I approached my golf career in the early days. I wanted to first prepare myself and gain sufficient experience before I entered the big leagues.


54 Thailand52 swingimage

During this period I developed several basic principles that set the foundation for what my approach to golf course design is today. First and foremost, I was going to respect Mother Nature. I had done plenty of traveling and had enough experience to observe the negative impacts of human development on the environment, so I resolved to take the opposite approach and be a good steward of the environment.

Least Disturbance

I learned from studying the designs of classic architects that each golf course has its own personality and character that is determined by the property where it is located. When starting the design of a new course, I spend considerable time finding the most desirable natural features of a site -- streams, rock features, vegetation, and undulating topography -- and incorporating them into the routing. I also go to great lengths to preserve and maintain as many of those natural features as possible.

In australia, I was fortunate to work on several pristine tracts of land. The Moonah Course, at Cape schank, south of Melbourne, is one such example. located on the undulating sand hills of the Mornington peninsula, it was apparent that we would not have to move a lot of earth to create a dramatic golf course. yet we were still challenged to find a golf course routing that made best use of natural topography.

On that particular project, we must have considered more than thirty different routings, not one of which moved more than 15,000 cubic meters of dirt. sometimes the greatest challenge is to have a perfect bit of land and extract the most from it.

Begin With the End in Mind

I insist on walking the property before the golf course routing is finalized, and I believe that going to the untouched site of each project is one of the most important things I do. During that first visit I try to paint a picture in my mind of what the golf course will look like when we’re finished, of where the land will lead us.

you might see a nuance with a rock face here, or a creek bed might be gentler over there. If you walk through the tall timbers, you might come across a large specimen tree. For projects that have these unique features, I work to preserve and incorporate them into the overall concept for the golf course.

Other projects do not have such distinguishing characteristics, so I will strive to create shape and undulation on a broad scale over the entire site in addition to crafting the individual holes. I’ll look out as far as the eye can see and try to incorporate a mountain, desert, seascape vista -- or whatever features that site may have. For those more challenging sites, I want the golfer to have the sense that we were fortunate to find a beautiful piece of land.



Substance Over Style

Many designers will incorporate water features, artificial landscaping or other man-made formations they believe will add to the aesthetic value of a golf course, but that doesn’t resonate with me. a great golf course incorporates as much of the natural surroundings and terrain as possible -- even when you have little to work with. a great golf course design is also about interesting shot-making, clever course management and challenging the golfer.

I have seen fortunes spent to create a parkland course with man-made water features, non-indigenous vegetation and manicured gardens... Employing a “substance over style” approach not only maintains the traditions of the game, but also creates golf courses that members will be challenged to play time and time again.

a good example of a project I did was the Great White Course at Doral in Miami, Florida, which was my first re-design. We were boxed in with limited land to work with and there were high-rising buildings on the north end of the property and power lines to the east. We had easements from roads on several sides, and of the total 90-acre site, approximately 27 acres were comprised of lakes. In the end, we took a golf course that was 6,600 yards, made it 7,400 yards and added a first-class hotel.

as the demand for our services grew, and as my knowledge of the industry expanded, I decided to open an office in the United states sooner than I had anticipated.

Greg Norman Golf Course Design has completed more than 70 golf courses on six continents. Norman’s courses have garnered numerous prestigious awards for design and also hosted sanctioned events on the pGa, Nationwide, European, and australasian Tours. Most recently the European Tour announced that the Norman designed Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, a premier residential golf community in Dubai, will be the venue host for the inaugural Dubai World Championship. This event will end the European Tour season in 2009 and offer a Us$10 million purse, the richest in golf.

an extract from Greg Norman ‘The Way Of The shark’. For more information www.shark.com


52 swingimage

During this period I developed several basic principles that set the foundation for what my approach to golf course design is today. First and foremost, I was going to respect Mother Nature. I had done plenty of traveling and had enough experience to observe the negative impacts of human development on the environment, so I resolved to take the opposite approach and be a good steward of the environment.

Least Disturbance

I learned from studying the designs of classic architects that each golf course has its own personality and character that is determined by the property where it is located. When starting the design of a new course, I spend considerable time finding the most desirable natural features of a site -- streams, rock features, vegetation, and undulating topography -- and incorporating them into the routing. I also go to great lengths to preserve and maintain as many of those natural features as possible.

In australia, I was fortunate to work on several pristine tracts of land. The Moonah Course, at Cape schank, south of Melbourne, is one such example. located on the undulating sand hills of the Mornington peninsula, it was apparent that we would not have to move a lot of earth to create a dramatic golf course. yet we were still challenged to find a golf course routing that made best use of natural topography.

On that particular project, we must have considered more than thirty different routings, not one of which moved more than 15,000 cubic meters of dirt. sometimes the greatest challenge is to have a perfect bit of land and extract the most from it.

