THIS MONTH
Hua Hin Online Community
Firstly the staff and moderators at HHAD would like to wish all of our readers and sponsors a Happy New Year. We have many things planned for 2008 with the introduction of a number of new websites and online services. Our sales and marketing group at HuaHinMedia.com
have reported that our readership for 2007 exceeded 500,000 making HHAD the best
read website for the area.
Plenty of topics on the forum last month with the most popular discussions being about the current high season and events and activities over the holiday period. A number of bars and restaurants put on Christmas and New Years dinners, the most popular being Crawfords, Jungle Juice, Johnny Walkers and Coco 51. As usual local fine food purveyors Hua Hin Ham & Bacon Company were flat out supplying the expat population of Hua Hin and beyond with Turkeys and Hams for the festive day.
There was also a lot of discussion on the alcohol ban and the unfortunate situation in downtown Hua Hin where the farang bars were ordered to close and Thai venues seemed to remain exempt. A disappointing turn of events for tourists who have spent a year saving for a holiday to Hua Hin only to be told that bars will be shut over the Xmas weekend for an election that they cant vote in. Many places were sympathetic and continued to offer alcoholic beverages to tourists albeit disguised in a coffee cup though the majority in Hua Hin’s busy centre simply remained closed in fear of large fines from the local constabulary.
There were lots of events throughout December with the inaugural Jazz Train to Ban Krut which we had a good report on and the vintage car rally which saw the streets of Hua Hin sent back in time as classic cars cruised the town. Local HuaHinian’s celebrated his Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 80th birthday on the 5th with street entertainment and gatherings. Plenty of transport questions were asked as readers looked for the best ways to get to and from Hua Hin. We have also resumed our taxi services and can now also offer a travel in style option with limousines; more information and online booking can be found on www.taxihuahin.net
Dolphin Bay was the subject of one report by a reader who compared the sleepy beach town to years gone by. The rapid property development occurring there now could spell an end to the ecosystems that attract so much bird life to the area and surrounding national park Sam Roi Yod.
As usual there was plenty of visa discussion as more foreigners become concerned about the new 24 hour reporting that seems to only be in effect in Hua Hin district. The mind boggling labyrinth of ever shifting rules and regulations regarding long term visas for foreigners in Thailand keeps the forum busy in that department.
With a number of reports of break-ins recently there were a few concerned voices on the forums. Many questioning the reliability of security on mainly farang occupied housing developments and a few mixed reports on the response from local police. Some good advice was given regarding securing your property and possessions, especially if you are living near a construction site where many of the workers are underpaid migrants from the Northeast or Burma.
HHAD forums are the definitive online message boards and discussions for the area with over 3,000 members. There are sections for finding and booking accommodation, seeking out bargains, and exploring the local area and beyond. There is also a nightlife section for the night owls, a restaurant and feeding guide along with an online meeting point for visa runners and clubs. The ever popular “Ask the expats” section is great for quickly getting the answers you need from the people that live here.
Logon and find out what is happening in Hua Hin:
There is also a blog for the Hua Hin area at:
FIRST JAZZ TRAIN ROLLS!
Hua Hin – On 12 December, the first Jazz Train left Hua Hin Railway Station on its historic run to Baan Krut, 150 kilometers south of Hua Hin. “This was the culmination of a lot of hard work by staff, family, and friends” said Mr. Ray (Rewat Ayutthaya), originator of the Jazz Train. “By and large, we found our passengers very, very happy with the experience, and we are thrilled by the positive feedback.” “When we conceived the Jazz Train, we wanted to have a fun, social experience. We looked at the options available, and elected to use the 3rd class local rail service, reserving one car for our group. This kind of car is not air-conditioned, but has open windows for great views and lots 
of air, and a seating arrangement conducive to a party atmosphere.” “When we surveyed our customers at the end of the trip, we found that the great majority really appreciated and enjoyed our idea of traveling this way. A few seem to have expected something different. All we can say is that we’re very sorry not to have been able to please them in this way. For future, we want our passengers to understand that this is the kind of experience we offer. It may not be suitable for every single person, but very many folks really seem to like it.” On arrival, guests were greeted with flowergarlands and local schoolchildren doing traditional Thai dance. After settling in at Sala Thai resort (www.salathaibeachresort.com/english.htm) on Baan Krut’s beautiful beach strip, there was an evening dinner
and concert, with more music at breakfast and lunch. The trip finished with a visit to
the remarkable Wat Thang Sai, one of Thailand’s hidden treasures, and a return to
Hua Hin by air-conditioned coach. Tickets for the next Jazz Train on
December 26 have sold out, and another run has been scheduled for January 9.
