BangKok Golf Courses

Distance     60 minutes from Bangkok City Centre
Closed on     Monday
Golf Cart     600
Golf Set     1000
Golf Shoes     200
Umbrella     100
Driving Range     
Facilities     Restaurants, Sauna, Swimming Pool

The course was designed by one of the world's most renowned architects Mr. Ron M. Garl. Once he set feet on the 770-rai flat open land of Today's Alpine Golf Club, the architect's vision was to build Thailand's one and only man-made hilly championship golf course.

Distance     30 minutes from Bangkok City Centre
Closed on     Open Everyday
Golf Cart     750
Golf Set     1500
Golf Shoes     200
Umbrella     100
Driving Range     False
Facilities     Restaurants, Swimming Pool, Tennis

Navatanee Golf Course is an exclusive course. It was built in 1973 specifically to host the 23rd World Cup of Golf in 1975. The majestic layout was the result of the vision of its Founder, Sukum Navapan, being skillfully brought to life by world-renowned Architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr....

Rachakram Golf

Opened in 2006, Rachakram Golf Club is located in the Bangsai area of Ayutthaya province north of Bangkok. Designed by famous Thai golf architect Dr. Sukitt Klangvisai (Phuket Country Club, etc.), Rachakram offers a tremendous variety of memorable holes.

Designed like a links course there are the undulations and open spaces in front of the greens enabling shots to run up to the greens. The fairways are generally flat and generous which most often provide good lies. Most holes are tree lined and as the trees mature they will continue to enhance the challenge of Rachakram Golf Club. Greens are quite firm and fast, but receptive to holding approach shots, even with long irons and/or woods. In addition to superb greens, the bunker sand is of a nice firm texture, providing the ability to put good spin on bunker shots.

This course has a great variety of holes both in length and design. The pars 3's are challenging with lengths of 193, 230, 206 and one short one of 136 yards. The par 5's all measure over 500 yards and with the wind against you at times; these par holes can play like well over 600 yards!

There is plenty of water including some blind water hazards. The most scenic holes are the tenth a dogleg par-4 with a carry over water to a huge green with a false front and the twelfth, a long par-5 into the prevailing wind; don't even think of reaching in two shots.

The Rachakram clubhouse is very modern with large, clean changing and shower facilities. The restaurant has a nice view over the course, especially at night when it is floodlit. Other facilities include driving range, and two short game and putting areas for practicing before your round.

While the drive from Bangkok is slightly longer than other Bangkok golf courses, playing speed, even on a weekend, is brick, making the overall elapsed time quite reasonable. Additionally green fees are quite reasonable making Rachakram good value-for-money. Day and night golf is available 7 days a week.

 Riverdale Golf Club

Designed by Jonathan Morrow and Al Tikkanen and like Red Mountain, their other high-profile Phuket golf course, Riverdale Golf Club is destined to become one of the most celebrated Bangkok Golf Courses. Riverdale may not at first glance look the most menacing test of golf you've seen. However, the golfer is in for a surprise.

The landscape includes several large lakes which were dredged to create the hills that surround the golf course and frame most of the holes. Beyond the perimeter though there's not much to look as it is predominantly comprised of factories and small villages. But once you've fired your opening tee-shot at the gently sloping downhill opener, the challenges and considerable charm of these immaculately groomed links will quickly assert themselves.

Aside from its excellent conditioning and undoubted challenges, the real joy of Riverdale Golf Club lies in its wonderful interplay of gently rolling fairways, many small reed-lined lakes, raised greens, excellent bunkering, and large hills that break-up some of the layout's innate openness.

After negotiating many immaculate, subtly breaking greens and hopefully coming through the 18 holes with scorecard relatively intact, enjoy cool refreshments at the contemporary styled club house which overlooks the 1st and 18th holes. Elegant locker rooms provide for nice changing facilities characteristic of a 5-star private members golf club.

Insiders Tip: Ask to play the back nine first. Then, by the time you reach the Rice Mill Corner comprised of (1) the dogleg par-4 7th, (2) the serious par-3 8th with a choice of greens including a water-protected island or postage-stamp with pot bunker and (3) the stunning long uphill par-4 9th your game may already have been given a bit of a mauling. However, save some strength for these 3 great finishing holes and you will be amply rewarded.

