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| The course is set on contours of rolling hills and is laid
out with vast fairways and clever placement of water hazards and bunkers.
The fairways and greens are elegantly manicured. The course can be summarized
into two distinct characteristics. The front 9, with a series of gently
undulating holes, has water affecting play on 7 of them while the back 9,
in complete contrast, flows and turns over and around a series of wooded
hills, with strategic water only apparent on the closing 2 holes. It also
features that many greens do not slope from back to front but sideways (from
the left to the right or the right to the left). The course is well maintained.
The course is one of rare treats that keep you wanting to come back again
and play more. |
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A straight & long par 5. The tee and second shots are gentle downhill. The landing area
of the second shot is narrowed by rough on both sides. A bunker protecting the
front side of the green is in play. |
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| A sharp dogleg to the left, a
beautiful hole. The tee shot is over a lake and a carry of 250 yards is needed
to clear bunkers on the left corner. The green is guarded by water on the left
and bunkers on both sides. |
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| An almost straight hole with a
lake along the entire left side. The fairway is tight and a bunker on the right
side 240 yards off the tee is in play. Not long but it demands an accurate approach
as it is threatened by a semi-hidden lake bordering front of the shallow, sloping
green. The right half of the green is also surrounded by the water. The green
slopes from back to front. |
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| A slight dogleg to the right.
The large tree on the right and trees on the left come into play off the tee.
If you drive to the right side, the second shot might be hindered by the large
tree, making it difficult to hit the green in regulation. The second shot is over
a creek and if you slice the shot too much, a lake on the right will catch the
ball. The third shot is slightly uphill to be hit onto a narrow green sloping
from right to left. |
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A straight & short par 4 with a green swung to the left.
The fairway slopes from right to left. A series of bunkers in the center of the
fairway are reachable 230 yards off the tee. The front side of the green faces
water and the second shot requires a full carry to the small green. The layout
of this hole is similar to the 4th hole. |
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| A short slightly downhill,par 3.
The green is surrounded by bunkers, and it slopes from right to left. |
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A beautiful hole that doglegs
right.. A bunker on the right is reachable 230 yards off the tee. The second shot
is slightly uphill and a bunker guarding the right side of the green should be
avoided as it is deep. The green is narrow and slopes from right to left. |
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| A par 3 over a lake onto a shallow,
angled green, bunkered back and front. The green touches the water in the front
and on the right. The distance to the green is hard to read. The green itself
offers a series of subtle slopes. |
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A signature
hole. and a double-dogleg to the left first and then to the right. It is a great
par 5. The drive must avoid water along the left, which then cuts across to from
a right lake all the way to the green, so the water on the right comes into play
on the second shot. The third shot is over the water. An accurate approach shot
is needed to hit onto a double-tiered green from right to left that is protected
by a bunker and the water in the front. The green is divided into two sides, so
you must hit it onto the correct side. |
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It is a 20 minutes drive from Chiang Rai and a 30 minutes drive from
the Chiang Rai Airport. It is a 3 hours drive from Chiang Mai. I was able
to play from the longest tees to show the starter a single-digit handicap
certificate.
As of the evaluation of 2005 top100golfcourses.co.uk,
the course is selected the 10th best course in Thalind There are around
270 courses in Tailand in 2005.
The other
Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed courses in Thailand are Navatanee
GC, Green Valley CC, Eastern
Star GC and President CC. |
1st Par 5 621 yards (3)