MONGKOL VAREE, back left, with members of the Thai team and Kajorn Jiravaraphan, managing director of Sukishi Intergroup Co Ltd.

The Thai Ladies Golf Association (Talga) has taken the plunge by completely overhauling its team with fresh faces who have the burning desire to succeed at the international level.

Talga has selected seven young women for training for the Queen Sirikit Cup to be held at the Country Club in Manila in March.

In the past, one-week training and eleventh hour preparations have hampered the progress of Thai teams. No longer. The team was put through a month's rigorous training by Green Valley Country Club's senior professional Mongkol Varee, who is the coach of the national team for the third year in running. The number has been pruned to five.

"The failure in Asian Games was because of lack of training. By selecting earlier, we want to do something. Selecting and doing nothing should not be the norm," Mongkol said.

Yupaporn Kavinpakorn, Thidapa Suwannapura and Chayuda Singsuwan will go to the Philippines to play in the Philippines Ladies Open from January 17 to 19 as part of the preparations.

Fourteen-year-old Jaruporn Palakwong na Ayudhaya and Banchalee Thienthong will participate in the Nick Faldo Asian Series in Shenzhen, China, from February 1-6. Previously, girls 15 and under were not considered for the national team. But the association has decided to make an exception to those who have immense potential.

"I am quite happy with them all. They are young, very hard working and disciplined," he said. "I told them no mobile phones during practice and they complied with that.

"They are supposed to practice from 9am to 12 but they stay on till 3pm. I haven't seen a more dedicated bunch in the last three years," Mongkol said.

"The average score of the team is 73, which is good. A naked eye cannot detect the problems in their swings but a video can. I have been working on their swings because their percentage of greens on regulation is low. If they work on their swing in the next two months, they will be fine by the time the Queen Sirkit tournament starts.

"I have a lot of time, unlike previous years, to work on their swings. I am not afraid to tell them that I am there to improve their swing. Last year, I just could not touch their swings. The present team has a more modernised swing and they are quite flexible to making changes. The team has gelled like a unit and there is a sense of camaraderie," said Mongkol, who will go to the Philippines with the team on January 15 to inspect the layout of the Country Club.

After the two tournaments, the team will be further reduced to four and they will be sent to the Queen Sirikit Cup.

"It will be a difficult decision. I had to explain to those two girls who were left out in December that their time will definitely come one day," he said.