Tickets may be purchased by phone at 089 181 6328 (English), 081 880 4211
(English or Thai), or 081 772 0986 (English, German, and Swedish), or by
sending email to huahinjazztrain@yahoo. com. The Jazz Train web site is at
www.huahinjazztrain.com. Tickets are also available during live jams every Monday and Thursday evening at Ray’s Place Restaurant, one block south of the downtown night market. For directions, phone 089-181 6328.
The Wine Rack
CONTINUING FROM OUR WELL RECEIVED FIRST FEATURE ON WINES
LAST MONTH, WE HAVE TWO MORE EXCITING WINES TO SAMPLE, ONE
FROM NEW ZEALAND, WHOSE WINE INDUSTRY ALTHOUGH MUCH
SMALLER THAN NEIGHBOURING AUSTRALIA’S BUT A REGION ALSO
GETTING EXCELLENT REVIEWS, THE OTHER FROM CHILE WHOSE
REPUTATION IS ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED, AND PRODUCING SOME
FINE WINES. BOTH AVAILABLE FROM HALEX ON PETCHKASEM ROAD AT
THE FRONT OF THE GRAND HOTEL. THIS MONTH WE HAVE EXPANDED
“WINE RACK” TO INCLUDE A DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THE WORLD’S COMMONLY USED GRAPE VARIETIES AND THE DIFFERENCE IN FLAVOUR FROM ONE GRAPE TO ANOTHER. SANCTUARY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2007
Good news for those of you considering the environment, the philosophy at Sanctuary (New Zealand) is to make great wines with minimal environmental impact. If you are considering serving a fresh seafood meal this wine would be an ideal accompaniment. There is no need to consider age as this wine is made for drinking in its youth, although it can easily be cellared.For those of you who relish the wine buffs description they say its bouquet has an intense blend of tropical fruits, hints of herbaciousness and sweet
pea. Its palate is of Honeydew melons with an overlay of gooseberry. Elegant style with good weight and balanced finish. Feel good about the environment and enjoy a good wine for 920 Baht.
CARMEN CHARDONNAY
Originating from Chile this Chardonnay is ideal for consumption with cheese, poultry, fried vegetables, seafood and fish. It has a bright green-yellow colour and is fresh and crisp. During harvest the grapes at Carmen are handpicked. The wine buff description is of pineapples, peaches, grapefruit and lime balanced by creamy and hazelnut notes. Very expressive with a lot of fruitiness in the taste and aroma. A bottle of Carmen Chardonnay can be purchased for 540 Baht.
GRAPE VARIETIES
There are thousands of varieties of Vitis vinifera, the European wine-giving vine, a direct result of this tenacious plant’s penchant for mutation. However, there are a much smaller number of major grape varieties used to make wine, the result of centuries of trial and error, as well as the demands of the market. The most widely planted grape variety for red wine is Cabernet Sauvignon. Its home from home is Bordeaux but it has become so popular in recent years that it can be found in virtually every red-wine growing area of the New World. Relatively easy to grow and crop, it tends to make cassis-scented wines with fresh acidity and tannin. It often crops up in red blends (Bordeaux essentially being a region of blended wines) because its firm structure works well in conjunction with fleshier, softer varieties. One of Cabernet’s most common blending partners is Merlot; the world’s second most planted red variety and whose soft, plummy nature is ideal
for the purpose. Its easy-going appeal has, however, also been its undoing – producers have tended to plant it anywhere and everywhere, when in fact it needs specific conditions to work well. The resulting raft of boring Merlots has inevitably led to its reputation taking a knock, though it’s worth remembering that one of the wine world’s most highly prized and expensive reds is Château Pétrus, made in Pomerol, Bordeaux, almost exclusively from Merlot.
Chardonnay is another variety that, like Merlot, has suffered from over exposure. Because it is easy to manage in a range of conditions it was enthusiastically adopted by New World countries like the USA and Australia, in the process becoming the world’s most planted fine white grape variety. Wines made from Chardonnay tend to reflect their origins; thus Chablis is steely and crisp, while many Australian versions are warm and ripe. Its natural affinity with oak has been both a blessing and a curse – great care is needed to avoid the wine becoming sickly, but when the process is managed well (as in the best white Burgundy) then it can make some of the finest white wines in the world.
