Thai Country Club with Jack Hedges on Course Legacy

Jack Hedges, General Manager of Thai Country Club, shares the story behind one of Thailand’s most iconic golf courses. From its nearly 30-year legacy and international tournaments to its refined service culture and strong member community, this conversation touches on what makes Thai Country Club stand out in Asia’s golf scene. With insights on course maintenance, caddy culture, seasonal play, and hospitality, this episode offers a high-level view of golf excellence in Bangkok.

Let’s go golfing in Asia. From tee times to stays, think of Golfasian.
Visit us and find your destination: www.golfasian.com

Transcript

Mike Bridge:

Okay.  Welcome to the podcast, Jack.  

Jack Hedges:

Thank you.  Thanks, Mike.

Mike Bridge:

Possibly one of the most interesting courses in Asia, Thai Country Club.

You're the general manager. Tell us a bit about Thai Country Club.

I mean it has a lot of history, doesn't it?  

 Jack Hedges:

It does.

You know, we just celebrated last September our 28th and a 28th year anniversary and already been thinking about the 30th year anniversary that's coming up at the end of 2026.

So we've been around for a while and a lot has happened over those nearly 30 years.

We still got members who joined in 1996 .

Mike Bridge:

We still got members who joined in 1996.

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, yeah. So there's quite a few of them as well.

Mike Bridge:

They must be quite old.

Jack Hedges:

You know what, they all say that to me.

They were very young when they joined and now they're considered senior citizens.

Mike Bridge:

Yes

Jack Hedges:

There's quite a few of those guys.

But first of all, location wise, we are along the Bang Na Trad

We're about 45 minutes from downtown Bangkok.

As you know, on that road there's a lot of golf courses.

Mike Bridge:

Yeah

Jack Hedges:

Just on the left side of it, even the right side now.

So we're on the way to Pattaya, so about 45 minutes, give or take a bit of traffic as I'm sure you've experienced.  

Mike Bridge:

Yeah. So you could actually come up and play from Pattaya or Bangkok.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah. So it's quite common for people to play on their way or on the way back to Pattaya 

Mike Bridge:

Or on the way to the airport.  

Jack Hedges:

Correct. So we're only 25 minutes from the airport as well.

So location wise is pretty good for us and it works out quite well.

But yeah, location wise, pretty good.

We're an 18 hole golf course as you know, designed by an American architect called Dennis Griffiths all those years ago in 1996.

Very good members course.  I'll say.

We keep the condition really good.

Mike Bridge:

Would you say it's a hard course or would you say it's a fair course?

Jack Hedges:

When I say members are good members of course, I mean it's, it's enjoyable to play, which would suggest it's on the easier side than to be more difficult.

We have members who play four or five times a week.

So you know, we've all played those courses where you feel a bit beaten up afterwards.

It's not necessarily a course you want to play multiple times a week.

This is one of those that is a bit, a bit more easy, a bit easier of course, but it still has its challenges and especially when the wind is blowing, it's very challenging indeed.

Mike Bridge:

Have you had to upgrade the course in 30 years?

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, for sure.  It's one of the biggest focus points for us is the wear and tear that comes with, you know, irrigation systems that were put in all those years ago that are using not necessarily the technology, but the pipe, the materials, like the piping, all needs to be replaced.

Mike Bridge:

But the basic layout hasn't changed.  

Jack Hedges:

No, no. There's been upgrades of the existing areas of the course, like the bunkers we've renovated and whatnot, but the design has stayed the same.

Mike Bridge:

But I'm assuming that wear and tear of an Asian golf course is slightly different from European because you have extra people walking on it, which is the caddies.  

Jack Hedges:

Yes, yes. And a lot of people forget about that, you know.

So for every, every one round of golf you can.

That's four pairs of feet, including the golfers and the caddies.

So it all adds up, especially on the greens, you know, when people are waiting to putt, a lot of people stand on the perimeter of the greens. You'll end up seeing a bit of wear and tear there.

But just with, you know, a bit of proactive management and good systems in place, we have to keep the condition as good as we can and also everything from equipment to, as I said, irrigation drainage as well. We've got two very, very different seasons.  As you can see.

The rain has started already, so our drainage needs to be good.  

Mike Bridge:

I wanted to ask you about the season.

I mean, people coming, let's say from Europe or America, when they hear about a downpour, it may last all day or a tropical storm here can be very quick, can't it? 

Jack Hedges:

It can. It can be very intense, but very quick.

We often have it.  It comes earlier this year than previous years, but you'll generally have a maybe a 30 minute downpour, maybe even less.

And then sure enough, if the course has got good drainage, you can be back out there quite quickly.

