This is a fantasy composite course of 18 holes, set out in a par 72 format. Some of the holes are from the blue or back tees, but a few from the white tees – which are shorter and more forgiving – have been included.
When people play some of these holes, they might ask themselves what the fuss is about and wonder what was tough or challenging about them. Well, they've been selected for a number of reasons, some just because they're difficult, some interesting and require the golfer to think a bit harder, and one or two just because they're beautifully laid out designs, although still tough holes.
Many of them have given considerable difficulty over the years and golfers feel they've had a good day if they can get birdie or par on them. One or two courses are represented more than once, but that's because they're such superb courses.
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The 6th, Course B at Sir James Country
Club, Khao Yai Let’s start with a tough par 4. It's index 1, and for good reason. It's a huge dog-leg left up a hill for the drive, but then over a valley and round the corner for the second shot to an uphill green, protected by bunkers left and right. The inside of the dog-leg is protected by out of bounds and a water hazard, so this is not the hole for serial hookers; and you have to be far enough right with the drive to even see the green. |
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The 9th, Course C at Greenwood Golf & Resort, Chonburi Another taxing dog-leg par 4, this time to the right with a huge lake on the inside and a bunker bang on the corner. The green is raised and very small, with pot bunkers 20-30 yards out just to punish players who under-club. Greenwood is one of Peter Thomson’s best designs and, since he made his name playing and winning ‘The Open’ 5 times on British links courses, pot bunkers are to be expected. |
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The 12th at Dragon Hills Golf& Country Club, Ratchaburi This is just a beautiful golf hole to me. The tee is elevated looking over a large lake to the right and front of the green, which is nestled in some mounds surrounding the left and back. The green is also three-tiered, which makes it such a challenging tee shot and putt depending on where the pin is. A bunker protects the right side as well as the water so, not only is the hole scenically good, it’s hard too. |
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The 18th at Loch Palm Golf Club,
Phuket A great finishing hole at Loch Palm, with a downhill drive to a corner required before turning left to a narrow ledge for the second shot, with a steep bank down into jungle on the right and a virtual cliff on the left. There are great views overlooking the course as you walk along this hole, but don’t let that distract you; your powers of concentration will be needed to get the ball on the green in regulation and make a good score. |
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The 6th, Course A at Khao Kheow, Chonburi Whilst this is a short hole, it can bite you in the wrong place with consummate ease. With out of bounds and a bunker on the left, as well as water and a bunker right, a straight drive down the hill is essential. Once you've made your perfect drive, then the trouble starts. The green is surrounded by water and juts out into the lake on the right, so the second shot is a knee trembler for slicers, particularly if the pin is back right. |
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The 6th at Navathanee Golf Course, Bangkok Another very testing par 4, index 1 at Navathanee, requires a solid drive to a fairway that slopes left to a creek running along the left, then crosses the fairway to a lake on the right. A big hit from this tee might run out of fairway, so ask the caddie for distances. The second shot is across the creek, with the water hazard now on the right, to a raised green protected by bunkers and with the lake on the right. This hole features in Asia’s top 50 golf holes and ranks number 1 in Thailand. |
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The 17th at The Royal Golf and Country Club, Bangkok Teaching professionals have been seen to sneak the driver out of the bag for this intimidating par 3 – and it's the right club as the prevailing wind is against you. With water right and in front of you and a green raised and protected by pot bunkers, the pressure is on. Many match-play rounds come down to this hole; it can make or break a deadlock. The green is massive, so pin positions are very varied and the difficulty is to stop a ball on it with such a big club. Even off the nearer white tee, it's anything from driver to utility wood for many players. This one’s a beast. |
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The 18th at The Majestic Creek Country Club, Hua Hin This is my favourite thinking hole, as there are so many options that you need to plan carefully. The drive is guarded by water and bunkers left, water straight and trees right. You need to hit about 200 yards, which leaves the next puzzle. You'll be faced with a lay up with a medium iron to a narrow landing area with water right and a bunker left, or you can hit a fairway wood over the bunker to open up the green. Either way, the green is two tiered and slopes towards you and the water that it juts out into. Bunkers right and behind give it more protection, so three precise shots are required before a very testing putt on a sloped green. |
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The 18th at Amata Spring Country Club, Bangkok A tough way to finish the front 9, as the hole is into the wind and very long, with a large lake on the left. Well-known tour professionals have been seen to hit woods into the green for their second shot − but they were playing 477 yards for the hole. The green kinks left and is protected by bunkers, as well as a beautiful waterfall just below the imposing clubhouse, so the approach is a healthy smack to an awkward green. |
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