Something of a direct contrast to Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc makes an aromatic, tangy and usually unoaked white wine. Perhaps its most vibrant expression can be found in New Zealand, though other countries like Chile and South Africa are also making exciting, expressive Sauvignon.
Striking aromas of green pepper, passion fruit and citrus are what identifies these styles, while the more classic interpretations of this variety come in the flinty, herbscented wines from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Pinot Grigio is a white variety currently in vogue for its
easy-drinking, understated qualities. The most rewarding versions, however, tend to be richer in style and grown in Alsace, New Zealand or Italy’s Alto Adige, where it is more commonly known as Pinot Gris. Riesling is, by contrast, one of the least understood white varieties, often overlooked because of its (unfair) association with poor quality German wine. In fact, Riesling can make some of the most rewarding and complex white wines in the world, and in a range of styles from the delicate, offdry German whites (great with spicy Thai food) to the steely, racy wines of Australia. Two red varieties that deserve a final mention are Syrah and Pinot Noir. Syrah, also known as Shiraz, can make wines in a range of styles according to where it’s grown. Warmer areas tend
northern Rhône, Chile’s San Antonio) give wines with a more restrained, pepper-and meat character. Pinot Noir, meanwhile, is celebrated as the wine lover’s red variety. Difficult to grow and make well, it needs a specific balance of conditions – not too warm, not too cold – to make the kind of expressive, subtle and delicate reds that so endear it to wine aficionados. Perhaps its finest expression can be found in Burgundy, though the cooler areas of California, Chile, Australia and New Zealand are also starting to produce excellent Pinot.
FINISHED BASTING YOURSELF ON THE BEACH YOU WANT TO TRY A NEW RESTAURANT
Varied and venturesome are the modes of transport
available to the valiant traveler for trips long and short, in and around or to and from the city of Hua Hin. There is a certain amount of risk and reward involved in some forms of mobility, for example the risk of sitting in the back of a samlor as the driver attempts to cross the main intersection just as the traffic lights change, is well rewarded when you arrive at the picturesque railway station. If there is a prettier station anywhere in the world I’d love to see it. The Brits and some of the Europeans (I’m not including the
French, as they feel right at home motoring here) can feel a little unsure as they take their first unsteady drive in a hire car. The vehicles turning left on to a main road without
looking, the motorbike with 4 (sometimes more) people on board traveling right at you in the wrong direction, can all seem a little daunting. You get used to it pretty quickly, or
you take a cab! Here are your options.......
FOR RENT:
Bicycles: Usually rented from hotels, make sure you lock the bike securely. Costs vary.
Motorbikes: 100-125cc much faster than they look, reliable and cheap on the gas. Get a helmet with the bike and make sure you wear it. Approximately 200 baht per day.
Motorbikes: big ones, usually slower than they look, a lot of fun as a pose, but generally unreliable as they are built of imported bits. Only for the enthusiast!
Cars: Avis and other well known rentals available with good insurance. You will need to check the insurance on some of the road side rentals. A guide for hiring per day is as follows: Truck 1500 baht, Honda Jazz 1500 baht, Honda City 1000 baht.
WITH DRIVER:
Samlors, a must do on you holiday, best to keep of the main road however! The approximate cost off a ride around Hua Hin is 200 baht.
Tuk tuks, another must do, fun and nippy to keep that appointment at the bar. Here are two sample rates:
Nightmarket to Market Village 100 baht Hilton to Black Mountain 400 baht
Taxi’s: No meters here so agree the price first, the drivers are usually friendly and very willing to offer you sightseeing trips into the bargain. A rough cost guide would be 400 baht to Black Mountain golf course. A taxi to Bangkok airport will cost you in the region of 2700 baht one way or 4000 baht return.
Songtao: Simply put, a converted pick-up. Usually two rows of seats in the rear providing cheap and regula round trips from Hin Nuam Sai Suay to Kao Takieb along
Phetchkasem Road. About 10 baht from town centre to Hua Hin hospital.
Motorbike Taxi’s: Cheap and good for short trips if you don’t have too many bags. Motorbike taxi rates from the
Nightmarket to Market Village would be about 30 baht.
