Burapha Golf Course Playing A&B

[@metalheads-golf]

Windy conditions don't help to score on such a course. Narrow an a lot of bunkers. You seemed totally in your element. Well done Simon. 💪🏻😎🤘🏻

[@thehairygolfer]

It's a course I love. It has whupped me on many occasion and I've done well on it. It's the sort of course that rewards you and punishes you. Great company that day which always helps.

[@metalheads-golf]

@@thehairygolfer Awesome 💪🏻😎🤘🏻

[@stuartcaldwell2262]

Again I wouldn't mind a bunker lesson. Apart from 1 you were pretty solid. Chin up, you never know where you might play one day.

[@thehairygolfer]

I promise you a bunker lesson. On the first it seemed a bit firm underneath, might not have been totally my fault. You never know, I might book up again. With flights being cheap right now I might just have to take advantage of the offers. Oh, I just did.

[@GONADSable]

Nice looking course there mate You seem more relaxed too playing that course .Cheers Nads

[@thehairygolfer]

It's a really nice course, mid priced and in good condition. Always been a favourite since I first played it. 2010 maybe. Nice having really good playing partners and having a laugh. That's what it's about. Where else in the world do you get to play with a South African and an Italian and have a blast? Wish I had played with them a lot more.

[@nevillehubbard7347]

What a pretty golf course! And what a challenging golf course!!! Well done! Starting with a triple, yet still only ending up +7 is decent golf whatever way you look at it. I like the mixture of holes there, particularly with a tiny par-3, albeit, off the ladies tee! plus a couple of par-4's of under 300 yards. Those test different skills and in a mix with a trio of brutal par-4's in 8, 9 & 10, it's great to have holes where it's all about your wedge play too! I feel that too many course designers in the modern age make the mistake of overdoing the long par-4, to the extent that their courses become monotonous. So this, in contrast, looks a really fun course to play! All in all, a nice way to close your holiday out!!!!

[@thehairygolfer]

It is a lovely course Neville. But you can't book it. When you turn up you just have to hope that you get A&B rather than C&D. CD isn't bad but it's not a championship course, it's the poor relation. That short par 3 is usually 135 half a club uphill so it's an 8 for me. I guess the correct tee was under repair. Lot's of divots probably. Very good mix of holes, one time playing forward with Bill (as he was 70 years old) I was within a whisker of having 3 birdies on the bounce. The short par 4 4th where I had to dash for the toilet, the par 5 and then lipped out on the par 3 6th over the water. But off the forward tees I don't really count my score. I can't remember what it was as it was back in 2009 or 10.

[@neilfarmer6609]

Completely agree about the course design Neville. A couple of par 4s at 280, 320 add a bit of variety. I’m amazed how some courses have all their par 3s of similar yardage, where you could take the same club on all of them.

[@nevillehubbard7347]

@@neilfarmer6609 Hi Neil. I'm a fan of Dr Alister MacKenzie and the way that he designed courses. His theory was that every type of player should be able to play a par-4 hole, whether "their par" on the hole was 4, 5 or 6, so he designed in alternative routes of getting to a green. He took his inspiration from St Andrews, so let's use that as an example. The 17th hole in particular, exemplifies this. The pro hits his drive over the corner of the hotel, then has a mid-iron into a green guarded by the road hole bunker left and the road and OB right. If Simon played the hole, he'd take a slightly more conservative line across the corner, would hit his 4-iron up in front of the green, chip on up the length of the green, and wonder what all the fuss was about!!! Me? I can't make the carry so I'd drive to the left, hit hybrid down to where the pro's drive to, hit another hybrid down in front of the green, chip on, and wonder what all the fuss was about! But, playing off 15.6, I'd get a shot there, so my par would be 5! The trouble with newer designs is that there always seem to be forced carries which not every player will be able to make, whatever tees they are on! I also agree with you about par-3's. One of the more 'exciting' par-3's I've ever played is the 4th at Ilfracombe GC (Simon filmed there about 4 years ago). It's 71 yards long, across some old mine workings to a wide but shallow, curvy green tilted from back to front (with a planted border behind it that was part of the course, so you had to play it from there!). If you were above the hole you were toast as it sloped away from you, if you aimed to drop short you risked spinning back off the green, into the mine workings, if you were putting from below the hole, if you didn't hit the putt firmly enough it came back to your feet, if you were too firm you had a quick downhill putt. 71 yards and it was the stuff of nightmares. But I'd rather have that puzzle to solve, than 220 yards to a bland, flat green! Apologies, I've written you a book!!!

