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A green card is not compulsary in Thailand (with perhaps one or two exceptions country wide).
But experience is obviously a benefit!
Some Clubs offer an introductory course which results in a qualification similar to the European green card qualification.
But caddies are compulsary. The tip is upwards from 200 baht per round.
The dress code is smart golf attire; shirt with collar, no T-shirt; decent shorts are OK, but no swimming trunks or running shorts.
In theory, soft spike shoes are only allowed - golf shoes or trainers. It is difficult to hire shoes, but they can easily be cheaply bought.
There is also the Katathong golf course and Spa near Phang Nga town
( Kha Ngok / Baan Bang Kan) ( see website: www.katathong.com )
Tublamu (aka Thap Lamu) Royal Navy Golf Course Khao Lak
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This 18-hole , 6825 yard, par 72, course is located at the Royal Thai Navy Sport Development Centre, Thap Lamu, a couple of kilometers south of KhaoLak.
(Thap Lamu is also the departure point for boats to the Similan islands).
The course is owned by the Royal Thai Navy and was upgraded to 18 holes during the summer of 2002, at which time it was opened up for the public.
This unique golf course is located and laid out close to the sandy Son Ngam beach (which simply means hidden beauty) in Ao Khao Lak.
Ao Khao Lak is the pretty (original) Khao Lak bay, south of the main headland.
There is a background of the tropical rain forest hills of Khao Lak.
The rich variety of birds and the lush vegetation provide a natural and relaxing experience.
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The 2004 tsunami destroyed nearly every fairway, and 30 million baht was spent on the re-construction.
The course was completely rebuilt (new fairways and greens), and the design was changed slightly. It re-opened in November 2005.
So in summary, whilst this course may not entirely match a few of nearby Phuket's plush courses, it is quite well maintained and the layout is
quite interesting.
There are a few holes adjacent to the beach and the surrounding scenery is very pleasant.
And you won't have to pay country club prices.
The Clubhouse provides good and affordable Thai cuisine.
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The following basic fee information may be subject to change:
Green fee for an 18-hole of game : 2,200 THB approx. Golf cart : 600 THB per cart
Caddy fee for an 18 hole of game : 200 THB per person Golf club rental : 600 THB to THB 800 per set
38 Moo 5, Tambon Lam Kaen, Thap Lamu, Amphoe Thai Mueang
Tel/Fax: 076 443 288
Open daily 06.30 to 18.00 hours
A few agencies in Khao Lak can book tee off times and also arrange transportation. eg.:
ECO Khao Lak Adventure
Green Andaman Travel
Khao Lak Land Discovery
Other points of interest at the Naval Base at Thap Lamu
Thap Lamu is also the location of the Royal Thai Navy's Third Fleet Sea Turtle Nursery. Infant turtles from various areas on the Andaman coastline are brought here, nursed along until they are strong enough to fend for themselves, then released into the sea.
It is the country's most important such nursery on the Andaman coast.
There is a small conservation centre of HRH Princess Chulabhorn undersea park project, to help spread knowledge of the undersea environment and its resources.
The two storey building has rooms displaying the works of the Chulabhorn Research Institute's Royal chairman, a meeting room, a dining room, a performance room, and an exhibition hall. The exhibition hall details the Chulabhorn Project's origins, the importance of undersea resources and
environment, new ideas in undersea eco-tourism, and an exhibit of artworks focusing on undersea world themes.
The Princess has also a small Tsunami Village project nearby (also in Tambon Lam Kaen) due for completion in early 2009. This Royal project includes 60 homes, a children's centre, a community centre, a handicraft skills school and souvenir shop, a food court, a meeting room, and a home for the Princess.
The project was built by the Army on 60 rai of land donated by the Forest Department. The project is called Baan Suay Faa Sai (meaning: beautiful house (under a ) clear sky)
Princess Chulabhorn is the youngest daughter of HM King Bhumipol Adulyadej and HM Queen Sirikit, and you may catch a glimpse of her Palace on Ko Miang if you visit the Similan Islands.
Thap Lamu is the departure point for boats to the Similan Islands.
