Palm Hills Resort & Country Club,
Hua Hin
To the west of the capital, a few courses around the Kanchanaburi area are following suit and are slowly but surely warming to the concept of course-side housing and residence complexes; a similar scenario exists at a small selection of the courses around Chiang Mai in the north of the country.
The two areas currently flourishing property-wise are the seaside resorts of Phuket and Hua Hin. The former is now a well established market with residences on offer around a number of courses. These are much sought after, especially throughout the expatriate and international communities.
Laguna Phuket, on the island's west coast, truly captures the ideal golfing lifestyle with its privately owned houses, villas, hotels, restaurants and spas. Inland, Loch Palm and Red Mountain play centrepiece to a selection of two-storey housing projects, either alongside the fairways or in the surrounding countryside.
These family-orientated residences are laid out to enjoy the best views and are only a few minutes from everyday facilities such as shops, hospitals and even an International school.
There are a couple of new developments off the island which in future years will add to Phuket’s appeal. To the north of the island, Thai Muang Beach Golf and Marina is currently closed for redevelopment and is undergoing a brand new course layout, complemented by spectacular properties and a state-of-the-art-marina.
Heading east across Phang Nga bay to Krabi, The Cove has employed the talents of Scottish golfing legend, Colin Montgomerie to design an onsite course as centrepiece to a series of hotels, condominiums, houses and a marina. If yachting and golf are your sports, these stunningly beautiful areas will both be worth investigating; Phuket is rapidly becoming the yachting centre of the region.
Off the opposing coastline, the island of Koh Samui is a hive of activity with all manner of construction projects and, as the island currently has a choice of three courses to play, there's always a view of the green stuff in the offing!
Back on the mainland, golf course-related developments around the twin seaside towns of Cha Am and Hua Hin are continuing to gain in popularity − so much so a brand new course is today's incentive to buy property and, with some of the finest courses in the country, the attraction is significant!
With nearby international schools and working from home a reality, it’s possible to carry on with the job whilst the kids receive a good education − and still have time to play golf regularly in the sun. But if you miss networking and simply can't get along without it, Hua Hin has its very own golf society which regularly turns out over 50 members and guests for twice weekly games on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Members from all walks of life have opted to relocate in Thailand, so if retiring to a warm golfing destination by the beach is your dream, you won’t be alone − there’s plenty of convivial company and, if just playing golf is not enough, many of the gang can be found at Berny’s Bar in the centre of town in the evenings − and yes, they will be talking about golf!
Of the more established courses in the area, Palm Hills Resort & Country club is the most advanced residential development with a few of the original plots for sale as well as a new selection. Most houses feature individual designs, which makes for an interesting mix and, with a busy resident’s sports club and its proximity to town, it will never be short of takers.
Springfield Village Golf and Spa has sold almost all of its plots with, to date, only a few seeing any sign of construction, but with a 27-hole course as a garden, along with hotel and spa, this is a very desirable place to live.
Then there is another splendid course that recently arrived on the scene: Banyan Golf Club. Which offers residential property – condominiums, houses or luxurious villas − nestled in the hills overlooking Hua Hin with superb vistas over the countryside and, in places, out to sea.
With increasing affluence comes the search for an active leisure time and, if living the golf lifestyle is a full time attraction or holiday pastime for a few weeks a year, there are few countries in South East Asia better suited than Thailand.
Plus putting a sport (particularly golf) and property together adds value to the investment. Couple that with a comfortable and secure lifestyle and the luxury of being able to play golf right on your very doorstep and you surely have a winner. Perhaps those 90s developers were on the right track after all!