Mini-buses. Regular runs to Bangkok, some pretty pedestrian, others, hold on to your hat. You are very likely to strike up a meaningful conversation with the fellow travelers. Cost
to Bangkok is 180 baht each way. Just turn up, as they leave
when they are full, about every 30-40 minutes. The Dusit Hotel also runs a shuttle service to and from the Dusit Thani in Bangkok.
Busses:
Blue Bus: A regular service to Bangkok. See chart above. Located on Sra Song Road which intersects the main nightmarket.
Orange crush bus. Very much a stop start trip, cheap and regular, not advisable to go further than Cha Am particularly for the larger built passenger.
New Bus Service: On Phetchkasem Road approximately 500 metres south of Market Village. Sample fare: Hua Hin to Chiang Mai, 844 baht. Departure times, 08.00, 17.00. For further information call 032-514477, 032-514387
Lomprayah Bus: A service that connects with the high speed catamaran. Travelling between Bangkok and Koh Samui. See chart right.
Air: Great service particularly for those with onward flights. The airport is located approximately 7 kilometres north of the centre of Hua Hin on the Phetchkasem Road. Telephone 026 646099.
Train: As mentioned the train station is one of the features of Hua Hin, built during the reign of Rama VI. If you are not in too much of a rush, it is a convenient way of traveling to and from Hua Hin. The sleeper compartments are well worth considering if for example you are travelling to Malaysia. See timetables opposite. Oh, and not forgetting walking – a word of warning, vehicles can turn left against a red light so be very careful when crossing the road. Not such a problem here but in Bangkok motorbike riders, in particular taxi drivers take great delightin driving on the footpaths. Beware.
A room with a view
In summer, our windows and views become the focal points of our rooms. An inspiring
view can alleviate the sense of being trapped indoors, whereas a bad view can make us
irritably aware of our surroundings. Diffusing a bad view is about subtle camouflage and
playing with light. Texture, colour, pattern and movement are your requisite tools for the
task. Investigate the huge choice of sheer fabrics available. Sheers can be made up as roller blinds or flat panels; as full length curtains with a gathered heading for fullness; or as straight drops of fabric with no gathering (avoid short gathered sheers as they emphasise the size of the window and are reminiscent of the dreaded net curtain).
White and cream increases the sense of openness and transparency. For a romantic
look, with sheers billowing in the breeze, choose a fine white or cream cotton voile.
Appliqués on sheer fabrics add contrast and prevent the eye from travelling to the
outline of the view beyond.
For a defined look, with fabric holding its own, opt for one with more body such
as organza or synthetic polyester. Colours in silk organza tend to be stunning, but
polyesters are less prone to fading. Fibre optics are now included in some state-ofthe-
art fabrics; they come into their own at night as attention-grabbers.
For window blinds, consider treated paper. It has more character and is more
environmentally friendly than man-made materials. Choose from paper roller blinds
or concertina style blinds for maximum light without the sun’s glare; or Japanese
Shoji screens, which can be adapted to Western windows with great effect.
Wooden shutters or slatted blinds are ideal solutions to the summer dilemma of
letting enough light into a room without overheating. Blend them into the background
by painting them to match the room’s colour. Or choose a rich wood finish to make
a statement. Two pairs of slatted shutters per window gives you flexibility: keep the
top pair open for a liberating view of the sky, and the bottom pair closed to hide an
unsightly view.
Don’t rely on window treatments alone as camouflage. Plants bring the outdoors
to mind and soften views. An external or even internal window box, overflowing
with bright summer colour and cool greens, will offer immediate visual relief and
privacy. Or frame a window with a pair of tall, leafy plants.
Create a window seat or add comfortable seating beneath the window. Colourful
cushions will divert the eye from what the window faces. Internal windows or lit,
opaque glazed panels create the illusion of more windows in a room.
For rooms with good views, keep window treatments to a minimum and avoid strong
contrasts with the rest of the room’s interior.
“All too often, utility rooms are practical, serviceable areas devoid of character”
Giving them a little attention can pay dividends: the drudgery of housework can be lightened in a pleasing setting, and the area can multi-task instead of being the general dumping ground for the household. Start by clearing the clutter and rationalizing the space. Decide what needs to be in the utility room and what belongs elsewhere. To help you plan the location, quantity and configuration of required storage, put the items left in the utility room into the areas where they are most frequently used. Next, decide on a look or theme for the room: something that will be uplifting and inspirational. If the area is used daily as an entrance and exit for the property, make it an easy transition space, its feel in keeping with the rest of the home. Blend flooring, wall colour and storage unit finishes with the area that the utility room adjoins. If it’s not an exit point but a stand-alone room, get creative and adventurous with colour and decor.