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Ratchaprapha Dam golf course (near Khao Sok national park)
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The course is located close to the Ratchaprapha Dam at Baan Takun close to Khao Sok National Park and the Cheow Lan Lake.
See our Khao Sok web page:
www.khaolak.net/np/khao-sok.html
This is a very beautiful yet challenging course.
This course has a magnificent natural setting, providing a perfect combination of scenic beauty, sporting challenge and golfing pleasure.
It has an excellent layout and great thought has gone into the placement of holes.
The Ratchaprapha dam golf course is 18 hole, par 72.
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The course has four par 3's and these are quite demanding, given their length.
The shortest is the 165 yard 6th, a hilltop tee with views over the entire valley and Dam, with a pond in front and bunkers behind the green.
There are ten par 4's - some of which are quite exceptional.
The four par 5's are all quite long and challenging.
The Clubhouse is good with great views over many holes. The restaurant is superb. There is also a driving range.
After you have finished playing, drive to the special Viewpoint over the Dam.
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Thai Muang Beach Golf course
Due to re-open in 2020 as the Aquella Golf Resort and Country Club
Aquella.com
This course has reportedly been purchased by a Hong Kong businessman for upgrading and re-structuring
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The Thai Muang Beach course is situated in Phang Nga province, south of Khaolak, and just over half way between Khao Lak and Phuket.
It is the only links course in Thailand.
This is a fine Championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones and located along 2.5 km of unspoilt beach. The 7,019 yard course is an 18 hole, par 72 with some tremendous scenery.
The layout features islands and lagoons, with
angled banks, grass hollows, steep mounds, and pits of sand offering ample challenges for the experienced golfer.
The signature hole, the 17th, is nicknamed "The Lady. It plays along a narrow peninsula, while "The Gem" is a spectacular finish hole running parallel to the shore.
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The course has charm and atmosphere and offers a laid back experience.
Facilities include a good clubhouse, boutique style chalets, a herbal health spa and a Thai traditional massage, and a marina. Mountain biking, canoeing and sailing are also available to cater for an overall family holiday.
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Phuket golf courses:
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Phuket Country Club
Blue Canyon Country Club
Laguana Phuket (formerly Banyan Tree)
Loch Palm Golf club
Red Mountain Golf club
Mission Hills Golf Resort
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- walk in rate of 3000 baht
(2 courses)
Canyon course - walk in rate of 5600 baht
Lakes course - walk in rate of 4000 baht
- walk in rate of 3600 baht
- walk in rate of 3300 baht
- walk in rate of 4500 baht
- walk in rate of 3800 baht
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The course is located midway between Phuket city and Patong Beach, and actually features two courses - the "Old" and the "Country" - both designed by Dr. Sukitti Klangvishai.
The "Old" was opened in 1989 and is an 18 hole, par 72, 6475 yards course to challange low handicap players. It is quite a tough and tricky course with three aspects: six holes are on the level,
six are through landscape forest and six are in undulating hills. The 10th hole is especially memorable as it turns around a large lake. The "Old" course is probably the most popular on the island.
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The "Country" is a challenging 3575 yards (championship tee) par 37, 9 hole course with lots of water issues.
The course is seperate from the "Old" one, and sees less play, partly because some golfers look down on nine hole courses. However on the contrary it is pretty tough, and regarded as one of the best nine hole layouts in Asia.
The difficulty of the course is softened by the picturesque scenery, and the five tee-off boxes at each hole - which offer some choices. But the over-riding feature is water.
Website: www.phuketcountryclub.com
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The exclusive Blue Canyon Country Club has a reputation as one of the most legendry and finest private golf clubs in Asia. It is located close to the airport on 720 acres of secluded lush green valley,
and offers two award-winning 18-hole championship golf courses: the Canyon course, built in 1991, and the Lakes course built in 1999. The design was by Yoshikazu Kato.
The Blue Canyon courses are scuplted around existing canyons, woodlands, an old tin mine and rubber plantations. The notion of an artificial design was totally rejected.
The courses feature two contrasting layouts. The Lakes course, as it's name suggests, has water hazards hampering 17 of the 18 holes. The Canyon course is contoured into a deep valley with tree-lined fairways and rolling hills.
