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Bookazine Book Review: Thailand Golf Course Player’s Guide 2003

by Lang Reid

The future is here! The future is now! Well, for the golf players it is at least, with the 2003 year edition (the 3rd) of the Thailand Golf Course Player’s Guide 2003 (ISBN 974-90372-4-3) which was published in June this year (2002).

Compiled by M. Takechi, whom one supposes is Japanese, the book does have many phrases one could term as “Jinglish”, but this does not make the book unintelligible. Examples include, “We may suggest you that all the informations are subject to change without notice. We highly appreciate that you would confirm your important information in this book by yourself.”

The book divides Thailand into six separate regions - Bangkok and northern Bangkok; Bangna-Trad to Pattaya and Rayong; Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanaburi and Hua Hin; Khao Yai and Nakhon Ratchasima; Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Northern Thailand and finally Phuket and Hat Yai region.

With each golf course, and there are 105 in this revision there are local maps to show the location of the course. There is also a description of the courses themselves plus some local advice. For example, in the St. Andrews 2000 course there are recommendations that golfers with a handicap of greater than 18 should not play here, as well as the fact that it is so hilly that a golf cart is mandatory and a more chilling, “To secure your safety, all lost balls should not be searched for.” (Tigers in the undergrowth?) And finally, “Prior to your round, be save (Jinglish again) that you have enough golf balls.”

The information(s) on the courses is (are) very detailed with prices for both guests and visitors, week day or weekend, caddy hire, golf cart hire and even hire of clubs and golf shoes and whether an umbrella is available. Credit card acceptance or otherwise is indicated as well as amenities. The designer of the course is stated as well as when the course was opened. A good local example is the Chonburi Century Country Club which has weekday visitor rates of 150 baht and golf cart hire of 300 baht and 180 baht for the caddy, making a total of 630 baht. Even with club hire the total is still less than 1,000 baht. On the other hand, you could take yourself off to another local course where the same items and services will set you back around three times that amount.

The review copy was made available by Bookazine, 1st floor Royal Garden Plaza and has an RRP of 700 baht. Quite frankly, with the variations in green fees for the visitors and guests, you could save the price of this book in one round of golf! For any serious golfer in Pattaya this book should be on the “must have” list. For the keen golfing holidaymaker, it should also be on the “must have” list as it will save endless hours of indecision as where to play, how to get there and how much it will cost. I have a golfing fanatic friend coming over at Xmas, and I have her ideal Xmas present now sitting on the bookshelf!

Movie Review: Stuart Little 2

By Poppy

In 1999 a young mouse named Stuart (Michael J. Fox) found himself a home and was adopted by the Little family. Now, Stuart is firmly entrenched as a member of the Little family but, since his baby sister was born, his adopted mom (Geena Davis) has become even more overly protective of him.

Mrs. Little frets that Stuart, who has a liking for soccer, will get hurt playing with the big boys but his father (Hugh Laurie) realizes the small guy needs to find his place in the world.

Stuart has a good life, except his big brother George (Jonathan Lipnicki) has found a new friend, leaving him on his own. When a pretty little injured bird named Margola (Melanie Griffith) falls into Stuart’s car, he learns that life is an adventure. Although Margola pretends to have a broken wing and is befriended and taken home to safety by Stuart, she is really working for Falcon (James Woods), who has assigned her to infiltrate the Little home and steal whatever valuables she can find.

This charming, intelligent, entertaining and fun flick represents true family entertainment that will give pleasure to all ages. The filmmakers have taken the computer imagery to new heights as they seamlessly meld it with the live action into a lively, exciting fantasy world.