Royal Golf & Country Club

The Royal Golf & Country Club is the closest 18-hole standard golf course to the Bangkok's Suvanabhumi International airport. Specifically, the golf course is located off Bangkok to Pattaya highway around 30 minutes from the main tourist and commercial areas of Bangkok or 5 minutes from the airport.

Chohei  Miyasawa  from Japan designed the Royal course to preserve the natural environment throughout and to give golfers a scenic, yet refreshing atmosphere in which to enjoy their game. The Bangkok golf course is also surrounded by many colorful flowers and shade trees. The layout features undulating fairways and tiered greens on nearly every hole. Lots of canals separate each hole and the golf course from the surrounding housing which is mostly owned by Thailands elite. For example, the   front nice affords excellent view of 2006 Thai prime minister's home and back yard: making a real Royal Golf' experience.

Long par 3s on the course are some of the most challenging in Bangkok, especially the 230 yard 17th, which is as difficult as they come! The 14th, a par 4 of 409 yards, requires two very long shots to reach the green in regulation. The next hole, a par 5, is famous for the narrow fairway and landing area, requiring three straight shots to avoid the water running down the left side of the hole. Hole 16, another tricky par 4, dubbed the Mickey Mouse hole because its sand bunker, resembles the famous Disney character, has two imposing ears sticking out. The greens, in particular at Royal, are some of the best kept in Bangkok, and roll year round at over 10 on the stimpmeter.

Good practice facilities with putting green, pitching green, sand bunker, and grass driving range make Royal a good place for a pre-round warm up or practice session.

A spacious clubhouse is perfect after-match comforts, making a round at Royal a great way to layover in Bangkok!

Summit Windmill Golf Club

Summit Windmill although not overly long at 6964 yards more than makes up for the distance as is one of the most challenging Bangkok golf courses. Despite its difficulty, it continues to attract all types of players as course conditions are mainly kept up well and the location is convenient; just 30 minutes from the center of Bangkok. Although in the city suburbs, the surroundings are also pleasant and park like. Plenty of wildlife including birds and reptiles share the course with golfers. This makes Summit Windmill the little golfing oasis just outside Bangkok.

Water comes into play on many of the holes starting with a large lake hazard that flanks the left side of the long par-5 1st hole. The same concept is repeated on the 18th and both these holes also happen to be the golf course signature holes that well exemplify the course challenge. The 1st hole is a long 624 yards, even by today's standards, and the 18th is an exciting finishing hole that can provide some dramatic endings to any round.

Nick Faldo’s often innovative design also is further characterized by contoured fairways and four excellent quality, water-protected par-3’s, the best of which is the island green 12th.  The par-4 9th is also a good risk-reward hole in that long hitters can shave off much of the 438 yards by cutting their tee shots across the water, which leaves a mid-iron into the green. However, anything too short or to the right will entail hitting over 2 sets of bunkers to the green with a long iron or hybrid, a shot that often winds up in the sand.

A substantial amount of earth moving was done on the golf course to create good elevation changes and hillside fairways, both of which are rarely seen at other Bangkok golf courses. A variety of palm trees line most fairways and extensive landscaping give the course a Thailand tropical feeling. With little rough to worry about, golfers can look forward to getting their balls onto the many elevated greens and coping with the severely undulated putting surfaces.

Make sure you play from the set of tees most suited to your level of play or you'll be in for a rough day. The black championship tees in particular are set on their own island teeing areas and are placed at very different and more difficult angles than the other more forward hitting areas. Many holes have angled teeing areas playing to dogleg fairways where you could bite off as much of the dogleg as you are comfortable with.  There are large bunker complexes fronting most greens, so make sure you take enough club to carry them. Though the course is completely artificial, it has a natural feel to it where you cannot take any shot or lie for granted.

The clubhouse is one of Thailand's most opulent; resembling a European castle, although it is in need to significant renovations and the restaurant, locker rooms, and other facilities  are nothing special. Some of the golf villas in the surrounding housing estate are just as grand and could easily be mistaken for the clubhouse at any other course. Canals separate the houses from the Summit Windmill golf course, so the private residences are never actually in play. However, good views into these homes can be had from many of the holes at Summit Windmill making for interesting walks and when waiting between shots. A five star luxury serviced residence adjoins the clubhouse making overnight options at Summit Windmill a good option for golfers who are lying over and want to get an early morning golf start.