Display holiday memorabilia that never found a place in your home, paint the room a light shade of Caribbean blue and hang native art and beachcombing finds. Or turn the utility room intoa reminder of your favourite sport, outdoor activity or pastime – anything that will take your mind off the chores at hand.
With your theme decided, rethink the actual space so that it’s easy and practical. If you’re prone to untidiness, build floor-to-ceiling narrow storage cupboards with doors to hide the evidence behind. Carefully planned units house laundry products, ironing board, mops and brooms, vacuum cleaner, recycling bins, general household items, coat hanging, shoe and boot storage. Include a section of bench seating for putting on and removing footwear. If you’re reasonably tidy and have artistic flair, team open shelving with freestanding pieces. Before investing in new items, check your home for under-used shelving, chests of drawers, dressers etc and see if any can be adapted to serve the utility room. Wooden pieces bring warmth and character, but be sure the room is big enough or you’ll be tripping over them daily. Attractively displayed baskets and interesting storage containers for essentials (covered enamel bins for
detergents, small terracotta pots for clothes pins, etc) add the finishing touch. Next, address the basics. Lighting is important - avoid the harshness of neon, but ensure that there’s good overhead lighting - especially for ironing. Flooring should be non-slip and practical for cleaning; soften the coldness of tiles with a washable area rug. Uncluttered work surfaces for folding and stacking laundry and adequate hanging space for drying and airing are essential. When space is tight, a traditional airer (that pulls up and down from the ceiling) is more practical than a clotheshorse and holds more than an indoor clothesline.
If you’re starting from scratch, plan the utility room with your comfort and convenience in mind. Choose machines that are virtually silent, especially if the room is to multi-task. Always check energy labelling on white goods – for the environment and your pocket. Adequate ventilation is vital to avoid condensation. Add a laundry sink for soaking clothes, washing muddy boots, etc. A built-in television alleviates the
boredom of ironing, and wiring the room for sound is a plus. When your utility room is bright and
pleasant, attractively furnished, and the machines run quietly, consider getting it to multi-task. If it’s not a
main thoroughfare, it can be used for pursuing a hobby, or even as a home office. Ideally, you’ll need to conceal the white goods: washable, unlined curtains hung below a worksurface will do the trick nicely, or consider chain mail for a clean, contemporary look.
MARRIVA JUICE BAR IS HERE!!!
Hua Hin Marriott Resort and Spa Boost your day with a health packed “Viva smoothie” or a fresh squeezed juice from the “Big Squeeze” menu board! Nutritional
drinks, protein and vitamin boosters plus stylish packaging makes the Marriva Juice
Bar the only place to get your daily juice boost! Marriva (meaning the Marriott Life)
is open from 9am daily and is located on the beach lawn at the Hua Hin Marriott
Resort & Spa. Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa, located directly on the beach, with the lush greenery of its tropical gardens flowing down to the white sand and blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand. 190 kilometres south of Bangkok and only 10 minutes walk from Hua Hin town with shops, restaurants and soft adventure activities.
State Game
John Wither and his very innovative wife Ya signed the lease in November to operate the new driving range in Hua Hin into hopefully the very, very long future. Ya has set up a restaurant on the very far right side of facility and it is situated under a huge shade tree and is in an open-air design with massive teak furnishings that will allow dining for an intimate few or allow huge groups to gather when necessary.
If you were familiar with their previous Road Hole Restaurant then you won’t need
to really read about what the food is like, but if you aren’t, Ya is a wizard with food. She has come up with some kind of Khon Kaen/Hua Hin (who knows what to call it) fusion recipe with sliced duck breast, sweet peppers, apples and who knows what all else that makes you think maybe (I’m lost for words to describe it), she also has a very mild yellow prawn curry to just die for and I’m sure there are many by now that wish I’d eat enough to do so. I love food and can’t stop, sorry folks but there is the full Thai traditional menu and a nice size European menu also. My Issan wife and I ate there and I saw her ordering her meal from the Thai drink menu???? I asked what the heck she was
doing as this was right next to an entire page of western cocktail specialties all written in English and I just assumed it was the Thai translation of the cocktails. Oh “Amazing Thailand” and Ya, wrong on you Tom, it is an entire page of just Issan specialties written completely in Thai (you’ll never ever have a problem telling your Issan wife or girlfriend you want to go to the range. As a matter of fact she’ll probably start accusing you of neglecting your practice and force you to head out there). All other Thai meals are in Thai, English and phonetic Thai/ English with ratings of zero to four chillies (pictures of chillies to designate how hot the meal is). Be assured she can have her staff customize your order to suit your taste buds very easily, Ya can do anything!
