10 |
The 7th on Course C at Khao Kheow Country Club, Chonburi This is another of those holes that doesn't at all suit players who draw or hook the ball. A big drive is needed to give yourself as short an iron in as possible, because the green is tucked in left round a lake, with bunkers guarding the right. Even if you hit the green, anything to the left – or drawing – runs the risk of scooting off into the lake, as there's no fringe to the green, which simply falls right away to the water. |
 |
11 |
The 6th at St Andrews Hill 2000, Rayong Sounds like a let off. Well, a 5 wood or 3 iron is required to get you safely over a lake to a narrow strip of land partially blocked by a single tree just where one would like to hit the ball, before the hole dog-legs right to an uphill green, surrounded by countless bunkers. There is no bump and run to the second shot as the bunkers will trap that approach so a precise wedge or 9 iron is the only sure way. |
 |
|
12 |
The 16th at Blue Sapphire Island Golf & Resort,
Kanchanaburi This beautiful little par 3 will test your assessment of wind and elevation as the tee sits on a hill looking over a lake and severely downhill to the green, which has a nasty bunker to the left with palm trees in it so even the sand is not always a safe place to be and of course the lake in front takes care of anything played short. A downhill shot is usually a club less, but if the wind is blowing, think long and hard about what you want to do with the tee shot. |
 |
| 13 |
The 18th at Springfield Village Golf & Spa, Cha Am One of Jack Nicklaus’ best creations. The hole dog-legs left over high trees with a bunker to catch the straight drive, water down the right for the second shot and an island green to make the nervous wobble more. At 473 yards off the white tee, it’s not long, but so tempting to try and make eagle as long as you clear the trees with the drive. With any lapses of concentration, this one will bite you and possibly ruin a nice round or just sum up the day if you’ve had a bad one. |
 |
| 14 |
The 16th at Gassan Khuntan Golf & Resort, Chiang Mai I’ve heard this hole described as everything from crazy to unfair. Well, what would be the challenge if it was easy? The hole is a 90 degree right hand dog-leg with a very narrow drive to a very small landing area. The catch is that huge trees line the right hand side of the fairway so you need to get the drive past these before you can size up the second shot, severely down hill and over water to virtually an island green. The classic mistake is to put yourself in a good position and then underestimate the down slope and over club to the green. |
 |
15 |
The 16th at Royal Ratchaburi Golf Club & Resort, Ratchaburi This is not such a difficult hole really, but fools people who don’t know the course. The hole curves to the left round a lake but also has water right so, to me, it’s a difficult drive. However, the designer has left an alternative as the fairway is split by the lake, leaving a small landing area aimed directly at the hole with water, trees and bunkers shielding it – but it’s by far the easier route as it cuts off about 50 yards and saves one from an intimidating drive. I played skins there with a couple of friends who had never seen the course before; luckily for me they had the honour so, once they'd hit drives going the prescribed route, I casually pulled out a 3 iron, turned 90 degrees left on the tee box and planted a perfect shot to the small landing area inside the main lake to within wedge range – and took the money with a par. I can’t repeat their comments about failing to disclose this alternative route! |
 |
16 |
The 14th at Soi Dao Highland Golf Club & Resort, Chantaburi This is such a delightful course that at least one hole is worth a mention. The layout is up a hill through some large trees with a bunker right on driving distance for most players, so a solid 5 wood will get you in play before the second to a wicked green full of slopes and hollows. Being below the hole is key to preventing a 3 putt or even running off the green so take the second shot seriously. |
 |
17 |
The 8th at Amata Spring Country Club, Bangkok This daunting par 3 is difficult to describe; you have to play it to appreciate it’s full horror. Into the prevailing wind, which is normally strong late morning and afternoon since Amata is close to the sea, the tee shot is slightly downhill but a huge lake runs all the way down the left and a big bunker protects a 3 tiered green. In the Royal Trophy 2006 (Asia versus Europe match play format), many pro’s took irons for their 236 yard morning shot and having seen the carnage, a few sheepishly pulled woods out of the bag in the afternoon and still the water claimed a few. I don’t recall a birdie that week. |
 |
18 |
The 11th at Dragon Hills Golf & Country Club, Ratchaburi This is my favourite par 5 at one of the finest courses in Thailand, so we'll finish with this one. It's another risk-reward hole as two good shots will see you on in two and putting for that closing eagle. The trouble is that the drive is almost blind, with a massive rockery in the middle of the fairway and out of bounds up the hill to the left. If you catch a good drive, you won’t see where the ball finishes but the caddies will know if it’s good. You're then faced with the old question: to have a go or not? The simple procedure is a medium iron and wedge and one or two putts to make a good score, but fortune favours the brave, so go for a fairway wood over the lake and the bunker surrounding the green to give yourself the chance of a grandstand finish. |
 |