Lighting was installed in 2004 and this makes night golf an option if you have limited time in Bangkok but still want to get in as much golf as possible during your Bangkok golf holiday. Summit Windmill is popular with both local members who are mostly and also Thailand golf holidaymakers. Good tee times are at a premium and the golf course is almost always fully booked on weekends. Overbooking is highly likely and coupled with and poor marshaling make 5 hour rounds quote the norm at Summit Windmill.

Although located within the city suburbs, there is a definite oasis quality about Summit Windmill. The golf course is good choice to escape from Bangkok and enjoy the pleasures of a nearby Thai golf course, especially for golfers who have the time during the weekdays.

Thai Country Club

Thai Country Club is a prestigious member's course is managed by the Peninsula Hotel, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Thai County is often considered the best in Bangkok as it sets the standard for service excellence. Designed under USPGA international standards by Denis Griffiths, Thai County opened in December 1996. The design adapts to everyday member use up to a very tough challenge for major international tournaments.

The 7,157-yard course was the venue for the 1997 Asian Honda Classic, where Tiger Woods cruised to a comfortable 10-stroke victory after shooting a final round of 68 for a 20 under-par total of 268 for the championship. One year later the second round of the 1998 Johnnie Walker Super Tour was also played in ideal conditions at Thai Country Club, won in style by Vijay Singh, who carded a magnificent score of 66 - two strokes ahead of Ernie Els and Jesper Parnevik. More recently Thai Country Club hosted the 2007 and 2008 Volvo Masters.

The Thai golf course as expected is well-maintained year-round, features a great variety from hole to hole, and an abundance of water hazards and sand bunkers. With its immaculate presentation and conditioning, coupled with a very strong and classic parkland layout, Thai Country Club is regularly voted as a Top 5 course in Asia.

Thai Country Club is a layout that requires good course management. It's hard to imagine the terrain here was originally flat, especially when looking across the pleasantly rolling earth mounds, contoured fairways and often elevated greens. The fairway and greenside bunkering is superb, almost like a work of art. Anything wayward from the tee will usually be findable, but is also likely to be sitting down in clinging semi-rough, making your next shots just that bit more difficult.

The undulating greens make for many interesting pin placements and are a constant test of one's golfing proficiency. There are several really top-class holes among this very strong eighteen. The 6th measuring 218 from the back tees is as tough as they get with water guarding the right side and bunkers in front and behind the green. In fact, according to competition statistics, this deceiving hole is the most difficult on the course, with a stroke average of 3.38 for the professionals! The par-5 14th is as handsome as they come.

Discerning golfers will appreciate this truly world-class golfing experience. Thai Country Club's caddies are amongst the best trained in Thailand. The award-winning best in Asia clubhouse which stands surrounded by water between the 1st tee and 18th green - is regularly voted the best clubhouses in Asia and caters to every need. Once there, you'll find the friendliest staff of golf professionals in the Kingdom, committed to making your golf experience a memorable one.

As expected of a club as exclusive as this, the facilities are second to none and The Gallery restaurant's ever-changing menus feature Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Western cuisine as well as daily buffets. The golfer’s lounge area is the perfect place to meet to reflect on your round. With spectacular views over the course, golf in Thailand doesn't get any better than the Thai Country Club. A true total golfing experience!

Thana City Golf & Sports Club

Located 25 minutes from downtown Bangkok, Thana City Golf & Sports Club is one of only a handful of golf courses in Southeast Asia designed by Australian Greg Norman. The 6,966 yard par 72 course is set in and among one of Bangkok’s biggest condominium projects and right on the flight path of approaching planes landing at Bangkoks Suvanabhumi airport.

The Bangkok golf club was the venue for several major professional tournaments including the 1993 Thailand Open, the 1994 and 1995 Kosaido Thailand Ladies Open and the final round of the Johnnie Walker Super Tour 1996 which was won by Ernie Els. In addition to Ernie, world stars such as Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Ian Woosnam, Laura Davies, and Thai superstar Tongchai Jaidee have all teed it up on the fairways of Thana City.

The Thana City golf course and clubhouse have undergone significant improvements and renovations, respectively in 2010 and now is one of the more enjoyable Bangkok golf courses. There is variety to every hole and golfers should expect to have every aspect of their game challenged.