Is this a restaurant or a driving range? Wrong! What? It’s more than one or the
combination of the two. It is Magic. You stand at the range and you are hitting
out to one of the most beautiful sites Hua Hin has to offer.
There are 40 large covered night lighted areas (yellow lights that repel mosquitoes)
with mats and automatic ball teeing machines that look out at a verdant tree
covered mountain range (the driving range sits just at the outskirts of the city of
Hua Hin on the first flat plateau). Behind that first mountain range is another even
larger mountain that rises in the distance with greenery everywhere and huge
outcroppings of rocks, mix in huge trees on and around the range and it is simply
spectacular (my only complaint, ha ha, comes with the night lighting as it is so
bright and brilliant you can see where they used a slightly different shade of paint
on the very bottom of the 275 yard sign, shame on you John).
Get there quick and see this place in its infancy so you can say, “oh I remember
when it was just opened and there wasn’t a...”. John has many plans, one is to
create a huge all turf-grass practice area (maybe room for another couple dozen
or so stalls) so you can practice off the grass instead of the mats and he is planning
on a putting green and a bunker so nothing will be lacking at this beautifully
designed facility.
Facilities.... uhm, err, well how do you say it.... oh well, even the toilets are state of
the art, all electronic functioning and sanitizing and bring your sunglasses inside,
as there is not a hospital in 50 miles that will be able to meet the standards that they have, showers included. Keep those sunglasses on because there are 10,000 brand new blinding
white logo’d practice balls to beat to your hearts content. He wants the place to be fun and will have a set of fun targets set up for your pleasure and certainly some small
time wagers to see who can hit the giant golf ball at 100 yards (it was such a pleasure to see his three sons, brotherin-law, a nephew or two and him digging up this monster
getting it on the back of his pickup and moving it to the top of a small knoll where everyone where everyone would have a chance to hit it. Definitely a family affair with his
five-year-old helping by smacking every ball he could get his club on. Just a wee
bit of magic). Maybe the left window of the facade of a country farmhouse that he is drawing up (now you finally hit a window of a house with a golf ball and don’t worry about it) may be a more pleasant target. Heck you may win 10 baht from your five buddy’s who were trying to do the same and now it’s time to try to hit the front headlight
of the Mercedes Benz 500CLS (well not really, but a wooden facade anyway) that
will be out there. If that doesn’t satisfy you I hope he will eventually have the man
in the suit and tie with the briefcase and his hand out that will be representing the
“Income Taxman” at about 75 yards so everyone can use their driver and try to get
him right between the eyes. He’s talking of having a bell out there and if you ring
it it’ll get you a free drink. Golf can be about winning and golf can be about having
fun and it definitely can be about both.
This range is no joke (though my writing probably is) and John’s game and abilities
aren’t either, he’s seen probably more than most PGA golf pros in the world at
the semi-young age of 37. John’s pedigree started as an assistant in the Scottish
PGA (that’s a four year minimum course of work and study before you qualify,
if you qualify, to become a PGA pro). Well he did it one better and proved he
was the best in the greatest golfing nation in the world by winning the 1993
Assistant Professional Golf Championship and in so doing received instant “allexempt’’
status on the Scottish Tartan Tour. From club assistant-pro to playing pro
he took his career half way round the world and won the China Open in 1995 or 1996 (it’s harder to get him to talk about his past glories as it is to get me to stop talking about basically nothing, MICK!! this is your last warning) he can’t remember when I ask him.
In the process of touring John fell in love with Hua Hin and decided to call this home,settle down and married Ya and started raising a family and they now have five children. For seven of the last nine years you would see John pack his bags
in the spring and go off to Usedom, Germany to teach at the Balmer See Golf Club Resort. It was an 18-hole course in which John assisted with the designing of another 9 holes and also designed a complete state-of-the-art six-hole practice facility and range.
He was responsible as “Head Pro” for creating, managing and hiring a staff to
teach golf for the club members and the guests of the resort and under his tutelage
managed to have the facility ranked third best in Germany. So now let me tell you
about my pedigree. It all started (ha ha fooled you again). I don’t want you to burn
this magazine Lasse and Colin do too much to entertain and assist the residents
and visitors here for me to spoil it for them.
