Lam Luk Ka Country Club

Northeast Bangkok

Lam Luk Ka Country Club offers a 36 hole layout and provides a very relaxing golf day in Bangkok. Because it's a little further out and features two courses, tee times are usually easy to find.

Both courses meander through Bangkok’s wetlands, where over 10,000 trees and waterways provide homes to over 100 species of birds and wildlife. There has been a great deal of tree planting, so the courses are already are blessed with more shade than many of the newer Bangkok golf courses.

In this very natural, rural environment, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Bangkok, four relatively similar nine-hole loops are interchangeably used on any given day. The Championship East Course comprises the A & B nines, the Resort West Course the C & D nines.

Though there is little to separate them in terms of quality of upkeep and presentation, which is always excellent, the East course is longer than the West, and can feel tougher as a result. Water hazards feature on just about every hole on both courses. As long as you can avoid the many lakes and ponds that flank the fairways and protect the greens, ball-finding from wayward shots should not be too difficult with semi-rough beyond the gently undulating and generally wide fairways.

Golfers will also be attracted not only by the good course layout, but also by the greens, which are some of the best putting surfaces in Bangkok. Good bunkering throughout and well-paced sloping greens reinforce the overall high quality golf environment at Lam Luk Ka Country Club.

The Championship East Course places a premium on driving the ball long and straight. Host of the 2002 Thailand PGA Championship and the 2009 Asian Tour qualifying events, Lam Luk Ka’s East Course will punish errant golf shots, but makes for an enjoyable round if played from the somewhat friendlier white tees.

The long Par 4 7th and 8th holes on the East Course are two of the better Par 4's in Bangkok and usually play into the prevailing breeze. The back nine is considered one of the best in Thailand, ending with a dramatic risk-reward Par 5. The 18th is an easy par 5 with a generous fairway. The key is not to get too greedy with your drive. Aim about 5-10 yards right of the right edge of the fairway bunker for your tee shot. A deep bunker guards the front of the green, which should be avoided at all costs. There is a lot of room right of the green and missing your fairway wood or long iron approach will give you the best chance to make an up and down for birdie.

Lam Luk Ka’s Championship East Course remains one of Thailand’s most challenging layouts. The shorter West Course suits all levels of golfers and will test golfer's course management skills.

The West Course is relatively short, but water comes into play on 15 holes making course management a key factor in scoring. Every hole provides several options, so longer hitters can still hit driver although it’s not necessary on most holes. The West Course is a favorite of tourists and recreational golfers, and is home to a plethora of native birds and wildlife.

The 18th is a very difficult finishing hole where golfers should consider hitting a 3-wood off the tee, aiming down the left side of the fairway. Pay special attention to your aim to ensure you give yourself the best chance to hit it straight. If you miss the fairway consider lying up short of the creek that bisects the fairway. The green slopes from front to back. This makes it difficult to get the ball close to a front pin location.

The large clubhouse provides every amenity for the golfer. After a round at Lam Luk Ka, golfers can relax and take a swim in the Olympic-sized swimming pool or enjoy a range of Thai or international culinary delights in the clubhouse restaurant overlooking the 18th hole of the East Course. Practice facilities include a grass driving range and two chipping and putting greens. All in all Lam Luk Ka is an excellent golf course and one of the better values in Bangkok golf.