The golf course landscaping makes use of many native trees and flowering shrubs.  Plain grasses, reeds and lots of sand were used to create an illusion of a seaside links right in the middle of one of Bangkok's biggest condominium developments. The course layout is enhanced by natural streams, lakes and an abundance of strategically-placed sculptured sand traps. Greens are fast and well-manicured. Good sub-surface drainage allows for play throughout the year.

Accurate tee shots are required on almost every hole to avoid the many fairway bunkers and score well. The front and back nine both serve up long par-3's, especially the 240 yard 16th.  The semi-rough is quite wiry and difficult to hit from should you stray too far from the usually good-width fairways. Although these fairways may look invitingly wide from several tees, they have a habit of narrowing down to require more challenging approach shots into the greens. Many bunkers, especially greenside are high-lipped, and there are often plenty of them.

Four island greens on the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 12th holes make for some interesting approach shots. The final 18th hole is particularly difficult as it plays a par-4 to well over 440 yards. Water is in play along the entire right side and again around the green, so no matter how you drive it’s a difficult long iron or wood approach to an island green.  If that is not enough, fairway bunkers left and right add to the challenge. Bogey is a good score here.

In addition to the golf course, facilities include a modern well-kept clubhouse, swimming pool, driving range, practice facilities and a golf academy.  One highlight is the pro shop, which is one of the better stocked and more reasonably priced golf shops attached to any Bangkok golf course. Dining facilities are also recommended as a nice selection of traditional Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and western dishes are served together with ongoing beer promotions by very friendly staff. The main restaurant although nicely designed, suffers from frequent shortages of the most popular dishes. Therefore, advance ordering is suggested to be sure your preferred selection is still available.

Thana City Golf & Sports Club offers a good value-for-money, convenient and high quality golfing experience.  The staff and caddies are mostly long serving and very good at their jobs. Excellence in service and course conditioning make Thana City one of the top golf courses in Bangkok.

 Windsor Park & Golf Club (Panya Park)

Windsor Park Golf & Sports Club is set in a large park on the outskirts of Bangkok. More than 6,000 colorful plants and trees are found throughout the golf course. The course also features tree lined fairways, many green side bunkers, sweeping creeks and ponds, and sloping greens. All aspects including design, challenge, beauty, and playing conditions are well blended to make Windsor Park a good choice for golfers of all abilities.
 
Formerly known as Panya Park, Windsor Park now boasts two 18-hole championship courses with the A, B and C nines being joined by the much newer and contrasting D-course. The first 27 holes consisting of Courses A, B, and C all opened the same time and share similar design characteristics. Although the golf course tends to be short, water comes into play on almost every hole so accuracy is a must.  Greens are kept slow to speed up play and cater to golfers of all abilities.

The Lagoon (A-nine) / Palm (B-nine) combination, stretches to just over 6900 yards of classic parkland golf, with some decidedly garden-like overtones. On the A-nine's opening hole, tall palms handsomely line the fairway, while water makes the first of many appearances, seriously protecting the approach shot to a well-bunkered green. Quite often during the round, your view from the tee will feature a good-width fairway, flanked by a combination of substantial bunkering on one side and a menacing looking water hazard on the other.

As you approach the green a fine array of defenses are introduced, including water carries to island greens, sharp dog-legs, deep greenside bunkering, some modest elevation changes and occasional scatterings of boulders and rocks. Even though some of the nicely contoured fairways run parallel to each other, they are separated by a good width of light rough and several palms and other tree types. Included within a varied assortment of design ideas that Ron Fream incorporated into this layout, the par-3 3rd (B-nine) was bestowed with one of the biggest collections of bunkers you'll ever see between tee and green.

The most recently constructed 9 holes (course D), opened in 2006, is much more of an extreme challenge. This nine at Windsor plays around a man-made lake and requires very accurate tee and approach shots to prevent many balls going into the water. Undulating and close cut greens enhance the challenge even more and can be very frustrating even for the best professional golfers.

For example, the long par-5 3rd has water down the entire left and out of bounds along the right. The narrow, long green sits at a left angle to the fairway and a very aggressive drive kept left might tempt to take the green in two. But a full water carry and a small landing area make this risky.