[@neilfarmer6609]

@@nevillehubbard7347 Great point about St Andrews, Neville. Some courses have all of the par-3s at 160-175 off the yellows or 170-185 off the whites. I think some places prize the overall yardage of their course over quality or quirkiness. So you’re essentially playing the same part 3 four times in the round. And don’t get me started on 220 yard par 3s! They are usually dull as ditchwater. I only know Mackenzie in terms of the greens plateaus so I’ll look up some of his courses.

[@thehairygolfer]

@@neilfarmer6609 Neil, last time I played Eastern Star (one of my favourites) we had a 1 club wind and with the flags being front and back all the par 3's were a 5 iron! I had to laugh.

[@ChiliDippaGolf]

I've never scored better then double bogey when I go bunker to bunker. Tons of bunkers and water on this one. That stiff wind must have been a real battle. I can't remember the last time I've seen you score a triple, those trees are suppose to be 90% air. We have bermudagrass on most courses here and it can be pretty nasty when the ball sits down in it. I love the layout of this course and it looks very challenging.

[@thehairygolfer]

It's a great course Mark. I think the back tees are 6950 yards that they play the professional tournaments from. I believe the All Thai Tour plays there every year. Put some speed in the greens and it becomes difficult. That rocket off the tree branch and onto the cart path was so funny. Had to wait for it to land to figure out where it had gone. I find tropical grass does strange things compared to home and I never really get used to it. The par 5 with the second shot over the corner of the lake is a great hole, I've learned to come up short of the green rather than end up in a greenside bunker. Never known wind like that in Thailand before. Cheers

[@CarlBroadbent]

Great video Simon. Why will it be your last time playing abroad ?

[@thehairygolfer]

M.U.N.Y. or rather lack of.

[@CarlBroadbent]

@@thehairygolfer what’s the rough cost to go play there for 7-10 days ?

[@thehairygolfer]

@@CarlBroadbent Hi Carl, depends on so many factors. Your seat on the plane, the hotel, what courses you play etc. How you react to jetlag can restrict how much you play too. I personally wouldn't go for less than 14 days because of my struggle with jetlag. Economy gives you 25 kilos and a 5 kilo carry on. I have done it in economy but it's a bit of a squeeze on weight. Give me shout in my email for all the details if you like. Cheers Simon Probably better to take it off line.

[@seanbeamish1328]

Hey Simon, was great meeting you here. Was a good fun round of golf. Hopefully we will see you out there again. We probably heading that way this year again around the same time. 😊 DM if you might be able to be convinced to be in the neighbourhood.

[@thehairygolfer]

I've made up mind to come back and I'm booked to go to Phuket in November. That will be my last trip as I head into retirement. You are certainly welcome to join me, would love to play with you both again and have some evening meals. Cheers Simon

[@seanbeamish1328]

@@thehairygolfer will speak to Michi. Will see if we can make a plan. 👍🏻

[@thehairygolfer]

@@seanbeamish1328 Cool. Going with Golf Asian. Got about 13 rounds planned in 3 weeks. If it fits your plans that will be great.

[@seanbeamish1328]

@@thehairygolfer we used them as well. Top class experience. Michi is set on Pattaya, also because of the fireworks festival then, but will have a chat with him when I see him. We can only do a week though.

[@thehairygolfer]

@@seanbeamish1328 The fireworks are something else to see. Just got to keep your hand in your pocket on beach road while watching. Speak to you soon then.

[@TahirKhan-qz8tl]

That 4 iron over the water 191 was absolutely amazing. What do you mean last time playing in Thailand or any other country?❤ 👍 🇨🇦

[@thehairygolfer]

I hit the 4 iron a lot on that holiday for some reason. Best one might of been on my last round at Khao Kheow if you search that one out. 16th hole I think. I'm retiring soon and at that time I didn't think I would have the money to ever go again. As it happens I have just enough for one last trip. Cheers

[@ZaxDrumsGolfandMore]

Simon you had a tough start on the 1st!! It's good to hear that you finally got paired up with someone who knows ready golf and that you can have a decent conversation with!! The 14th tee looked really nice being elevated a bit!! The course looks very nice!!⛳🏌‍♂ Looks like it took a couple holes to get settled in but when you did you started playing really well!!

[@thehairygolfer]

2 bad holes Zax but I enjoyed it. The rocket off the underside of the tree branch onto the cart path was quite funny. One guy was from South Africa and the other Italian. Where else in the world could you be paired with Gents like that? I really enjoyed being with them. I just hope my camera wasn't a distraction for them. Shame it was the last round and I had to pack the case that evening. Cheers