PATTAYA GEMS

Siam Country Club's Old Course and Chee Chan Golf Resort signify what's great about golf in this popular Thai seaside town.

- JU KUANG TAN

Thailand offers many regions that have courses of high standards, but it will be hard to beat the Chonburi area, about two hours from Bangkok, for what it has to offer.

Chonburi is home to Siam Country Club, one of the most prestigious and well-known golf clubs in the country.

Siam Country Club is the grand dame of courses in this country, and one that has held its own since its opening in 1971. Japanese designer I. Izumi’s work stood the test of time and put Siam Country Club – the first privately owned golf club in Thailand – on the face of the golf world map. The course was renovated in 2006 by Lee Schmidt of SchmidtCurley Design Inc. and has hosted the LPGA Thailand tournament since it reopened in 2007.

Stretching to 7162 yards from the tips, the Old Course is by no means only for professionals or better players. The way the views from each tee box opens up the holes is most welcoming, letting golfers see what he or she is up against.

The parkland golf course doesn’t have much water for golfers to deal with, and when they’re present, it’s usually fronting the tee box and not really interfering with play. The biggest defences the course have are the trees on wayward shots, and clever bunkering along fairways and around the greens.

That said, players are well advised to manage their games when facing the 15th. At 424 yards, it’s the second longest par 4 on the course (second to the 449-yard third). Longer hitters will have to decide if they’d like to take the stream that cuts across the fairway at around 250 yards on.