The Canyon course was the venue of the Johnny Walker Classic in both 1994 and 1998, and the Honda Classic in 1996. It was designed for golfers of all skill levels - the choice of five teeing grounds allows
the course to be played at varying distances (5,974 yards to 7,119 yards). It has quite a famous par3 14th signature hole, with it's large kidney shaped island green.
The Lakes course is open to non-members but note that this course will be closed from April 2006 for six months in order to replace all the greens.
This is a generally easy walking course and the holes run in a continuous direction. The 18th hole is a very tough finisher.
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Facilities include a Lodge and luxury appartments, restaurants, a superlative Spa, two swimming pools, tennis courts, well-equiped gym, golf school and the region's best pro shop.
Website: www.bluecanyonclub.com
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Laguna Phuket Golf Course
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This course is situated on the Laguana Resort complex, on the west coast near Cherntalay, midway between Patong and the airport.
The complex is a 5-star fully integrated luxurious resort with the following hotels: The Laguna Beach Club, Sheraton Grande Laguna Beach, The Allamanda, Banyan Tree and Dusit Laguna.
Some 43 swimming pools complement six palm-fringed lagoons lining the Andaman Sea, and 25 restaurants and bars complete this resort.
Website: www.lagunaphuket.com/golfclub
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The 18 hole Par 71 championship course, designed by David Abell, is 6,850 yards long, and challenges golfers of all abilities.
It features a labyrinth of lagoons, coconut groves and undulating fairways set against a backdrop of the surrounding hills. Water features in 13 of the holes.
There is a well appointed clubhouse, extensive practise facilities (driving range, putting greens, practise bunkers, chipping areas), professional golf instruction, pro shop, billiard table,
three tennis courts and the Banyan cafe.
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This 6,560 yard Par 72 course lies fairly close (10 - 15 minutes) to Patong, and is situated between Kathu village and the Kathu Waterfalls. It was designed by Dr. Sukhitti Klangvhisal and is about 8 km from Phuket City.
In addition to the panoramic vista, the main central feature of the layout are an extremely large Crystal Lake (48 acres) and a smaller sister lake (12 acres).
They represent the largest body of water on any Phuket course.
The fairways of this recently re-designed course surround the lakes and a cool breeze runs throughout the setting.
The new layout is excellent and is maturing into a close rival of the other island courses, and becoming more and more popular.
The first nine holes sit amongst pine trees and the lakes, whilst the latter nine provide dramatic scenery and golf in the foothills.
The golf course includes a new country-style clubhouse with excellent facilities, a driving range, lakeside restaurant, a golf school and traditional Thai massage facilities.
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Website: www.lochpalm.com
It is often regarded as the most relaxing golf course on Phuket.
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Red Mountain Golf Course opened in May 2007 and is the sister of, and adjacent to, the Loch Palm Golf course; the course is intended to complement the Loch Palm course rather
than compete with it.
It is billed as the most challenging and hilliest golf course in Phuket and was designed by Jon Morrow.
The course is a 18 hole standard par 72 and covers 6,900 yards in total, and as such it caters to all levels of players.
In common with a few other golf courses in Phuket, the course originates from an abandoned tin mine - the layout and overall effect certainly introduces a concept of variety and seems to cleverly celebrate the past rather than try to hide it.
The Red Mountain golf course is aptly named due to the red-soiled mountains dotted around the course area, surrounded by lush tropical rain forest.
The course was designed to take advantage of a huge variety of landforms and dramatic variations in elevations. Players have to face the full range of natures hazards - wind, water,
slopes and elevation changes.
There are excellent shared practice facilities, a grass driving range, and a fully stocked club house.
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Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa
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This is a new course by Nicklaus Design on the north-east coast, 15 minutes from the airport and 35 minutes from Phuket city.
Mission hills was carved out of rubber plantations, and has fringes of mangroves. It offers fantastic sea views.
Although it is next to the sea, it is not a links course.
The Chamiponship length is 6308 meters and the Tournament length is 6806 yards. There is a nine-hole course nearby in the foothills.
Facilities in the 72 room resort include a driving range, international restaurants, swimming pool, pro shop, private function room and a spa.
Address: 195 Moo 4 Pla Khlok, Amphur Thalang, Phuket 83000
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