Jump to content

Support our Sponsors >> Thai Friendly | Pattaya News | Pattaya Unplugged | Buy a drink for Soi 6 Girls | Thailand 24/7 Forum | TPN Property | La La Land bar | NEW PA website | Subscribe to The Pattaya News |Pattaya Investigations | Rage Fight Academy | Buy/Sell Businesses | Isaan Lawyers | Siam Business Brokers | Belts Of Mongering - Mongering Authority | Add your Text or Event here

IGNORED

What is the most difficult golf course to play around Pattaya


globalexperiences

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 187
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Pm to Papa2044... He travelled around four times a week in golf while two months in thailand, he will tell you which course is the hardest..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it must be Ban Chang.

 

They all seem to have given up and be in the bars by about 12 noon. :Think1:

 

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What level of player are you? What kind of challenge you looking for? Lots of the courses are almost PGA tough form the back tees.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 Handicap long hitter.....Played Siam Old course/Lam Chebang/St Andrews 2000.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still think Laem Chabang is one of - if not the- best. I'm not off 7 and not a long hitter, but I still play regularly - mostly Phuket or Bangkok - I like Laem Chabang better than Blue Canyon or Windmill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 Handicap long hitter.....Played Siam Old course/Lam Chebang/St Andrews 2000.

 

If you can play to that from the tips on those courses you are one damn good 7. :GoldenSmile1:

Really most courses are pretty tough form the tips. One you might overlook is Mountain Shadow. Narrow, trees, tricky greens. Serious test from the tips. Same with Bangphra. I play off 6-8 (it moves a bit) and while not long I'm not considered a short knocker either. And I find the ones you mentioned challenge enough from the standard mens tees.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Mountain and Lake 9's at Laem Chabang are not all that difficult, although the Valley 9 is.

Bangpra is usually difficult to score well at. So is Treasure Hills- try playing that course off the white tees.

Khao Kheow when its windy.

If you have money to waste, try Siam Plantation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

St Andrews of the back tees was very tricky, as was Siam Old course.

 

Probably the best course I've played was in Phuket called Red Mountain. A windy day there is a real challenge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Treasure Hill and Khao Kheow are great courses and not easy. I like Emerald designed by Nick Faldo. People tend to love it or hate it.

I have never played it from the back tees but I should think it is very difficult.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I've played a lot of courses around the Pattaya/Chonburi/Rayong area both from the white and blues tees and based on my personal score, I would have to say that the "Siam Old Course" and "St Andrews 2000" played from the blues was the most difficult for me. Maybe it was wind or other factors on those particular days but those two courses eat my lunch. At the time I played those courses I believe my handicap was around a 9 at the time, now I play off of a 7. Nevertheless, the main thing is being out on the course and having fun your friends.

 

Aloha.

Kalani

If can, can.. If no can, no can..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 Handicap long hitter.....Played Siam Old course/Lam Chebang/St Andrews 2000.

Played the Siam CC Plantation course from men's back tees (not the championship tees, one before), and I think it was among one of the most difficult I have played.

 

I'm a former HCP 6 (I now rarely play), not a long hitter, in normal conditions on flat terrain I can hit up to about 250m with the driver, 100m with 9-iron.

 

The plantation course is new (the course is about 3 or 4 years old) and when I played it, very humid. Tee shots would not roll at all, so my drives would just stay where they fell, about 180 - 200m from where I hit, leaving at least a 4 iron to reach the average par 4 green.

Even on the par fives, a relatively long iron was required to reach the green, due to absolutely zero roll.

 

The greens are elevated and although the fairways are wet and pitch like assholes, the greens were much less wet and I had trouble to keep the ball on them, because they are a bit young and still bouncy.

For chipping or putting the greens are very tricky because they are elevated with multiple slopes often leading off the green.