Mike Bridge:

But when you say quite quickly, how quickly? 

Jack Hedges:

Depends on how much rain you get.

We had 5cm of rain two days ago, so it takes.

We can get people out there, but not driving on the fairways.

So you have to give it another couple of hours for it to be, you know.  

Mike Bridge:

Yeah, I mean, if you're out there and you're in the kiosk and there's a downpour.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah.

Mike Bridge:

You have a few cold beers and then 20 minutes after it stops, it's okay to go back out.  

Jack Hedges:

Exactly.

We delivered some bottles of red wine recently.

Some members on the kiosk got stranded and they drank a lot.

Mike Bridge:

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Now, you've had a big team working here to make this click.

How many people actually are employed at this club?

Jack Hedges:

We've got just under 350, 

Mike Bridge:

Really?

Jack Hedges:

So it's big, It's a busy, predominantly members club.

But as you know, we have a lot of international visitors as well through Golfasian, as well as other agents, selected agents. But we have 180 caddies

Mike Bridge:

Really

Jack Hedges:

So one caddy for every golfer.

So we need to ensure we have plenty of the caddies.

We're now in the process of preparing for the next high season.

So we bring in a lot of. Whichever caddies we, you know, in terms of the quota we need to fill, we bring them in.

Mike Bridge:

Is it hard to find caddies?

Jack Hedges:

It can be, I think because we've been around for so long and we have a lot of caddies and staff who've worked here for so long.

We have very good referral networks from the staff that already work here 

Mike Bridge:

and they earn a good living.  

Jack Hedges:

They certainly can.

I mean, the caddies who have been here for.

Not even for the longest time, but the caddies who perform well and work hard in the training and are able to build that sort of rapport with members and guests, they'll get booked out quite frequently. Some of them will caddy twice a day every day.  

Mike Bridge:

Really.

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, it's possible for sure.

Mike Bridge:

God, it must be very tiring.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah.  I mean, they get.

The caddies get to essentially work.

Let's say they're like an independent contractor.  So.

Every golf club will charge a caddy fee. The caddy fee goes to the caddies.

We don't take any of that. So if they want to take a week off work, they can.

But you'll find that when it's as busy as it is during the high season, some of our caddies will work three months straight. Their choice, of course.

But yeah, there's that much demand.

Mike Bridge:

One question that's often asked by golf vacation is how much do you tip the caddy?

Because obviously, as you said, they get a fee.

Yeah, but the tip is quite important to the income.

Jack Hedges:

It certainly is.  Yeah.

And, caddies take 100% of the tips.

We don't touch any of that.

Our recommendation.

And it's kind of changing over time, but the minimum we'd say is 500 baht.

I kind of see it in and around Bangkok.

It's drifting up to 600 baht now.

Mike Bridge:

So it's around about $15 to what, $20.

Jack Hedges:

$15 to $20.

Mike Bridge:

Yeah. 

Jack Hedges:

And I, you know, we always say it just starts from that.  And then up.

Up to you if you want to add more based on your experience.

Mike Bridge:

Well, if you get lots of birdies in a hole in one.  

Jack Hedges:

Correct.

Mike Bridge:

You're going to give them a lot more.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah.

Mike Bridge:

Now this is quite a historical course because you've hosted a lot of major events here over the years.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah.

Mike Bridge:

Can you just explain to our viewers who's played here and what tournaments you've had?

Jack Hedges:

Well, it spans back to 1997.

I want to say Tiger won  the Honda Asian Classic. I want to say. I've even got them written  down here. The Asian Honda Classic. Then we had the Johnny Walker Super Tour.

Mike Bridge:

Oh, Johnny Walker was big over here.  

Jack Hedges:

That's right.  I think we had.

Vijay Singh was a champion.

We even had Ernie Els playing as well.

Then we've had a number of Thailand Opens.

We had the Volvo Masters of Asia.

We had the Aramco Series of a ladies team event concept a few years ago now.

And then last year we had the International Series, which is a partnership between Asian Tour and LIV  

Mike Bridge:

Yeah.

Jack Hedges:

So that was the, in terms of prize money, the highest prize money we'd ever had.

That was a two million dollar prize fund.  

Mike Bridge:

Right.

Jack Hedges:

So compared to the Asian Tour, which is generally half of that.

We had a good turnout.

Mike Bridge:

Do you plan to have any more in the future? 

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, I mean, it's almost become …

Mike Bridge:

expensive though, isn't it?  

Jack Hedges:

It is. I think for us it's always about the type of event and also the timing.

Generally speaking, the events in Thailand, for the bigger tours. They don't want to do it in the middle of the rainy season, which is our low season.