Begin With the End in Mind

I insist on walking the property before the golf course routing is finalized, and I believe that going to the untouched site of each project is one of the most important things I do. During that first visit I try to paint a picture in my mind of what the golf course will look like when we’re finished, of where the land will lead us.

you might see a nuance with a rock face here, or a creek bed might be gentler over there. If you walk through the tall timbers, you might come across a large specimen tree. For projects that have these unique features, I work to preserve and incorporate them into the overall concept for the golf course.

Other projects do not have such distinguishing characteristics, so I will strive to create shape and undulation on a broad scale over the entire site in addition to crafting the individual holes. I’ll look out as far as the eye can see and try to incorporate a mountain, desert, seascape vista -- or whatever features that site may have. For those more challenging sites, I want the golfer to have the sense that we were fortunate to find a beautiful piece of land.


56 Thailand

on this site, a barren but nevertheless fascinating landscape was resurrected for us to discover. nature, in my humble opinion, is the undisputed champion of landscape design on degraded sites. We’re talking tiger and big Jack combined type dominance here. Given an army of labourers and an un-limited budget, man would struggle to come up with some-thing as simple and powerful as what we were left to find at Phunaka. i can picture, whoever was designated to take care of the Phunaka repair job by those above, standing on the site with the team saying oK, let’s try something different here. and different it certainly is. the result is a landscape somewhere between the tropics and scottish links land.

ten years on and the waiting is almost over. We are putting the final touches to what may just turn out to be a groundbreaking project. there are 9 holes and the par is just 31. there is also probably the best planned driving range in the south of thailand and there is going to be night lighting, a first for Phuket. in the us it would be called an executive or short course, the former a tag, i admit, i never understood. development course may be a better term for Phunaka.

Project developers, JrK Group may just accidentally hit

on a winner here. over the years the site has gradually become smaller. a road was built splitting the property. a large chunk of land was donated for construction of the stunning under construction sri supa ram temple which now dominates the property’s vistas. a large section at the head of the valley will eventually become a huge dam and reservoir, helping to solve chalong bay’s increasingly severe water shortages.

the remaining land was just about enough for a stan-dard 9-hole course or a lot of Homesites! instead, JrK di-rectors took the bold decision to build a high quality short course and driving range and retain a few select parcels for future property development, reasoning that they would like to provide a service for customers from every segment of Phuket’s maturing Golf market. a study of Phuket’s lo-gistics seems to back up the plan: While more than half of Phuket’s Hotels are on the southern half of Phuket, all of its Golf courses are on the northern half of the island. ad-ditionally, the vast majority of Phuket’s local residents live on the southern half. incidentally in Phuket folklore, hills forming the spine of the island from the southern tip at nai Harn, to just south of Phuket country club, resemble a

PhunakaPhuket’s first golf course in the south

The challenging 5th, par-3 view from the tee.

57Thailand

kind of ‘Judgement day’ scale sea dragon or naka. it seems the naka has reserved this spot until now. Given such an epic security guard, what else could they name the course but Phunaka!

the board of directors felt that night golf availability would attract significant numbers of casual tourist, beginner and senior golfers who may prefer a cooler and easier paced 60-90 minute game rather than to slog through 18-holes in the tropical heat. the directors were also smart enough to realize that discerning golfers were likely to become regu-lars only if they got a genuine fix for their golfing addiction. in short, the challenge on offer had to be ‘real Golf ’ with first class playing conditions. With par-3’s ranging from 100 to 190 yards and playing to all compass points, a short and a medium par-4 and a real par-5, players will need ‘every club in the bag’. With this focus, we also made sure the very youngest and oldest golfers were not forgotten by adding forward tees where needed.

tees and fairways will be grassed with bermuda Moun-tain Green; a new hybrid grass that grows aggressively laterally rather than vertically. this vivid green grass is among golf ’s most drought tolerant grasses and growing

characteristics will translate into less maintenance and kinder roughs!

What may be the biggest draw of all is the low price. Golf in Phuket is expensive. at the proposed 750 baht 9-hole ‘walk in’ rate is now less than half the price of the next cheapest 9-holes on the island and nearly 90% cheaper than Phuket’s priciest 18-hole green fee!

loch Palm member and JrK Managing director Mr. su-wat Wangkiat loved what we had done at red Mountain and gave us freedom to propose whatever we felt was appropri-ate for the site. a designer can’t ask more of a client. it’s a design cliché, i know, but on my first steps on the site in over 10 years, i immediately saw several ‘natural’ green sites. in my design experience, finding a really stunning natural green site and a suitable way to approach it is by far the best way to create a beautiful and memorable hole. although we proposed several different routing plans and changes were made as a little more land became available, 3 of those po-tential holes: the 1st, the 4th and the 5th were eventually built though the 5th is played in reverse.

the land has a distinctly ‘linksy feel’. How can this be when the site was never on the coast and is about as far

I always wondered if the old saying, ”Good things come to those who wait” had any basis of truth. In the case of the Phunaka Golf Course project it surely does. As long as 10 years ago, I remember exploring this site and thinking what a great 18-hole Golf Course this would make. As on all of Phuket’s Golf Course sites, tin mine operations ceased decades ago and left a landscape of opportunities.