 

Try the Siam CC plantation course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I second some of the previous posts that Bangpra, Mountain Shadow and Treasure Hills can be a good test as they all are either narrow, have trees or both. Not necessarily the manicured beauty of Laem Chabang, St. Andrews and Siam but the quality of golf is quite good and prices are more reasonable. Various golf bars and societies go to these courses although not so much Treasure Hills as it is a bit further out. FYI the Friday Pattaya Mail newspaper prints the schedule for the upcoming week of the various golf societies.

Common sense is not very common.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I would also say Plantation is a tough one. We played there in April, all 4 of us were in trouble, that included a guy off 3HC and another off 5HC, im off 12 and really suffered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have just had week of golf in pattaya and i played mostly off the back tees and i am a 6 handicapper.i got humiliated off the back tees on emerald and the siam old course, plantation not easy. i found laem chabang and st andrews not so tough although i could see how some would think that st andrews could be.you wont find many par 4s on bangpra under 430 yards and with the quick greens tough to land your approaches.i dont think there is such a thing as a easy course off the back tees on any of the courses.if i had to rate in order of the course i played

1 . emerald ( bloody narrow and cowgrass with elevated greens )

2 . siam old course. had a shocker on the greens.

3 . plantation ( i found the holes more interesting than old course )

4 . bangpra ( very long )

5 . st andrews ( had my best round 3 over)

6 . laem chabang ( user friendly )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

In my opinion the most difficult course is Wangjuntr, particularly from the tiger tees.

 

My favourite courses are:

St. Andrews

Laem Chabang

Siam CC plantation

Bangpra

Khao Kheow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Treasure Hill from the back will definitely get your interest. A couple of long par 3s, (at 230+ yards), and a total length of over 7200 yards will test that "long hitter" tag to the fullest. Several tee shots require shaping as well from the back, which you don't see from the shorter tees.

Pattana from the back tees will also give you plenty to think about.

 

Good luck finding someone to play from the back with, I have found the majority of players here, even "A" flighters prefer comfort to challenge!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Played the Siam CC Plantation course from men's back tees (not the championship tees, one before), and I think it was among one of the most difficult I have played.

 

I'm a former HCP 6 (I now rarely play), not a long hitter, in normal conditions on flat terrain I can hit up to about 250m with the driver, 100m with 9-iron.

 

The plantation course is new (the course is about 3 or 4 years old) and when I played it, very humid. Tee shots would not roll at all, so my drives would just stay where they fell, about 180 - 200m from where I hit, leaving at least a 4 iron to reach the average par 4 green.

Even on the par fives, a relatively long iron was required to reach the green, due to absolutely zero roll.

 

The greens are elevated and although the fairways are wet and pitch like assholes, the greens were much less wet and I had trouble to keep the ball on them, because they are a bit young and still bouncy.

For chipping or putting the greens are very tricky because they are elevated with multiple slopes often leading off the green.

 

Try the Siam CC plantation course.

I agree Siam Plantation is very good challenge. Played it 2 days ago. The greens were very tough to read.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The way I hit it last month,they were all fuckin hard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Emerald is definitely one of the toughest courses I have played in Chonburi, and I have played most of them.  It's nowhere near as posh and well manicured as Laem Chabang or Burapha. But it sure as hell is one tough bastard of a course...if your ball lands in even the first cut off the fairway, that's bad news.  There are no breaks anywhere...well, maybe that short downhill par 3 on the back nine.  But really, that's about it.  The other 17 holes I found quite challenging.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Emerald is definitely one of the toughest courses I have played in Chonburi, and I have played most of them.  It's nowhere near as posh and well manicured as Laem Chabang or Burapha. But it sure as hell is one tough bastard of a course...if your ball lands in even the first cut off the fairway, that's bad news.  There are no breaks anywhere...well, maybe that short downhill par 3 on the back nine.  But really, that's about it.  The other 17 holes I found quite challenging.

 

Shoot.  None of the par 3s there are easy.  Even the short one if the wind is blowing.  Don't go long as that is death.  Right is death.  Left is comatose.  Short you can survive from if you hit the fringe.  

