The Royal Gems Golf and Sports Club

35 kilometers west of Bangkok

At Royal Gems, designer Garry Roger Baird has built a 'gem' of a course equal to his other masterpieces; the famed Shuzu course of the Shishido Kokusai Golf Club in Ibaraki, Japan, and the Hermitage Course, a permanent LPGA tournament site in the United States.

The Royal Gems Golf Club is one of only a handful of Thailand golf courses to be officially accepted as a member of the United States Golf Association; which is only granted to clubs after their layouts and facilities have been deemed to meet championship standards. The club hosted a European Seniors Tour event in 2009.

The course is located in a very pleasant and natural parkland environment west of Bangkok. Royal Gems plays to 7,107 yards and features a handful of lakes, narrow fairways, deep rough, large bunkers and fast greens. The member’s only course is one of most stylish of all the golf courses in the greater Bangkok area.  Royal Gems has a mixture of American, Scottish and Thai features.

Overall, Royal Gems is a beautifully presented collection of golf holes, enhanced by top quality greens keeping.  Although relatively flat, each hole has been individually sculpted and presents its own array of challenges, clearly visible from the tee. The par-5 holes are testing and three of the four par-3 holes require the tee shot to be hit directly over water to reach the green.  Each hole is framed by trees to catch occasional wayward shots. Water is often in play, so too is the fairway and greenside bunkering.

The golf club includes a golf resort, condominiums and houses, although the resort is best suited to locals or those overnighting in the area. There is a grass driving range and a host of other practice facilities for golfers. The small restaurant at the club house serves excellent Japanese, Thai, and Western delicacies.

Royal Gems is one of the top Bangkok golf courses. It is relatively lesser known among Bangkok golf courses and is rarely included in Bangkok golf packages due to the difficulty in securing tee times; only available for in-house guests or through a handful of authorized agents.

However, if you are looking for an exciting and well maintained championship golf layout as part of a Bangkok golf package, consider including a round at Royal Gems, you will be glad you did!