The golf course upkeep is about average as compared to other Bangkok courses. The large clubhouse which overlooks the course C 9th hole is quiet old and could make use of a renovation. Nevertheless, the restaurant serves excellent western breakfasts as well as the usual Thai and Asian selections. The Windsor Park staff is friendly and attentive.  Request one of the more experienced caddies otherwise you will be on your own when it comes to reading the greens and club selection.

Windsor Park Golf Club is a favorite among locals and is also popular with Japanese and Korean golfers. Nevertheless, it is good choice for those who looking for a Bangkok golf course away from the hustle and bustle of the city. However, it is best to avoid course D, unless you are looking for the ultimate golf challenge, as opposed to enjoyment.

Vintage Golf Club

The Vintage Golf Club is one of Bangkok’s lesser-known layouts, so much so that many players are pleasantly surprised by this course. The Vintage Club is 50 minutes from downtown Bangkok and near to the Suvanabhumi Airport. Several Thai PGA and Thai LPGA events have been staged at Vintage.

Vintage was designed by renowned US golf architect Arthur Hills, in fact his only golf course in Thailand. The course retains many of the natural surroundings like marshes with reeds and multi-colored bougainvillea plants to give the golfer the feeling that he is in the Thai countryside rather than at a championship course in the outskirts of Bangkok.

Opened in January 1996, the 18 hole 6,952 yard par 72 Vintage Golf Club championship course is a classic layout featuring a gentle natural rolling terrain, which can both challenge and reward golfers of all age, gender and level of skill. Afternoon breezes and an interesting golf course layout add to the pleasure of playing this Bangkok golf course. The course is almost always in excellent playing condition and the fairways are firmer than most other area courses allowing for good run out of well stuck drives.

The four par-3s differ in length and set up and getting a par on each goes a long way to a good score. Vintage Golf has some thrilling golf holes including the par-3 2nd, par-5 10th and par-4 13th, all of which will have you writing down a high score if you lose concentration or hit a bad shot.

The caddies are excellent, speak good English and are extremely knowledgeable about golf and the golf course.  Consult them before putting and you will likely get a good score. Before you play, be sure to warm up at the 350 yard grass driving range with its natural grass driving range and large practice putting green.

Both before and after their rounds, golfers can enjoy the comforts offered in the Tudor English style clubhouse. Locker rooms, restaurant, and pro shop are all located here. The locker rooms are airy, well-appointed and offer additional stream room, Jacuzzi and massage. The club house restaurant specializes in Japanese food at reasonable prices.

Less publicity makes for readily available tee times at Vintage, and fast play without delays, especially on weekdays when course is practically empty. Vintage should be considered as an excellent value-for-money venue for golfers wanting an excellent semi-private golf course as part of an overall Bangkok golf package.

Eastern Star Country Club & Resort

The links-style course at Eastern Star, located near the Gulf of Thailand, is one of only five courses in Thailand designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The Pattaya golf course is set on 530 acres of land and meanders through lovely residential areas of Eastern Star Country Club & Resort.

The course features wide fairways and hundreds of coconut palm trees and is a popular local favorite. The gently undulating fairways and greens feature 65 bunkers, 11 lakes and more than 2,200 coconut palm trees. The golf resort is conveniently situated just 2 kilometers from the sea ensuring a constant cooling breeze. Like a true links course, it is only slightly above sea level in altitude.

Eastern Star has been the venue for local and regional golf tournaments. It offers plenty of challenge for the experienced golfer, but also offers enjoyment for beginners. This Pattaya golf course is a "thinking man's course" that can be successfully navigated with a little strategy and well-positioned shots. Tall mature coconut trees and some mango trees define the holes, enhanced by areas rich in flowers. There are numerous dog legs and a lot of water along the 18 fairways of Eastern Star.

The golf course can play quite long, particularly from the championship blue tees. The signature hole is the picturesque par 3 thirteenth, which lulls players into admiring the scenery. An accurate tee shot over water is required so as to stay out of the deep bunker or the lake on the right of the green. The key is play to the center of the green or slightly to the left. Too far left however, is sand and deep rough. Over the green gives entails negotiating a difficult down-hill putt. If the hole appeared intimidating from the tee, look back from the green for an entirely different perspective.