 

I think the par 3s on Emerald are the toughest combined par 3s in Thailand.  Great track.  Sadly, it is not always in the best shape.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

... firstly ... another local resident golfer perspective here ... over the last 10+ years, I played maybe 12-15 of the 20-25 courses within a 45-minute drive radius of Pattaya ... generally, most are poorly designed by wannabe no-name designers, and built cheaply, below standard specifications, so they do not age well ... for sure, go at least with a course designed by a recognized designer.

 

... were there but one course I could play for a test of skill, I would play Mountain Shadow ... I know this course very well ... from the back tees, it is deceptively difficult and relatively short (6,800 yards), but well-designed by a thoughtful golf course designer out of California (Ronald Fream), who is credited with some pretty highly feted courses around the world.

 

.... Mountain Shadow is favored by single-handicapped golfers ... but, from the front tees, Mountain Shadow is very playable for any higher handicapped golfers in your group, and can be played 'safely' if they are wussies, or can't manage a driver ... the slope rating gap between front and rear tees is impressive (evidence of a quality golf course designer).

 

... slope rating 72.2 from the back tees ... Mountain Shadow is a skill course ... it earns this rating by smart design ... it is short ... the course designer knew that ... built in an 'old growth' mango orchard, Mountain Shadow makes you work your irons ... a long drive gives you nothing there ... situated in the foothillls of a low coastal range, topography is brought into play on maybe 8-9 of the upland holes ... water is brought into play on maybe 7-8 of the low topography holes (I think there are 2, or 3 island and semi-island greens) ... greens are smartly tiered and articulated ... risk shots are fairly penalized.

 

... most courses in the area 'pad' their slope ratings with lame cheap tricks ... they are made difficult merely by pushing the tees back, and necking down the 85% journeyman golfer's landing areas ... single-handicap golfers with even reasonable reach (85% + 15 yards) will blow right past these fairway blocks, and find the claim to challenging a hollow tease ... some non-professionally designed courses here rely upon 'goony golf' greens, which is simply rolling dice ... (3 warps to the cup? ... oh pul-leaze, give me a break!) ... not really golf ... cheap gimmicks.

 

... poorly promoted by the owners, Mountain Shadow is off most radars ... if it is not over-played (as most every Thai course during the high season crush), it is a pearl ... at this time of year, though, prepare to be frustrated by slow play anywhere in Thailand ... over-booking is routine ... poor, sometimes totally absent, course management ... even 5-somes are allowed on many courses ... this is about the best that local Thai companies can manage.

 

http://www.where2golf.com/pattaya/mountain-shadow-golf-club.asp

 

... also ... www.Thaigolfer.com is a useful web site ... intel on every single course ... many commentaries in English, though they have to be parsed for reliability and relevance ... they offer a discount golf card that was a great value when I was golfing ... don't know about now, but it is worth checking out if this is a golfing vacation for you.

 

... the local golf tour operators will charge you the golf course's full rack rate+ ... the only people who pay full rack rate for golf in Thailand are either village idiots, or tourists ... a package tour might be worthwhile if you want to be babied about, but not worth it if you can hire a van on your own to get you there and get you home ... check out van hire services on the Internet, not hotel or (God forbid) the street touts.

 

Hunter S. Thompson Insert.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love Mountain Shadow.Use to stay in the hotel out there,back when they were NP Hills and Resort.I remember paying 2800 for two rounds and a night at the hotel,inc breakfast.lol.Was the best deal going.Great golf course,but when I played last year,they were short on water,and it was suffering.

 

Soi Dao is still may Favourite.I always play well there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

... firstly ... another local resident golfer perspective here ... over the last 10+ years, I played maybe 12-15 of the 20-25 courses within a 45-minute drive radius of Pattaya ... generally, most are poorly designed by wannabe no-name designers, and built cheaply, below standard specifications, so they do not age well ... for sure, go at least with a course designed by a recognized designer.