Mike Bridge:

Yeah

Jack Hedges:

It would be. So we've got to find the right compromise and the right time so that it doesn't eat away into too much time of our high season. 

Mike Bridge:

Your members.  

Jack Hedges:

Members. Yeah, for, for everyone.

I mean, that, that, that winter season from November to March is the golden time for playing golf. So if we take, you know, the smaller events, maybe the course is closed for a week.

The bigger ones, maybe two weeks. That's two weeks out of a month, half of a month, in which members are not allowed to play.

Mike Bridge:

You got a couple of plaques around the course, memories of what happened here.  

Tell us about those.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, the two.

The first one is on the 10th hole.

Tiger hit it off the.

The back Black tees with.

We don't use that apart from pro tournaments.

And he drove the green.

Mike Bridge:

Did he?  

Jack Hedges:

He did.  

Mike Bridge:

How far was that?

Jack Hedges:

You're testing me now, but it's nearly 360.  Something like.  It's a long way.

I was told he three parted after that though, so I'm sure he wasn't that happy.  

Mike Bridge:

Yeah.

Jack Hedges:

And the other one was Ernie Els.

He hit it over the back on the 18th and it ran down across the path onto a little strip of grass right next to the clubhouse down there. 

Mike Bridge:

Really.

Jack Hedges:

And he wedged it onto the green and made the putt.

Mike Bridge:

That's amazing, isn't it?

I mean it's always nice to be able to say I've played where Tiger's been.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah.

Mike Bridge:

And there's a few courses here.

Well, there's only, I think 2. Isn't there anything in Thailand? 

Jack Hedges:

The way he's played …

Mike Bridge:

Canyon 

Jack Hedges:

and the Alpine as well?

Mike Bridge: 

Okay.  

Jack Hedges:

I mean even nearly 30 years on, it's still.

People associate it with us.  We're very fortunate.

Mike Bridge: 

Now before we move on to you, one final question. 

The restaurant here is really run like a five star hotel.

In fact it used to be owned, I think, from a long time ago by a five star hotel.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, yeah. So far.

For many years it was part owned by the Peninsula Hotel Group.

But so four years ago now we made the separation.

It's now fully owned by the Patara Prasit family.

 but nevertheless, you know, the standards and the quality still you can feel the same today as you did when it was.

Mike Bridge: 

Yeah, it's a top waitress sort of serving experience.

Jack Hedges:

I mean our, I think one of our differentiators is that we really focus on hospitality.

Probably more so than your average golf club.  

Mike Bridge: 

Yeah.

Jack Hedges:

And you know, each to their own, everyone has their different focus.

But for us that's when our success and I think the experience is what we sort of strive to achieve rather than just the golf course side of things.

Mike Bridge: 

People enjoy coming to play rounds of golf here but they also look forward to a good meal with their friends afterwards.  And your restaurant is often very full, isn't it?  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Especially on the weekends.

You know, we've got most of our members playing on the weekends.

We've got a lot of Thai, a lot of Japanese, a very, very diverse membership base which is I think also one of the strengths of Thai Country Club.

And we're not the only club that has that.

But on a Saturday Afternoon, having lunch there.

Mike Bridge: 

It's some of the elite of Thailand's economy come here.

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

A place of, you know, privacy and good hospitality and spending some time with friends or clients, you know. Everyone's a bit different 

Mike Bridge: 

Now. You and I have known each other for a long, long time.

The first time we ever met, I believe, was in Cambodia.  

Jack Hedges:

That's right.

Mike Bridge: 

Which was the Johnny Walker.

Jack Hedges:

It was, yeah, Johnny Walker 

Mike Bridge: 

and Thongchai
Thongchai Jaidee.

Jack Hedges:

That's right.  

Mike Bridge: 

But tell us what you've been up to since then because you've been certainly moving around.

Yeah, but you've moved around a lot as a general manager.  

Jack Hedges:

I think. I came when we met, that was 16 years ago, something like that.

So I, that was my first job in Asia. I was looking for my big break.

They were looking for a golf manager.

Frankly speaking, I didn't have the expertise. I was just …

Mike Bridge: 

a good place…

Jack Hedges:

Where I learned my trade.

I tell everyone that.

So after there I went to work with IMG and in China did a pre opening with them there.

Then I went to Vietnam, to Ba Na Hills, which was one of, still to this day, one of the most incredible sites you've ever seen. With the mountain in the background 

Mike Bridge: 

and the floodlights.  

Jack Hedges:

And the floodlights.  Yeah.

So that was also pre-opening.

Spent a bit of time here in Thailand.

Then I went over to, back to China, to Beijing, to the place called the Players Club, which was a ultra exclusive private club in the middle of Beijing and was there through Covid as well.

