Santiburi Samui Country Club - Koh Samui

We asked the hotel staff any good golf course around and it seem to have only one around in Koh Samui. However, back to our room, i read from the leaflets i took from the lobby and it mentioned there is a new golf club which is a cheaper option than Santiburi.

With the same amount of paying the cab fare to the course from our hotel n back, we rented a car that we can drive around the island for a day. We tried to search for the alternative golf club but gave up in the end.

When we finally reach Santiburi, it was raining (Monsoon season). Jokingly, i ask the staff is there a discount for playing in the rain, he suggest we play the twilight golf (9 holes) and perhaps the rain has stopped by then. After 5 hours of spa, we started our tee off.

I find the course quite challenging for me especially when i can't hit far with irons and lost quite number of balls. It was my first time having a caddy around and i was not used to it. I find it even stressful as my pace seems to get double fast.

I will love to to play again and hope that next time round, i will have lesser balls missing.

Berjaya Hills Golf & Country Club - Bukit Tinggi

During the National Day Holidays last year, we thought of making a short trip to KL and maybe a round of golf nearby. From the web, we found this Berhaya Hills Golf which is about 45mins drive from KL and decide to stay there for a night first.

If I remember correctly, it took us 10-15mins to drive up the hill. Along the way, i saw a Japanese Tea House sign, and followed by construction of the castles like hotel which seems to be completing soon. Finally, we reached our destination... for a few minutes, i do not feel like I'm in Malaysia at all. Its a mini old French setting theme park and now the castles along the way i saw make sense. We stayed at Colmar Tropicale like resort and request our room to face the golf course. Since we arrived in late evening, we can't see the course clearly.

Due to the cooling temperature climate, we slept till the late morning and tee off around 10plus. I remember it is not a easy course for me as you can see from the pictures that the fairway is in keropok shape.

A place good for family and kids but i think a day/night stay is enough. Perhaps those castle like hotels has completed and has become a much bigger theme park now?

Scholl Canyon

Our last golf game on our California trip. Quite a fun course and you will find yourself teeing off higher and higher off the ground.

Laguna Seca Golf Ranch - Monterey, CA

This was my first game that i have completed 18 holes.

When i first saw the buggy, i was shocked.. No shelter?? It was so hot and sunny, i was wondering why can't they provide us a proper buggy with shelter! Heh, then did i realise that those buggy are for bringing us to the driving range only.. thank goodness.

We especially love the surrounding views of the driving range, so spacious, so well maintained, how i wish we can have this kind of driving range in Singapore.

Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Links

Looking at the numbers of pictures uploaded here, you can guess that this is one of my favourite course and at such a great bargain compare to the courses nearby. Since I'm only a novice, I do not want to spend too much on a game or it be just such a waste with my skills, perhaps when I'm better, or much better, then i may reward myself to Mission Hill or Pebble Beach.

It offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, and it puts you really at ease where you can heard the waves splashing against the coast and the sea birds flying across us.

It was recently ranked by Zagat Survey as one of America's Best Golf Courses. The 18-hole golf course features a restaurant as well as a golf pro shop.

Pebble Beach

As we travel along the 17 mile drive through the Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach, Des insists that we must go to the Pebble Beach Resorts. New to the game of golf, then did i realise that Pebble Beach Resorts is one of the top golf resorts in America. It has been the site of golf's most prestigious tournaments, like the U.S Open Championships.

Des was excited, he said he has watched Pebble Beach on the TV and how beautiful was their signature hole and now he is here.

O mine, it was indeed one of the top golf resorts. Their rates were also top notch, almost US$500 for the 18 holes on Pebble Golf Links, which means about S$800 for a 18 hole game!

We went to a much more affordable course and yet also playing along the same Pacific coast.