 

... were there but one course I could play for a test of skill, I would play Mountain Shadow ... I know this course very well ... from the back tees, it is deceptively difficult and relatively short (6,800 yards), but well-designed by a thoughtful golf course designer out of California (Ronald Fream), who is credited with some pretty highly feted courses around the world.

 

.... Mountain Shadow is favored by single-handicapped golfers ... but, from the front tees, Mountain Shadow is very playable for any higher handicapped golfers in your group, and can be played 'safely' if they are wussies, or can't manage a driver ... the slope rating gap between front and rear tees is impressive (evidence of a quality golf course designer).

 

... slope rating 72.2 from the back tees ... Mountain Shadow is a skill course ... it earns this rating by smart design ... it is short ... the course designer knew that ... built in an 'old growth' mango orchard, Mountain Shadow makes you work your irons ... a long drive gives you nothing there ... situated in the foothillls of a low coastal range, topography is brought into play on maybe 8-9 of the upland holes ... water is brought into play on maybe 7-8 of the low topography holes (I think there are 2, or 3 island and semi-island greens) ... greens are smartly tiered and articulated ... risk shots are fairly penalized.

 

... most courses in the area 'pad' their slope ratings with lame cheap tricks ... they are made difficult merely by pushing the tees back, and necking down the 85% journeyman golfer's landing areas ... single-handicap golfers with even reasonable reach (85% + 15 yards) will blow right past these fairway blocks, and find the claim to challenging a hollow tease ... some non-professionally designed courses here rely upon 'goony golf' greens, which is simply rolling dice ... (3 warps to the cup? ... oh pul-leaze, give me a break!) ... not really golf ... cheap gimmicks.

 

... poorly promoted by the owners, Mountain Shadow is off most radars ... if it is not over-played (as most every Thai course during the high season crush), it is a pearl ... at this time of year, though, prepare to be frustrated by slow play anywhere in Thailand ... over-booking is routine ... poor, sometimes totally absent, course management ... even 5-somes are allowed on many courses ... this is about the best that local Thai companies can manage.

 

http://www.where2golf.com/pattaya/mountain-shadow-golf-club.asp

 

... also ... www.Thaigolfer.com is a useful web site ... intel on every single course ... many commentaries in English, though they have to be parsed for reliability and relevance ... they offer a discount golf card that was a great value when I was golfing ... don't know about now, but it is worth checking out if this is a golfing vacation for you.

 

... the local golf tour operators will charge you the golf course's full rack rate+ ... the only people who pay full rack rate for golf in Thailand are either village idiots, or tourists ... a package tour might be worthwhile if you want to be babied about, but not worth it if you can hire a van on your own to get you there and get you home ... check out van hire services on the Internet, not hotel or (God forbid) the street touts.

Alas, you overlooked putting your handicap down as a reference for BMs.

 

While I agree MS is a good test & relatively short from a "tips" perspective, I find your bagging of other courses an exaggeration of any negatives they may have. 

 

The OP is looking for a challenge, he will find it at most of the courses, from the "tips".  If he wants spectacular, albeit a little tricked up, he should go to Wangjuntr.  The Highland course is SPECTACULAR views within a sometimes gimmicky golf course, but definitely will keep your attention on both fronts.  The Valley course at just under 7200 yards, provides a good test, with only the Par 5, 3rd Hole letting the design down (IMO).

 

Hope the OP finds something to his liking, only 1 person to blame if he doesn't.

 

By the way, I have been here 10+ years & float mainly between 5 - 6, regularly playing from back tees when opportunity presents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




  • COVID-19

    Any posts or topics which the moderation team deems to be rumours/speculatiom, conspiracy theory, scaremongering, deliberately misleading or has been posted to deliberately distort information will be removed - as will BMs repeatedly doing so. Existing rules also apply.

  • Advertise on Pattaya Addicts
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.