But in China, as a lot of people know, they essentially closed the borders and had their own way of managing.

Mike Bridge: 

So did people still play golf?  

Jack Hedges:

Record numbers.

Business was booming.  It was.

Mike Bridge: 

Well, Covid could, you could say, although it's a dreadful thing to happen to the world, it's actually helped the golf industry tremendously because it was muted as being the place to go out and get fresh air.  

Jack Hedges:

Exactly.

You know, the government put it on a list of things to do because you were running out of things to do. And sure enough, golfers had a bit of a negative reputation at the time because there were a lot of courses closing in China.

But then they put it on the list. And it was great.

We had a lot of new members that were joining over that, that two, three year period.

So we actually looked at the numbers back in however many years ago when there was SARS.  Do you remember that?  

Mike Bridge: 

Yeah.

Jack Hedges:

And the number of golfers went up.

Covid has the same impact 

Mike Bridge: 

And was the quality of the golf over in China, the same standards as in Asia?

Jack Hedges:

I think the clubs I was associated with, the quality was excellent.

I mean in terms of the design, all signature designers, construction was very, very good, no expense spared.

So I was, yeah, we were very fortunate.

But a lot of the courses there are a big mix.

Golf is much more expensive there. 

Mike Bridge: 

Is it? Okay.

Jack Hedges:

So the memberships and the club, when I left. They were about $800 million to join, lifetime memberships, but still it's a million dollars.

Mike Bridge: 

So after China, where was the next step here?

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, so it came from there.

I kind of sensed that I'd done four years there, which achieved some great things.

I could sense that with the country changing their policy on Covid and we'd kind of peaked.

This is an opportunity that was very appealing to me.

I've known Thai Country Club for many years.

I know some of the staff, I know a lot of the members.

So it's not something that's completely new to me.

Mike Bridge: 

Well, it's a Premier league club.

And you took over from John.

Jack Hedges:

There was a bit of time between that, but he was the last sort of long term.

Mike Bridge: 

The previous general manager went on to Wentworth, wasn't it?

Jack Hedges:

That was John.  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mike Bridge: 

So, you know, maybe …Who knows?

So final question.

You play a lot of golf luckily, because you're still young enough.  

Jack Hedges:

Who said that?

Mike Bridge: 

Give us a few tips on your favorite courses in Asia.

Jack Hedges:

You've asked me this question before and it's a hard one to answer, but….

Mike Bridge: 

Because you don't want to upset anybody.

Jack Hedges:

No, no, not at all.

I mean it really comes down to personal preference.

I'm a big fan of Clearwater Bay over in Hong Kong. 

I played Bali National a few times, which I've heard may have just closed actually.

Mike Bridge: 

Yes, it has 

Jack Hedges:

Over in Bali, which again, you're in a sanctuary, you're in a, in a different world.

And then back in, I've got to go back into the UK as well.

One of my favorite courses was Berkshire.

The red course at the Berkshire which was six par three, six par four, six par fives.

So I still have fond memories of that.

But I haven't played golf in Japan yet.

So that's a goal of mine for maybe this year.

We'll take some memories over there. 

Mike Bridge:

But in Thailand.

I mean, my personal favorite is Red Mountain.

Have you played Red Mountain?

Jack Hedges:

I played it last week.  

Mike Bridge: 

Did you?  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, I did.

Mike Bridge: 

Is that the first time?

Jack Hedges:

No, I've played it a few times. 

It's a beautiful layout.

Mike Bridge: 

It's Walt Disney Golf.  

Jack Hedges:

Yeah, it's.

You need to bring enough golf balls, that's what I'll say.

Mike Bridge: 

Same as Samui

Jack Hedges:

Right  

And it's fairway, then jungle.  That's pretty much …

Mike Bridge: 

So what's your sort of handicap at the moment?  

Jack Hedges:

Technically, one.

Mike Bridge: 

The handicap.  You don't have enough time because you're busy running this?  

Jack Hedges:

No, no.  All my cards go in.

We have a very strict policy.  

Mike Bridge: 

How many times do you play a week?  

Jack Hedges:

A week?  Maybe a month.

But I tried to play a couple of times a month.

With members and different groups of members, so.  Yeah.

Mike Bridge: 

Well, your secretary, when I rang earlier, said that you were out on the course inspect making inspection, and I dug deeper and it turned out you're actually playing golf.  

Jack Hedges:

You know me too well.

Mike Bridge: 

Anyway, Jack, it's been a pleasure to talk to you.

Our clients love coming here.

I'm sure they'll continue to come here.  

Jack Hedges:

Good stuff. Thank you, Mike. Appreciate it.