Bangkok is often the starting point for many holidays in Thailand and this is no different when booking a golf break. With so many great golf packages available in Bangkok and the surrounding area, the city makes an ideal base to enjoy world class golf and everything else Thailand has to offer its visitors.
There is nothing which will prepare you for the welcome which awaits when you arrive in the capital city of Thailand, Bangkok.
For first-time visitors to Bangkok, it is easy to feel a little overwhelmed and the traditional and modern collide in a way like no other city on the planet. However, once you have had time to look around and settle into your accommodation, you will find Bangkok a truly fascinating place and an ideal location for golf lovers.
From temples and traditional markets, to neon skyscrapers and an ultra-clean Skytrain system, Bangkok is a city of contrasts and one which will amaze and delight in equal measure.
Bangkok is home to a seemingly endless supply of top quality golf courses and one the best, not only in this region of Thailand but the whole of Asia is Alpine Golf and Sports Club.
This 18-hole golf course has hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic PGA event on two occasions and boasts stunning undulating fairways and very quick greens. You will rarely have an even lie on this course and with many greens sloping away from you, approach play must be accurate to stick on the green.
The conditioning of the course is superb and you could not ask for better a playing surface. Situated just an hour outside central Bangkok, the course coupled with the clubhouse, which serves excellent food, makes Alpine Golf and Sports Club a must play golf course when staying in Bangkok.
No Bangkok golf package would be complete without enjoying a round of night golf. If you have enjoyed a day of sightseeing in the city, why not book a tee time at Summit Windmill Golf Club? It’s located just 30 minutes from the city centre and the Nick Faldo designed course comes complete with floodlights, meaning you can play after dark.
The course itself is quite short but with water coming into play on many of the holes, accuracy and strategy play a huge role in every round. Due to its proximity with the airport, Summit Windmill Golf Club is also a good choice before you leave or just after you have arrived.
If you are willing to travel a little further out of the city, you will find one of the best golf courses in the Bangkok area just 40 minutes away. Lotus Valley Golf Club is the only Gary Player designed golf course in Thailand and that alone makes it stand out from the crowd.
However, along with the big name, this golf courses delivers a tremendous playing experience and is regarded as one the best layouts of any golf course in Bangkok. There are several risk/reward holes and the close-cut fairways and fringes make it reminiscent of a Scottish links course. Lotus Valley Golf Club is always well maintained and those who have played there say it is worth the extra journey time from Bangkok.
For one of the best and most unique golfing experiences in Bangkok and possibly the whole of Thailand, head to Nikanti Golf Club, a parkland style course situated to the west of the city.
Here you pay a single fee and everything is included. That includes your 18 holes of golf, food, drink and caddie tip. Nikanti Golf Club is an all-inclusive golf club so once you have paid your fee, you can enjoy everything the club offers without having to pay another Baht.
Not only is the payment policy unique, the golf course is too and you will find three six-hole layouts, with two par-3’s, two par-4’s and two par-5’s within each set of six holes. The conditioning of the course is outstanding and many visitors rank this up with the best golf courses in the country. Nikanti Golf Club must be near the top of your list when planning a Bangkok golf package.
However, you cannot visit Bangkok for a golf holiday and miss out on playing a round at Royal Gems Golf City. This course is not far from the centre of Bangkok and as you play your way around the 18 holes, you may have the feeling you have seen the holes somewhere else before.
That’s because Royal Gems Golf City has recreated some of the most iconic holes from around the world. So, if you have always dreamed of playing the Road Hole at St Andrews or testing yourself on Amen Corner at Augusta, the home of the US Masters, you can do just that at Royal Gems Golf City.
Those golfers who have had the pleasure of playing this course rank it up as one of the best playing experiences in Bangkok and the next best thing to playing at Augusta. It will certainly leave you with great memories of your Bangkok golf holiday.
Finally, if you are happy to travel a little further outside Bangkok, you will find Suwan Golf Country Club, which will give you a lovely contrast with the city thanks to its rural location.
Set in the countryside, Suwan Golf Country Club is home to a championship golf course and has played host to many major golf tournaments, including the 2010 Asian Tour International and 2011 Thailand Open.
The course is surrounded by nature and you will see rice fields, palm trees, fruit orchards, rural villages and lotus ponds and its these features which make Suwan Golf Country Club one of the best golfing experiences while staying in Bangkok.
The course has won several awards and is always in great condition. However, don’t expect an easy time as this course is a challenge for golfers of all abilities and features many significant elevation changes and well protected greens.
The clubhouse at Suwan Golf and Country Club is outstanding and you can enjoy first class cuisine in the restaurant and the Japanese style bath and Jacuzzi.
The above-mentioned golf courses are only some of the best on offer in Bangkok and you could easily spend six months in the city and still not see everything it has to offer. However, by choosing the highlighted golf courses, you will have a great impression of what playing golf in Bangkok is all about