The Royal Trophy, a Ryder
Cup-like team golf competition,
takes over the sport’s landscape
for the second consecutive
year January 12th - 14th
in Bangkok, Thailand. A
total of sixteen matches,
including foursomes, four-ball
and singles, will be played
at the exquisite Amata Spring
Country Club. The course
comprises a 7,453-yard layout,
two large lakes, a river,
a 230-yard relentless par
3 17th hole and Asia’s exclusive
floating island green. Europe
and Asia’s elite golfers,
among them Henrik Stenson,
Robert Karlsson, Paul McGinley,
Darren Clarke, European
Captain Seve Ballesteros
and Asian Captain Naomichi
‘Joe’ Ozaki, will collide
in the ‘Battle of the Continents’
in two months time, but
the best seat in the house
will be a four-day, all-access
pass to a blissful holiday
experience - the ultimate
travel package.
With a crisp winter sun
and cloudless skies awaiting
January tourists, the weather
in Bangkok is ideal for
most travelers. Though the
world-class golf will whet
any golfer’s appetite, it
is Bangkok’s intangibles
that appeal to the most
discerning of travelers.
All guests will stay at
the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
- the Luxury Collection
hotel. The five-star hotel
encompasses modern Thai
elegance, adorned with rich
woods, marble and silks,
pristine tropical gardens
and a renowned free-form
swimming and Jacuzzi, one
of the most famous in Asia,
among its other legendary
facilities. Basil, a popular
Thai eatery at the Sheraton,
offers indigenous food but
provides diners with an
education into the Thai
culture and cuisine; Royal
Trophy visitors can interact
with Chef Sutthaporn Chulavachana
in basil’s ‘open kitchen’.
Guests can also mingle at
The Living Room, Bangkok’s
premiere Jazz hotspot, over
cocktails after a day of
golf - both playing and
watching.
Bangkok offers indulgences
galore for the Royal Trophy
guests. An hour-long full
body massage at the Grande
Spa, one of Bangkok’s urban
sanctuaries, is a designated
resting stop. The City of
Angels is now the hip fashion
hub of Asia, the shopping
does not end. Guests also
have the opportunity to
tour Bangkok’s sites, one
can cruise along the Chaophraya
River for an evening of
music, fine dining and a
breathtaking view of Bangkok’s
historic landmarks (the
Temple of Dawn, Grand Palace,
Suspension Rama VIII bridge,
and a host of the City’s
oldest hotels) while mingling
with the Royal Trophy guests.
And an added reason 2007
is the year to holiday in
Bangkok for the Royal Trophy
is the Event is being held
in commemoration of His
Majesty the King’s 80th
Birthday Celebrations.
If the Royal Trophy competition
is not enough to bring you
and your guest to Thailand,
then the travel packages
will woo you. The three
and four day trips are the
closest one can come to
experiencing the best of
Thailand: superb hospitality,
a great five-star hotel,
delectable cuisines at every
meal, an outstanding spa
visit, terrific sight-seeing,
the chance to play golf
on some of the continent’s
greatest courses and most
importantly, exciting professional
golf. The Royal Trophy experience
is a total package.