If you have kids or not, you should definitely look into seeing this film. It’s short, but once you’re involved in the plot twists, it doesn’t seem it. Try it out; you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Directed by Rob Minkoff

Cast:

Michael J. Fox ... Stuart Little
Geena Davis ... Eleanor Little
Hugh Laurie ... Fredrick Little
Jonathan Lipnicki ... George Little
Anna Hoelck ... Martha Little
Ashley Hoelck ... Martha Little
Nathan Lane ... Snowbell
Melanie Griffith ... Margalo
James Woods ... Falcon
Steve Zahn ... Monty
Marc John Jeffries ... Will
Angelo Massagli ... Angelo
Jim Doughan ... Coach
Brad Garrett ... Plumber
Conan McCarty (I) ... Referee

Mott’s CD review: 

Ten Years After - Essential 

by Mott the Dog

***** 5 Stars Rating
“Essential” by Ten Years After is something of a rarity as I find it faultless in collecting together on one CD what is the “Essential” recordings. In other words, a true “Bests Of” Ten Years After.

“Ten Years After” were the classic case of a band with limited talent, but they aimed all their time and effort at what they’d got, and worked their fingers to the bone. They must still hold the record for a major band touring the states, completing a total of 28 coast-to-coast tours. The main object of their talent was fastest guitarist in the west Alvin Lee, who also handled all the vocals, wrote all the songs, and stood center stage leaving the others very much in subordinate roles.

They weren’t cute; they definitely weren’t trendy. (Alvin Lee used to come on stage wearing that well known Rock ‘n’ Roll footwear, a pair of Dutch clogs.) However, England’s Ten Years After were one of the most electrifying groups from the late 60’s and early seventies. At a time when blues based bands were two a penny, Ten Years After towered above the opposition with a sizzling combination of tough rootsy songs, both their own compositions and well chosen covers, and driving power house ensemble work, highlighted by perhaps the hottest guitar licks in the universe. Just listen to Alvin’s guitar breaks on their version of Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” recorded live at the Isle of Wight Pop Festival as the group’s final encore from their album “Watt”, and you will never of heard anybody play faster. Mind you, drummer Ric Lee (no relation) sounds as if he is thrashing away at dustbin lids not high hats.

At the time Alvin Lee was the ultimate axe hero. He sprayed searing blues notes from his red Gibson like a crazed machine-gunner mowing down live audiences in their masses, and adding that certain hint of danger that made their studio albums stand out from the crowd.

Ten Years After always had the knack of being in the right place at the right time. Their appearance in the movie of the Woodstock Festival is possibly the standout contribution, and when you consider they were lined up against Santana, Hendrix, The Who and Joe Cocker, that’s quite an achievement.

The proof is all here in this action packed set of 14 tracks spanning their entire career, with a couple of live tracks to boot. Their blistering signature tune “I’m Going Home” from Woodstock, all ten glorious minutes of it; American radio station favorites like “I’d Love To Change The World”; “Me And My Baby”, which reminds us Lee was a soulful singer not just a devastating Rock ‘n’ Roll outlaw. Ten Years After also had one worldwide hit single “Love Like A Man”. Here we get the full unedited version. And then of course there is all the no holds barred no nonsense classic foot stomping Rock ‘n’ Roll. From a scorching version of Little Richard’s “Goin’ Back To Birmingham” to the supersonic boogie of “Choo Choo Mama”. (Z.Z. Top took a page or two from the Ten Years After book when they laid down their blueprint.)

Alvin and the boys could rattle windows, and shake walls with a feverish intensity rarely witnessed since rock’s first generation of stars (who were saluted by the bands very name).

Taken as a whole, some of Ten Years After albums could be a little patchy and none of their studio releases clocked in over 38 minutes. But with “Essential” you get over an hour’s worth of them at their very best, which testifies to the timeless appeal of stripped down, high-octane Rock ‘n’ Roll. Slip the CD in your player, crank the volume, and feel free to boogie one more time.

Musicians

Alvin Lee - Guitar & Vocals

Leo Lyons - Bass

Chick Churchill - Keyboards

Ric Lee - Drums

Track Listing

1. Rock And Roll Music To The World

2. I’d Love To Change The World

3. I’m Going Home (Live)

4. Choo Choo Mama

5. Tomorrow I’ll Be Out Of Town

6. I Woke Up This Morning

7. Me and My Baby

8.Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (Live)

9. Goin’ Back To Birmingham

10. 50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain

11. Sweet Little Sixteen

12. I’m Coming On

13. Love Like A Man

14. Baby Won’t You Let Me Rock ‘n’ Roll You