During this end-of-year stay, we followed Philippe Heuzé from Voyages Golfissimes in Hua Hin in Thailand, on some of the superb golf courses that he had carefully selected for us. For this high-end escape in Asia, we were accompanied by a group of enthusiasts, collectors of routes and hunters of beautiful destinations. Philippe is a golf trotter who defines himself as a creator of dreams and memories for fans of exceptional courses. Passionate about travel, golf, and exclusive and original destinations, he organizes among other things the famous pro-am of South Africa which took place in recent days in other latitudes and which we spoke about recently in the section trips & golf courses on swing-feminin.com. But back to the Hua Hin site. Once a small fishing village, the arrival of the railway at the beginning of the 20th century was to draw good Thai society to this white sand beach in the wake of the royal family. Under the leadership of King Rama VII who built in 1920 a first summer palace to escape the heat of the capital, Hua Hin (literally the head of the rock) became "The" fashionable seaside resort. Located 250 kilometers south of Bangkok, the city that still welcomes the sovereign couple for the holidays is known for its climate, its seafood restaurants, its luxury hotels and its sweetness of life, when the harshness of winter cruelly knock on the doors of Europe.

Discreet luxury

Alchemy was therefore present in Hua Hin at the end of 2015 and the total change of scenery. We appreciated the quality of the courses, the irreproachable maintenance of the greens and fairways, the variety and the beauty of the landscapes. We also reveled in the elegance and the natural and discreet luxury of the Grand Centara Beach Resort, a magnificent building typical of the colonial era. The old "Railway", now completely rehabilitated, was the first hotel built in 1923 by Prince Purachatra and the architect Antonio Rigazzi. On arrival at the establishment, you will discover superb lush gardens, planted with sculpted bushes representing wild animals. Precisely, a hunter opens the door of your car, armed with a superb smile, braided colonial style hat, chocolate knicker and jacket and white gloves, straight out of a Tintin album. After having climbed the few steps of the porch you are immediately transported into a timeless atmosphere, worthy of an Agatha Christie novel where one expects to meet Hercule Poireau at every moment ... The staff, always smiling and attentive is always taking care of it and will make your stay unforgettable. You can ask for almost anything, a private barbecue right by the beach or an approach contest on the hotel's putting green. Be careful of the mojito penalties for failing putting….

Fairytale New Year's Eve

The evening of December 31st was particularly breathtaking ... A crowd of happy few mingled with the residents of the Grand Centara, gathered to celebrate the New Year around tables covered in white, superbly set up in the illuminated gardens of plant animals, on the edge of a huge orchid-shaped swimming pool. A perfectly orchestrated waiter's broom followed for the great pleasure of the guests an army of cooks preparing lobster ravioli, spit-roasted meats or a farandole of Thai specialties. A perfectly fine-tuned choreography that also ensures that the buffets are perfectly fine in passing.

stocked with oysters, giant shrimps, local lobsters, king crab and other fatty varieties ... A magical New Year's Eve in the tropics which ended with a private concert, musicians and dancers on stage, a set of DJ's and as a final bouquet a fabulous fireworks display.

Because the Grand Centara is indeed the alliance of vintage charm associated with the comfort and services of a luxury resort, all wonderfully presented by the legendary Thai hospitality. This palace with authentic charm is currently considered one of the most romantic establishments in Asia. Its fully preserved decor, typical of the colonial era in the Kingdom of Siam, was used in particular for the filming of the film "The Killing fields" - La Déchirure in French - by director Roland Joffé, 1985 Oscar for best actor for a supporting role (Haing S. Ngor).

Smiling younger girls

On the golf side, we were also spoiled, each hole bringing its share of scenery. Throughout our stay, the magic continued to operate both on the various courses with varied landscapes and on the fairways and manicured greens of Hua Hin that we had the chance to discover. This paradisiacal evocation would not be complete without evoking the omnipresence and the dazzling smile of the sympathetic younger girls. One of the specificities of Thailand is indeed to use the services of female caddies specially trained to guide and accompany golfers on all types of courses. These young women in impeccable uniforms, despite the sometimes stifling heat, know the courses perfectly and generally read the greens very well. They are good advice and will give an exotic touch to all your rounds of golf.

