Over 480 Competitors participated in Asia’s Biggest Golf Tournament in Thailand’s Hua Hin from 11- 17 June 2023.
While the golf media are currently focused on the PGA and PIF, one major golf tournament went ahead last week without any political issues.
The Centara World Masters Golf Championship attracted over 480 amateurs to Hua Hin in Thailand.
Now in its 8th year, the seven-day event brought together both male and female golf vacationers from over 18 countries to compete at two of Thailand’s top championship courses, Black Mountain and Banyan.
The tournament is run just like a professional tour event with practice days, sponsors hoarding around the courses, and all caddies wearing bibs with players’ names and countries.
Apart from the competition with over US$30,000 in prizes, there were nightly parties, a major gala dinner, and thousands are raised for local charities.
According to Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin’s General Manager Jan Weisheit, the event is the hotel’s largest annual client.
Weisheit said, “We booked 960 room nights during the event and I know the wider Hua Hun community certainly benefitted too. The golfers enjoyed spending time in our restaurants and bars, and many local suppliers including bus companies, tuk tuk drivers and spas were busy too. This is our 8th time hosting the Centara World Masters and each year it is getting bigger and more impressive.”
Tom Thrussell, Centara Hotels & Resorts’ Vice President Marketing said “At Centara we have a growing portfolio of properties in major golfing destinations across Thailand, Vietnam, the Middle East and Japan amongst others. To be a part of an event as spectacular as the Centara World Masters not only supports us in positioning ourselves as the go-to holiday brand for golfing holidays in Asia, but it also enables us to demonstrate our warm and gracious Thai-style hospitality and hopefully provide the 400+ golfers in attendance with a truly memorable stay experience”
Over 1,000 golf vacationers have already confirmed their participation with Golfasian’s events including last week’s Masters event and similar events in 2023 in Pattaya, Phuket, and Vietnam’s Danang later this year.
Friendly amateur events like the Centara World Masters seem to be gaining in popularity and Golfasian now has a dedicated events division.
Siegel added, “We are seeing a great interest from international golf vacationers for participation events and expect to increase the number of tournaments on offer in more destinations in 2024. This is great for Asia’s hospitality, as these vacationers tend to stay in the 4 and 5-star hotels and spend money with the golf clubs, the caddies, plus local taxis and restaurants.”
190 golfers have now moved on to Pattaya this week for the Avani Pattaya 2 Ball from 18-24 June, bringing more business to four local golf clubs.
