Phoenix Members Golf Society
On Tuesday, Oct. 29, we played our last game of the month at Phoenix and with all the ballyhoo (I am sure most of you know by now) of the new owners imposing totally unrealistic financial changes for both guests and (more importantly) members, we are very unsure of the future of our group at Phoenix.
This will be very sad because along with other groups at Phoenix (we are now five years running), we feel this may be the end of the road. More on this later.
Friday winners pose for a photo with staff at The Relax Bar.
Onto the day’s game and we played for the Trattoria Italiana restaurant voucher, and of course it was also the day to improve scores for the monthly player of the month award sponsored by the Blue Olive restaurant. With our good friend Giorgio Baccioli (sponsor of the Trattoria voucher) away in Italy for a well earned break, we played for his voucher without him.
Peter Harris.
There were four players who scored 37 points on the day but only one of these was in the ‘A’ Flight, that being Stuart Gordon, with the other three scores coming in the second division. On count back of the back nine holes Peter Harris just pipped Stuart Gordon to claim the Trattoria Italiana voucher.
Stuart had the consolation of winning the A Flight ahead of Steve Gibson on 36 points in second and Richard Baldwin third with 32. The aforementioned Peter Harris won the B Flight on count back over Jim Neilson and Kevin Bird.
Near pins went to Joris Goetschalckx, Bob Neylon, Joe Miller and Ulf Berggren. The lucky draw prizes were claimed by Ulf Bergstrom, Werner Schwarz, Mike Gerrard and John Clift.
On Friday, Oct. 18, we played for the KPK Food Services voucher and to the amazement of everyone it was yours truly (Mike Gerrard) winning with only 32 points. It has to be said the weather conditions were horrific and at one stage we had to shelter for over one hour before the skies cleared and the sun came out. In second place was Peter Harris with 31 points, third was Steve Gibson with 28 and taking fourth spot was Mukesh Thakkar with 27.
One of the really good things about Phoenix is the drainage. After the torrential downpour for over an hour we expected to have to putt through mini lakes but within 10 to fifteen minutes of the storm passing you would not have known we had had any rain at all.
Now onto the political position at Phoenix Golf Club. The new owners (who I have to say for many years we have all been wishing for so as to improve the course) have indeed made many changes which have given new views and greenery to the course. The Ocean course has been closed for some 6 months and major changes have been made. However, I am informed that the Ocean nine was opened on November 1 and it will be apparent that this will be at least 2 to 3 months premature.
Stuart Gordon.
Coupled with this, the new owners have now changed all financial arrangements as well. The walk-in price has been set at 2,500 baht per player for mid week and 3,000 baht weekends. Carts are compulsory at 600 baht per one player only and caddy fees have been raised to 350 baht.
There will be a 30% discount for walk-in players if they are signed in with a member. However the members’ price changes are even more ridiculous. Members will now have to pay 400 baht playing maintenance fee, plus 24,000 baht per annum membership, 350 baht caddy fee and carts (again compulsory at 600 baht for one player only). To cap it all, the new owners have also imposed a transfer fee of 200,000 baht to sell the membership. Yes, two hundred thousand baht! Who is going to pay that?
All of this is very sad, because Phoenix (in my opinion) is one of the best tracks in the area. Every hole has its own characteristics and hazards. As said before, the drainage (for the most part) is superb and the views are the envy of many places.
Maybe we have had it too good in the past and some increases were inevitable, but most people feel that these increases are too severe, and imposed too quickly. Members have invested quite a large sum of money buying their share membership and now, because of high increases, it has become impossible to regain any outlay from the past.
Sadly it would seem that some major squabbles are inevitable and even legal advice is being sought at this time by some members.
I would like to state publicly through the press that we would hope the new owners will listen to the members, rethink their policies and be more realistic. As it stands everyone will lose. Attendances will go down dramatically at Phoenix which will affect everyone and lead to more problems for the new owners to think about.