Golf courses in the immediate vicinity of Hua Hin:

© TPlassais / Swing Féminin

The Banyan Golf Club 

We fell in love with this charming and extremely technical course. Opened in 2008, it offers golfers the chance to play in the heart of nature in a preserved and almost wild environment. Its assertive Thai-style clubhouse offers the services of a five-star establishment.
This exceptional golf course appears in the “Top 1000” of the Rolex list which lists the thousand best courses in the world.

http://www.banyanthailand.com

Black Mountain Golf

Opened in 2007, this very scenic and renowned course is located in the heart of a natural valley with several pools of water near each hole. The Black Mountain course requires a very special concentration from each player. It has already hosted three international tournaments and has won several international awards. In 2014, for example, it was voted "Best Golf Course in Asia-Pacific".

http://www.blackmountainhuahin.com

 The Springfield Royal Country Club

This magnificent 27-hole course with its all different and unique landscapes has been designed to stimulate the golfers' senses and appetite for competition. A championship course with five sets of tees offers several levels of difficulty.

www.springfieldresort.com/golf

Imperial Lake View Resort & Golf Club

The Imperial Lake View Resort & Golf Club is the first 36-hole golf course in the vicinity of Hua Hin. It is located a little inland, set back from the seaside resort among farms and orchid fields. The great diversity of the 18-hole “The Imperial Lake View”, “The Desert Course” and “The Lake View links course” courses will surprise both beginners and experienced players.

The Sea Pine Golf Hua Hin

One of the newest golf courses in Hua Hin, it faces the seaside area of ​​Khao Takieb to the south of the city. This 18-hole course that runs along the sea is notably divided by the railway that connects Bangkok to Phuket.

The Royal Hua Hin golf Course

Opened in 1924, the Royal Hua Hin golf course is the country's oldest golf course. It offers attractive tee offs in the middle of the jungle with a breathtaking view of the Gulf of Thailand. Designed by a Scottish railway engineer AO Robins, the Royal Hua Hin is located in close proximity to the train station and the city center.

http://www.golfhuahin.com/royalhuahin.htm

The Majestic Creek Country Club

This 27-hole course spanning 7 hectares in the heart of lush nature was created by the architect Sukitti Klangvisai. Recent renovations have allowed this golf course to rise to the level of the best courses in the region. Golfers particularly appreciate the complementarity between courses A and B.

http://www.majesticcreekcc.com

Must see on the way back about 1 hour from Bangkok airport this last course fallen from the sky is to be discovered absolutely before setting out again aboard the majestic A380 of the Thai

The Nikanti Golf Club

In Thai, Nikanti, translates “happy”: it is easy to understand that in this place there are many reasons to be. Fresh out of the ground for about a year, the Nikanti Golf Club is simply superb. We are already impressed by the disproportionate size of a club house with very clean architecture. The ultra-designer changing rooms offer top-of-the-range facilities and top-notch comfort, sauna, hammam, jacuzzi, everything is included in the green fee. The restaurant offers lunch and dinner before departure and upon return, hot and cold buffets, both excellent… Perfect maintenance, a flawless course layout, an aesthetic worthy of a major course. Each hole leaves a precise memory thanks to exceptional greens and fairways. An originality in the design, 6 is the number of par 3, 4 and 5. Nothing is left to chance until the casting carried out to recruit the prettiest young girls in Thailand

In conclusion, we strongly recommend a golf getaway to Hua Hin for the end of year celebrations, naturally at the Grand Centara Beach Resort and if possible under the guidance of Philippe Heuzé of Voyage Golfissime. Atmosphere and change of scenery guaranteed.

Thierry Plassais for swing-feminin.com

Useful information :

Philippe Heuzà ©
http://www.voyages-golfissimes.fr

Centara Grand Beach Resort:
http://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centaragrand/chbr

Tourist Office of Thailand:
http://www.tourismethaifr.com/Accueil/index.tpl