With open fairways this is surely a course to suit beginner and experienced golfers alike. There is a good practice area and driving range in addition to a basic clubhouse providing a wide range of facilities such as an Olympic sized beach pool, tennis courts and locker rooms. The restaurant, like most Thai golf courses, services a wide range of dishes at reasonable prices. Try a fruit smoothie for a great after the round beverage.

President Country Club

President Country Club offers 36 holes of Trent Jones Jr. designed golf in an unspoiled rural setting. Extending beyond the course in virtually all directions is a very picturesque landscape of flat fields and open marshland, full of tall reeds and grasses, migratory birds, and many fish. Each hole was designed to be distinct in approach from all the others.

The North / East course is just a fraction shorter than the West / South combination, but makes up for this small length difference with some slightly more technical challenges - mainly based on a fine array of dog-legging holes, especially on the back-nine. The two out-and-back loops, North (1-9) and East (10-18) are flanked by open marshland. At times there is more of a parkland feel to the North / East course, with plenty of water to be negotiated on the dog-legging back-nine and very substantive greenside bunkering on most holes.

Despite the close proximity of many bunkers, the greens are not always overly large, which places a big premium on accurate approach play. A pleasant array of smallish trees and gentle earth mounding provides good separation and definition to each hole, while the plentiful supply of water creates many hazards which you'll need to negotiate.  The final hole is a good-length par-4 , which shares a small lake and the final green with a hole from the 18th on the West / South course.

In true links fashion the West (1-9) and South (10-18) has outward holes arranged adjacent to the inward holes. At first sight the fairways may appear wide, but placing your drive in the correct position to attack the flag is a major factor to scoring well here. A good-width band of semi-rough separates the parallel holes. This tough wiry Bermuda rough, when found, often forces the golfer to play a lay-up shot. Most greens are well protected by deep greenside bunkers and getting up and down is no simple task. Greens run fast and true, but the player must be aware not to miss the subtle borrows.

The terrain on the West is a shade more undulating than on the South, making it the best of the President's four out-and-back loops. Not only is marshland frequently in play, but from time to time small lakes also need to be avoided. The excellent par-5 18th, bringing you back to the clubhouse.

The President Country Club's elegantly appointed, spacious Mediterranean style clubhouse was thoughtfully designed to accommodate a broad range of activities. It caters to most golfers needs with a well-stocked pro shop and adequate ‘hole-in-one’ coffee shop serving both Thai and International dishes. Here you can also enjoy Jacuzzi & sauna and an outdoor swimming pool.

The facilities are generally good, although it is the excellence of the course layout and the naturalness of the surroundings that make President Country Club a special place for Bangkok golf visitors.

Lam Luk Ka Country Club

Lam Luk Ka Country Club offers a 36 hole layout and provides a very relaxing golf day in Bangkok. Because it's a little further out and features two courses, tee times are usually easy to find.

Both courses meander through Bangkok’s wetlands, where over 10,000 trees and waterways provide homes to over 100 species of birds and wildlife. There has been a great deal of tree planting, so the courses are already are blessed with more shade than many of the newer Bangkok golf courses.

In this very natural, rural environment, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Bangkok, four relatively similar nine-hole loops are interchangeably used on any given day. The Championship East Course comprises the A & B nines, the Resort West Course the C & D nines.

Though there is little to separate them in terms of quality of upkeep and presentation, which is always excellent, the East course is longer than the West, and can feel tougher as a result. Water hazards feature on just about every hole on both courses. As long as you can avoid the many lakes and ponds that flank the fairways and protect the greens, ball-finding from wayward shots should not be too difficult with semi-rough beyond the gently undulating and generally wide fairways.

Golfers will also be attracted not only by the good course layout, but also by the greens, which are some of the best putting surfaces in Bangkok. Good bunkering throughout and well-paced sloping greens reinforce the overall high quality golf environment at Lam Luk Ka Country Club.

The Championship East Course places a premium on driving the ball long and straight. Host of the 2002 Thailand PGA Championship and the 2009 Asian Tour qualifying events, Lam Luk Ka’s East Course will punish errant golf shots, but makes for an enjoyable round if played from the somewhat friendlier white tees.

The long Par 4 7th and 8th holes on the East Course are two of the better Par 4's in Bangkok and usually play into the prevailing breeze. The back nine is considered one of the best in Thailand, ending with a dramatic risk-reward Par 5. The 18th is an easy par 5 with a generous fairway. The key is not to get too greedy with your drive. Aim about 5-10 yards right of the right edge of the fairway bunker for your tee shot. A deep bunker guards the front of the green, which should be avoided at all costs. There is a lot of room right of the green and missing your fairway wood or long iron approach will give you the best chance to make an up and down for birdie.