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from scotland as any place on earth? one has to go back to the tin mining process to understand. tin was found in native soils by excavation and extracted through the use of large volumes of water. ore was panned out while the water sifted and separated aggregates into different sizes, leaving gravels and sand close. finer soils flowed away with the water. these sand and gravel tailings were sometimes moved ‘randomly’ around to get at new excavation sites. as on the original links land, nature’s fine shapers, wind and wa-ter, gradually sculpted sand deposits into ridges and valleys. native grasses suited to sandy soils then took hold.

Quite simply, the site evolved very much in the same way real links courses did, albeit on an accelerated and ‘min-ing assisted’ schedule!

the links look will be especially vivid during the windy part of the dry season when ‘dunes’ become a tawny sea of swaying native grasses. teaching Pro oliver bates caught the mood perfectly when he said, “you expect to run up over a dune and see the ocean on the other side”.

on the flatter links courses like st andrews, the nature of the terrain meant long views often came to the fore. on the old course’s closing holes church steeples and other ‘old Grey toon skyline features have become aiming points from certain tees and an integral part of the Golf course atmosphere. at Phunaka, the dominant presence of the sri supa ram temple and the more distant spire of the famous chalong temple also add a little local history to the mix.

in a way the client is just as important to the designer as the other way around. i was strongly opposed to Khun suwat’s desire to have a par 5 on the card, arguing it would eat up far too much precious real estate for little real ben-

efit and would happen only at the expense of other holes. from my teaching days, i also remember how much begin-ners struggled on the par 5’s. the 8th hole is now a 500 yard par 5 and probably one of the best holes on the course! More to the point, it allowed us to finish with the very strong par 3 - 9th through the ‘sand dune’ section of the property. it took some extra work, but thanks for proving me wrong Khun suwat!

at the end of the day (which in this case will be when the floodlights are switched off) the biggest test of any golf course is not how long or difficult it is, not whether it makes the latest ‘best of’ list or whether your low handicap friend approves. as designers, we have done our job well if the majority of customers enjoy their game.

With Golf becoming too expensive for many of Phuket’s local people including sadly many middle class families, Phu-naka hopes to provide a reasonably priced alternative to introduce new golfers of all ages and to subsequently de-velop their games. Golf should not be out of the reach of people who would like to try what is one of the few true ‘family’ sports. Whether they then stay or move on to the ‘big’ courses is not really the point. as i and so many others have, they need somewhere to fall in love with the game.

JRK GROUP MANAGEMENT CO. LTDPhunaka Golf course 74 yaowaraj rd, t. taladyal, Phuket Golf condominiums a.Muang, Phuket 83000Karon Phunaka resort & spa tel: 076 211232, 076 216180sinsukthani Housing Property fax: 076 218097 email: [email protected]

Golf course design by Jon Morrow: [email protected] tel : 081 6935614

MeMbersHiPs noW aVailable. call for special promotion and condominium details contact 076 521 121 or 086 4709 092

View towards the 7th green.

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for further information please contact Golf academy director: oliver bates

email: [email protected]

With teaching facilities in the surrounding area very limited, the Phunaka Golf academy will offer a much more develop-ment based teaching program for all levels of players.

With the driving range designed to simulate a real golf course, target greens with framing sand and grass bunkers are located at 25 yard intervals from 100 to 225 yards al-lowing genuine course like practice.

additionally, a 3,000 m2 short game practice area has been designed to provide every kind of short game chal-lenge including putting, chip and pitch shots from rough, fairway, flat and sloping lies.

bunkers will allow short sand practice from pot or regu-lar bunkers. the pitching area promotes distance control instruction from fairway, rough and even sandy lies.

Phunaka Golf academy’s Goal is to provide the whole learning experience in a setting as close as is possible to actual golf course play.

unlike most instruction and golf programs, the academy will be completely committed to the overall success of stu-dents and our highly experienced teaching doesn’t begin and end on the range. specifically designed instruction pro-grams and packages allow instructors to establish individual goals and objectives for each and every student and then follow their progress on our Golf course, leading to more enjoyment of the game and better scores!

as at least 50% of all shots in golf are played within 100

yards of the hole, we feel our private short game area will be a huge bonus for players committed to learning or de-veloping the full array of scoring shots.

beginners can learn and develop new skills while expe-rienced and advanced players can take their game to new levels, taking advantage of well designed personal tailored learning packages.

in the golf academy, the latest teaching software will be combined with proven, sound teaching methods; learning will also be fun with different levels of group les-sons available.

the Phunaka Golf academy has aspirations to become the #1 golf academy in the south of thailand . there will be a great emphasis on developing local junior talent with school and university golf programs also available.

