The beautiful clubhouse at Thai Country Club is just one of its many excellent amenities. (Photo by Robert S. Fagan)
Picture one of South Florida’s best private clubs and you’ll be quickly draw comparisons to the private Thailand Country Club in exotic Bangkok not only for its luxurious clubhouse and finely manicured golf course, but its outstanding service as well. Visually the course is a symphony of green, blue, and white orchestrated in the best golfing sense.
When Bangkok regional golf courses want to be compared to the best, the Thai Country Club is usually the standard upon which they are measured against. This flat layout features lots of water, but wide hitting areas with some dense, juicy rough and it has hosted the big boys as in Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, and Vijay Singh. In fact, it was the site of Tiger Woods’ first international professional victory in 1996 and later beginning in 2008 it hosted the finale to the European Tour’s season with the Volvo Masters.
After the very benign opening hole, the angled water hazard and huge bunker that splits the landing area make the tee shot quite the challenge on the par-four 2nd hole at the Thai Country Club. (Photo by Robert S. Fagan)
As you enter the property and proceed to the expansive and lavishly furnished clubhouse, your heartbeat quickens. Everything looks so nice and right in place. The locker areas feature huge private shower areas and soaking tubs along with all the amenities that you’d expect. From the docile par-four first hole the course quickly teases you with how much of a lake you might want to cut off on the bunker-ladened second hole, and when you discover all sorts of interesting hole locations on the expansive par-three third green, you begin to appreciate all the intricacies that the Thai Country Club course features. The playing surfaces are simply immaculate with tightly mown fairways and true fast greens. There is nothing too overwhelming with the layout provided you select the proper tees for your skill. That said, should they choose to prepare the track for tournament conditions, grow the rough, and you venture back to the tips, watch out.
If I told you this was South Florida, would you believe me. It’s The Thai Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand. This is the view of the fourth tee to the left and the 6th hole from the 7th tee area. (Photo by Robert S. Fagan)
Yes, the Thai Country Club is a neatly orchestrated collection of green, blue, and white – grass, water, and bunkers adorned in beautiful fashion that makes up a very playable championship layout. Look-wise, with its palms the layout is very reminiscent of some of the best South Florida courses though there has been no attempt to over-mound or exaggerate the shaping. The bunkering is bold, very bold in spots, but there are always avenues for the shorter hitters to run their shots.
For me, no hole stands out, but that’s more because they are all equally solid – you almost can’t wait to hit the next shot, let alone play the next hole. There is a nice pacing to the layout as well. There are some softer challenges as well as some risk-and-reward shots and holes. And when you finish, you almost want to begin again, that is once you down some refreshing beverages and fortify yourself with some tasty food from the wonderful modern clubhouse.
Overall, the Thai Country Club is a private club open for public play from those who reside outside of Thailand. It is an easy walk and exceedingly playable, just the perfect venue that continues to draw comparisons from others. If there is one must-play golf course among many solid ones in the Bangkok region, it would be the Thai Country Club.
Below is the par-four 18th that features water to the left and lots of bunkers with the immaculate green carpeting. (Photo by Robert S. Fagan)