Lam Luk Ka’s Championship East Course remains one of Thailand’s most challenging layouts. The shorter West Course suits all levels of golfers and will test golfer's course management skills.

The West Course is relatively short, but water comes into play on 15 holes making course management a key factor in scoring. Every hole provides several options, so longer hitters can still hit driver although it’s not necessary on most holes. The West Course is a favorite of tourists and recreational golfers, and is home to a plethora of native birds and wildlife.

The 18th is a very difficult finishing hole where golfers should consider hitting a 3-wood off the tee, aiming down the left side of the fairway. Pay special attention to your aim to ensure you give yourself the best chance to hit it straight. If you miss the fairway consider lying up short of the creek that bisects the fairway. The green slopes from front to back. This makes it difficult to get the ball close to a front pin location.

The large clubhouse provides every amenity for the golfer. After a round at Lam Luk Ka, golfers can relax and take a swim in the Olympic-sized swimming pool or enjoy a range of Thai or international culinary delights in the clubhouse restaurant overlooking the 18th hole of the East Course. Practice facilities include a grass driving range and two chipping and putting greens. All in all Lam Luk Ka is an excellent golf course and one of the better values in Bangkok golf.

 Legacy Golf Club

The Legacy Golf Club is the only Jack Nicklaus course in Bangkok. It was formerly known as Natural Park Ramindra Golf Club and part of the large Natural Park group of courses. Before Legacy Golf Club was taken over by the Natrural group it was independently run as the Winsan Golf Club. The golf club is located next to Safari World in the Minburi area and is a very easy 40 minute drive from the city center of Bangkok.

The course is popular with local Thai golfers, members, and golf visitors alike. Course conditions are well kept especially considering the amount of rounds played. Caddies are well trained and as good if not better than other Bangkok golf courses. However, during the rainy season the fairways can get soggy very quickly as the course is in one of the lower lying areas of Bangkok.

Legacy Golf Club was built between two lakes and is equally challenging for amateur and professional golfers alike. All the common Jack Nicklaus design features such as waste bunkers, wide fairways, and tight approaches are found in abundance at Legacy.

The Jack Nicklaus designed course measures over 7,100 yards from the 'Jack' tees, but with 5 tee boxes to choose from the golf course provides a tough test for players of all abilities. Huge lakes come into play on almost half the holes. Greens are good but sometimes on the slow side, at least compared to some of the top Bangkok golf courses such as Alpine and Thai Country Club. Most of the greens are well guarded and surrounded by deep bunkers. The par 4, sixteenth plays especially difficult as a large island green is all but surrounded by water and sand.

The large clubhouse has several restaurants and function rooms. Service is quite good and the Japanese cuisine in particular is well priced and quite tasty.

Lotus Valley Golf Resort Description:

Lotus Valley Golf Resort is located east of Bangkok; approximately 50 minutes from Suvanabhumi International Airport. Formerly the World Trade Golf and Sports Club, Lotus Valley Golf Resort is one of only a handful of Gary Player designed golf courses in Asia.

The famous South African created a good balance of golf challenge while using modern golf course construction methods and quality. The golf course has two conventional loops of nine holes adding up to a championship length of 6,955 yards from the tips and a par 72.

Every hole represents its own individual challenge and affords both an easy path to the green for par or a more risky route for a birdie chance. Water come into play on every hole to some degree or anther. True to Player's style and in leaning towards the traditional Scottish design, close cut fairways and fringes feature around the greens.

The modern club house features a large airy lobby and entrance area, a well stocked pro shop, and locker rooms featuring with Japanese baths; a wonderful way to unwind after play. The Lotus Restaurant has a good reputation and has a wide selection of Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and Western food. The open spacious and airy restaurant presents an ideal setting to relive your good and bad shots of the day.

A nice touch of Lotus Valley Golf Resort is the cashless policy. Each golfer gets a day passport when they register that can be used to charge drinks and snacks on the course and purchase items in the club house. Bills are settled after your round and when you check out; which adds a classy touch found only in the finest golf resorts.