Hole#1
A relatively gentle opening – until you reach the green! A well executed tee shot of about
220 yards (from the blue tee) will avoid the large traps on
the left and palm trees beyond the fairway.
Uphill approach to the green should be kept short and
right of the hole as putts from the back left can be extremely
fast.
Hole#2
A demanding Par 3. A
water hazard runs the length of the hole on the left, with
large sand traps surrounding the green.
Many players come up short or fail to judge the direction
of crosswinds – look at the tops of the trees and the water
surface! Again, extremely fast from the middle of the green
to the front. A lofted wood will generally be
more forgiving than a long iron for most golfers.
Hole#3
The fairway is
narrow, tree lined and uphill all the way on this longest
Par 4 on the course. The giant Calabash tree dictates
play. Accurate
drivers will select a right or left route up the fairway as
second shots from the centre will require shaping round the
tree. The length of the green makes checking
the pin position essential in club selection.
Hole#4
The tee shot
must carry the mounds (over 200 yards from the blue tee) to
avoid a blind shot to well bunkered green.
Longer hitters should favour the right side. Except at the front of the green,
this is one of the few holes where putts break less than you
think!
Hole#5
Accuracy from
the tee is vital. OB
runs from tee to green on the left.
The fairway slopes towards a deep hollow on the right
so a right-to–left tee shot is ideal.
Approach shots to the front to back sloping, two-level
green, tend to bounce forward and right.
Downhill putts to or on the lower level are some of
the fastest on the course.
Hole#6
For long hitters,
reaching the green is only possible if the drive is struck
perfectly over the Flame tree to the right side of the fairway
and the second shot is right-to-left around the dogleg.
For others, drive between the Flame tree and the towering
coconut palms on the left, then hit over the water, taking
careful note of the distance to and over the bunkers.
The two-level green is normally very fast from back
to front.
Hole#7
There is a blind
bunker guarding the green on the front left and another deep
bunker at front right.
The green slopes steeply from the left to right so
getting up and down from the left side is almost impossible!
From the front, putts will be fast with more break
than you think. If you miss the green, better to
miss it long!
Hole#8
Only a long and
well placed drive favouring the right side will give a clear
view of this well guarded three-level green.
Do not attempt to carry the trap on the left from the
tee – there is another lurking behind it!
Check the pin position and yardage carefully to land
your approach on the correct level to give yourself a birdie
chance!
Hole#9
Take care with
the tee shot. There
are two more traps behind the one you can see on the right
of the fairway. Conservative play produces many
pars and some birdies.
Only try to carry the water if you are sure you can
hit the target. The green is very undulating and
fast from back to front.
Hole#10
A look from the
higher back tee will give a clear picture of the hole and
superb views of Phang Nga Bay.
A drive down the right is safest.
If bunkered from the tee, make sure the next shot is
from grass, or this easy looking hole could turn nasty!
The second shot to the green is more downhill than
it first appears – consider one less club.
Hole#11
The water crossing
the fairway is reachable for the longer hitter on this slightly
downhill tee shot. The
ideal position is as close to the water as possible favouring
the right side. This opens up the second shot landing
area, well guarded by bunkers on the left and by palm trees
over the fairway. Club
selection and accuracy are critical on the approach to the
long narrow green, with sand and then water on both sides.
Check yardages carefully for all shots on this demanding
Par 5.
Hole#12
OB right may be a factor for the short hitter. Longer drives erring right will
run out of fairway or even reach the water. A well struck drive down the “fast
lane” on the left will gain extra roll. If laying up short of water with
your second shot, keep left as the landing area slopes towards
the lake on the right.
If the hole is cut at the front of the green, a conservative
approach shot beyond the flag will leave a very fast downhill
putt. Attacking the pin could be the best
policy!
Hole#13
From the tee,
check the yardage very carefully.
Select a tee shot line within your capabilities! For the big hitter, the line is
just left of the far right bunker over the canyon. For others, aim at the bunker to
the left of the trees at the corner of the canyon. For extra carry, tee the ball up
and follow through to a long, high finish. Easy to miss this shallow green
long, which then makes the up and down almost impossible. Putts from above the hole are extremely
fast and break more than you expect toward the fairway.
Hole#14
Correct club
selection is critical!
Use points A at the front of the green or B over the
water to the widest part of the green (safest target area!),
together with the pin position, to assess the yardage.
Take one and a half clubs less, or even two from the
black tee, to account for the drop to the green.
You may not feel the crosswinds so look at the flag
and the surface of the water to determine strength and direction.
Mental tip: don’t
get distracted from your normal routine.
Visualize the perfect ball flight, focus on one key swing thought and enjoy
one of the most spectacular shots in golf!
Hole#15
A double dogleg,
left then right. The
tee shot needs to avoid the bunker on the left and OB on the
right. If the drive is short, it may be
better to lay up to the water hazard that crosses the fairway. If attempting the carry, unseen
traps on the right must also be avoided. In both cases, slightly left of
the tallest tree beyond the fairway will be the best line. The green, guarded on the left by
a large wood-faced bunker, slopes mainly from left to right.
Hole#16
A good drive up the right side and
a well executed short to medium iron will allow a putt for
birdie. However, the approach shot over
the front bunker must be soft landing, as putts level with
or above the hole can be very awkward.
Pro tip: to hit
this shot, feet closer together, ball position slightly more
forward, brush the grass and finish high.
Hole# 17
(“Top
500 holes in the world”)
Described by Fred Couples
as “one of the best Par 3’s anywhere in the world”, this exacting
hole favours a left to right shot.
Although it may not appear so, the hole is downhill
and the green slopes from front to back, so select one club
less than normal. Around the green getting up and
down from anywhere else but long and left can be very difficult. The best option may be to aim there
and chip close for a well-earned par.
Hole#18
From the black
tee, a 260 yard drive is required to carry the lake on the
line over the flowers!
Even from the forward tees, most players opt for the
sound strategy of keeping left.
Flirt with the water only if the hole is cut left and
you need and birdie! Just the way our architect, Mr.
Kato, planned it! Do
not attack the flag too hard.
Bogey or worse is almost certain from behind the green. Allow for more slope from every
angle on this green.
Pro tip: tee
up your ball as near as possible to the water to give the
safest angle to the fairway.
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