Be assured that Hua Hin has never had anything to compare with what he is
creating at the “Mongkol Driving Range” and his associated “Hua Hin Academy of
Golf”. Every distance has been measured using GPS, he has state-of-the-art video
and computer systems for swing analysis. Forget electricity, turn out the lights
and get down to it, he has the ability, the expertise, the experience and practical
knowledge to follow in the path and style that Harvey Penick showed us with his
“Little Red Book”.
Banyan and Black Mountain Golf Courses have progressed very well. They are our
two newest courses in the area, Banyan is looking to open in the spring and Gavin
has Black Mountain manicured to the level that is expected of him as one of the
finest, if not the finest, green superintendents in the Kingdom. Kenny Walker and
his staff are fine-tuning all the details to get ready for their first Asian Tour event in
the spring after this one. Their eventual goal of hosting a European PGA tour event
in the near future should not be far off. Be assured when the big name pros, and
not so big names, have finished on the course you’ll probably see them gravitate
out to Mongkol.
Magic, I promised magic and you can feel and possess it, become part of it. Stop by
Mongkol Driving Range during any tour golf tournament and sit around the tube
as a half a dozen pros and amateurs did during the Barclay’s Singapore Open. The
insights that you’ll get when you see what they have to say about what is really
happening will bring you into the real world of professional competitive golf.
Maybe you’ll sit back a few tables and just enjoy something to drink and enjoy
it alone; the big wide screen allows it all. What was poor little Ernie Els crying
about in Singapore (I said)? John set me straight with the real story that probably
98% of good intelligent golfers don’t even know, and amazingly it completely
verified something I had been discussing with him earlier in the week in regards
to what was happening with the Asian Tour. It went back to something that the
then commissioner of the tour and he tried to convince the players to vote for
in the late 90’s at their annual meeting. They voted against it, they got rid of the
commissioner and now the Asian Tour might be starting to pay the price. What
am I talking about, I ain’t saying, John may tell you but now I understand the big
picture.
Magic, talk to Bernie and how John offered the Hua Hin Golfing Society a
special deal on lessons and almost everyone who took him up on it won their next
competition (was I talking about winning earlier?). Bernie you still are my only
hero in golf now (as I finally think I can beat both Arnie and Seve) your devotion
and time has enriched the lives of so many people here in Hua Hin, but more
than that your devotion to charity has changed so many young children’s lives
that would never ever had a chance unless you were spending those enumerable
hours making sure that everything you did was as close to perfect as you could
make it.I’ll never be able to say enough good about you so all I will say is Good
Luck again with this year’s Christmas Charity event and as always I know it will
be a huge success in more ways than one (Kevin though not spoken you’re not
forgotten).
Magic? Big, Burly, Shave Headed, Gruff Talking (but what a glorious laugh and
sense of humour), Scottish Pro, John MacKenzie (I would have felt fortunate
to have had you back to back with me a few times in the midnight catacombs
of East African, Mombassa or anywhere on some side streets from Tijuana to
Cabo in Baja, Mexico) and there he is after a simply gorgeous sunset has burned
through the mountains of Burma behind Ya’s restaurant and in his arms he is
cradling something a million times more precious than the finest crafted Faberge
Jewelled Egg to the Czar of Russia, more precious than the finest crystal that
Tiffany created.
Dare I say more precious, without a doubt, more precious than the Claret Jug?
There he strolls nose to nose with his two week old wee thing of a baby cradled
in his arms cooing as sweet and gentle as a dove finally attaining world peace.
Magic, I promised you magic and I admit it maybe I can’t deliver it, but it’s out
there, you just have to know how to find it. I got lucky.
If your not the lucky type then maybe you’re made to work a bit harder to find it.
If you want to try to put a wee bit of magic in your game or maybe your child’s
golf game give John a call at the range and his Hua Hin Academy of Golf at 081-
142-6216. Remember you are never too old or young to have fun AND improve
on this glorious game of golf.
Oh yeah I almost forgot, Choke Dee (Good Luck), as I have said before you never
can have too much Choke Dee. Doctor Dave, Steve Ross and Colin Denny we
will always love you and never forget you. If you hear someone yelling Fore and
laughing that’s me on the cloud behind you hoping to join up and make a fun
foursome.
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