Here are my rankings on the golfing in these 2 countries on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being best.
Quality (30%)
Singapore (8): For a small island state Singapore has allocated land for close to 30 golf courses. The quality ranges from good at course like Orchid and Raffles to world-class at Laguna National and Sentosa Island.
Thailand (7): Of the 280 golf courses in Thailand, 60 are up to international standards. Thailand’s best courses include Siam Country Club in Pattaya and Black Mountain in Hua Hin. Both have played host to major professional golf tournaments and have been heavily honored by major golf journalists.
Service (25%)
Singapore (6): Singapore is a well-developed international tourist destination and as such the service is generally good from those working in the service sector. The main thing missing from golf in Singapore are caddies as labor costs are prohibitively expensive to enable this.
Thailand (10): The Thai people are renowned for their friendliness and this shows on the golf course as well. Locals golf side by side with golf visitors and all Thailand golf courses include individual caddies as standard.
Golfing Experience (25%)
Singapore (6): Singapore enjoys a hot and humid climate all year round. Daytime temperatures vary little through the year and are around 30 degrees centigrade. Singapore has a range of accommodations, international restaurants, as well as some interesting sites for visitors
Thailand (10): Interesting Thai culture and world renowned nightlife ensure as good of a time off the course as on. Golf in A Kingdom is all about the Thai golf experience. My favorite non-golf activity is a foot massage. After all, it is only $10 US and can be found on practically every street corner.
Value For Money (20%)
Singapore (4): Golf in Singapore is very expensive. Green fees at the Sentosa Serapong Course are $300 US a round. Accommodations are also very expensive as a good 5* hotel room costs over $300 US a night. Food and entertainment, while also nice, are also expensive compared to neighboring countries.
Thailand (8): It is true that Thailand golf courses have continually raised their green fees over than past 5 years and many of the better Thai golf courses now charge over $100 US for a round. The good news is that lodging and other costs are very reasonable, so a Thailand golf holiday is less expensive than you might think.
Overall Verdict (100%)
Singapore (5.90): Singapore is not big a golf destination in and of itself. Most golfers prefer to combine Singapore with other destinations like nearby Bintan or Malaysia. Also, Singapore can be considered for a short stopover as Singapore Airlines has many good connections to other Asian golf destinations.
Thailand (8.70): Thailand is a very popular golf destination for golfers from Europe, Asia, and Australia. For a truly special golf experience where everyone leaves a winner, Thailand is hard to beat.
Stay tuned for the next world golf challenge to see how Thailand stacks up against other golf destinations. Let me know if you want to see your country included in my survey.
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