Royal Bang Pa-In Golf Club

The 18-holes at Royal Bang Pa-In are spread out over 100 hectares. The designer and construction team has turned flat marshland and rice paddies into an impressive modern golf course. Unique features include some of the most massive greens in Asia planted with the latest variety of Champion ultra-dwarf Bermuda grass. The fast speeds and severe undulations make for some very interesting putts which require excellent green reading and lag putting ability just to 2-putt.

Fairways and rough are grassed with Paspalum turf. The fairways are, for the most part, very hard, which promotes good run out on low and draw shots. The rough is thick and sticky, which makes it that much more important to keep balls in the fairway to make pars.

Royal Bang Pa-In included many risk-reward holes. For example, the opening hole is a dogleg right with water flanking the whole right side. The drive is long water carry to hit the fairway landing area and have an easy shot into the green or a more conservative chance left to take the water out of play. However, the latter requires a long iron or hybrid to make the green in regulation.

The finishing holes on each nine are also very memorable. The par-5 ninth requires a long drive to have a chance of clearing the stream crossing the fairway around 100 yards from the green and managing waste area left on the second shot. Once made, it is an easy shot into the green to set up for a birdie opportunity. Otherwise, the second shot needs to be a short layup before the stream. The third then is a long iron or rescue wood to the green.

The long par-4 final hole is one to remember too. It plays directly towards the clubhouse and to the green, also shared with the ninth. An accurate drive to an elevated fairway is needed to cut off the dogleg and set up for an excellent final shot into the green. Errant shots left will find the fairway hazards and rough, and those to the right will be wet.

There are also elements of fun at Royal Bang Pa-In including square tee boxes and square rescue bunkers that are positioned to catch errant shots between the fairways and water hazards, a large variety of distances (Par-4’s range from 320 to 498 yards), large mounds flanking each hole, and many blind shots into bunker-protected greens.

Royal Bang Pa-In includes an ultra-modern clubhouse designed in an elliptical shape where no two walls are parallel. The entrance is massive and even consists of a heliport for arriving dignitaries. The large rock waterfall spans the entire rear of the clubhouse, with water raging down from the second level to the golf courses. Extensive locker rooms are lit using small opaque glass panes that allow natural light while still offering privacy. The dining room makes use of the floor-to-ceiling restaurant windows for excellent 360-degree course views. Other amenities, food selections, service, and layout are first-class.

Bang Pa-In is one of the Thai golf courses that are sure to please discerning golfers.