Most Underrated Bangkok Golf Course

Bangsai Country Club is a sleeper course………one that does not make theThailand “A” list by most surveys. Opened in 1996 Bangsai Country Club is about 70 minutes north of the Bangkok, but is a trip well worth taking due to its very low cost and excellent layout.

Upon entering the course one may sense that they will be playing a local municipal course in typically so so condition. However, a surprise is in store as it is a refreshing change from the typically flat Bangkok area golf courses and is similar in terrain to one of the most famous courses, Alpine Country Club.

Bangsai is so remote; golfers will feel they are in a wildlife sanctuary due to the number and variety of birds calling along with many water foul patiently fishing the lateral water hazards (or waiting to be caught by your caddy for dinner!).

With the golf course’s rolling terrain, mounding, doglegs and elevation changes one is faced with a very interesting variety of holes and lies. At one point golfers will play a couple of holes surrounded by mammoth sand dunes running the length of the fairway, thinking they are in Scotland or perhaps the Middle East. The course is kept in excellent condition with very good Tifeagle greens, the same grass used at Thai Country and Blue Canyon. The only weakness is the bunkers which are generally light on sand but there were some that were in the process of being redone. Tee boxes have all been leveled and seeded with the newest Paspalum grass; making them a pleasure to hit off of.

Playing 6923 yards from the tips and 6464 from the white tees there is good challenge for golfers of all levels. A fair amount of water is in play, but the fairways are generous and Thai golfers can play away from the trouble on most of the water holes. However, beware of the par 5 fourteenth hole where errant shots left or right will find the water fowl nesting on either side of the fairway. Hole 10 and 18, both short par 4’s, along with the 110 yard par 3 eleventh make for good birdie opportunities.

The locker room facilities are a little dated but certainly functional, caddies generally ok and food and drink reasonable. A natural grass range, chipping green, practice bunker and a good putting green provide ample opportunity to warm up.