Whether you are an aspiring professional or total be-ginner, the facility at Phunaka is available for you from early morning until the lights go down! individual, group and holiday packages are available. come and learn golf in a fun but professional manner on a great learning and practice facility.

Phunaka Golf Academy

60 Thailand

For VIP Hospitality and Tickets : 662-651-9499 www.TheRoyalTrophy.com

Ad swing

61Thailand

For VIP Hospitality and Tickets : 662-651-9499 www.TheRoyalTrophy.com

Ad swing

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Set in an idyllic peaceful,

tranquil surrounding,

where valley meets

mountain range, Black

Mountain Golf Club is a

course ready to please

visually as well as being

exciting for both the

experienced and

the average golfer.

63Thailand

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the course is located just 10 kilometers from the royal seaside resort town of Hua Hin in thailand. this well known resort town is fast becoming the choice retirement spot for local thais and expatriates alike with its proximity to major cities and increasing quality facilities.

Hua Hin is also home to many wonderful five-star hotels as well as six golf courses. black Mountain is now the 7th and due to its quality and beauty is destined to become one of the most famous and most popular.

after opening its links to the public in mid 2007 with rave reviews from everyone that played it, black Mountain is now one of the first choices for golfers in the area and has recently hosted its first tournament.

The Course the black Mountain golf course is positioned in a valley below the striking views of the regions “black Mountains”, which are so named because of the large black rocks set into their slopes. these settings provide a unique and beau-tiful backdrop to many of the courses feature holes.

the aim of the designer, Phil ryan of the Pacific coast de-sign company based in Melbourne, australia, was to create a golf course that looks as natural as possible and to maintain many of the natural features of the site including the natural creeks that run throughout the course and the natural rock formations that have been used as design features on many of the holes. Many of the original trees have been kept in

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place with plantings of new ones made to frame many of the holes.

as well as the natural surroundings, the designers were fo-cused on creating a course that could be a test for the top golfers in the world but also very playable and enjoyable to the local golfers that play here week in week out.

all the holes provide the golfer with a safe route, but for the more adventurous player there is a higher risk option with a potential for greater reward.

the design offers generous fairways for the shorter hit-ter while rewarding accuracy for the longer hitter with narrowing as the holes progress. the greens are large

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with a variety of pin positions with different degrees of difficulty with many of the greens well protected by sculp-tured bunkers.

Much thought went into the choice of grass, and it was decided to use seashore paspalum for the tees, fairways and rough. this grass gives a great playing surface and a beautiful emerald green color. it was decided to use tifeagle bermuda grass on the greens. this hybrid bermuda grass is now rec-ognized as the best putting surface in tropical areas.

The clubhouseno expense has been spared to make the golf course a standout in the area and the same is true of the clubhouse facilities. the strategically placed clubhouse gives stunning panoramic views of the whole golf course.

facilities within the clubhouse include fine dining in the res-taurant, a well-stocked pro-shop and high-standard locker room facilities.

the restaurant is on the top floor of the clubhouse and makes the most of the wonderful views overlooking the golf course and the mountains.

the menu is created to satisfy all tastes, with everything from breakfast through to dinner with homemade bread to classic thai dishes, salad, pasta, dessert and european spe-cialty dishes. the salmon is imported from norway and the beef is imported from australia and new zealand, to be sure of highest quality. also on offer are the highest quality wines, whiskey, cognac, champagne and cigars. the aim is to offer high quality food and service at a reasonable prices.

Many golfers dine at the restaurant following their game and the restaurant also has a growing reputation with local residents as well.

Villas & Condosthe construction of villas and condominiums on the black Mountain site is progressing quickly. the residences are be-ing built in direct connection to the Golf course with many sitting along the picturesque fairways.

only quality materials have been carefully selected by the specialist designers with their long experience in the con-struction industry here in thailand.

in total, 15 villas and 75 condominiums are being construct-ed with all providing the type of style and comfort expected from a first class development such as this.

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CONTACTemail : [email protected] : www.bmghuahin.com

Black Mountain Resort and Country Club Co., Ltd.12/16 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin Sub-District, Hua Hin DistrictPrachuabkhirikhan 77110, Thailand.

Mobile : +66 (0) 85 701 7536Direct Sales Office : +66 (0) 32 514 522-4Fax : +66 (0) 32 514 522

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