Golf Special Edition: Phuket Country Club Old Course
Although, this particular golf course hasn’t been in the news since quite sometime now, but it was once known for its magnificent greens and holes with hazards on all sides. The Phuket Country Club was inaugurated in 1989, and was the host to the Ladies
Kosaido Thailand Open in 1992 and Prince Bernard Cup tournament. Here is a quick review of the Phuket country old course.
Hole 1
Although it is a par 4, but this does not means it will allow the player to conquer it. In fact, this hole is a trap made up of bunkers surrounding the green. The trouble starts with the undulating pre-fairway and the water hazard on the left, therefore
the only way to reach the fairway is to take a sharp right with a wedge. Once a player reaches the fairway, the flag can be seen easily, but this does not mean that it is easily attainable as well. The pin is a dogleg right, through the coconut palms and the
green slopes front and back to make the bogey certain.
Hole 2
Standing on the tee, this hole seems quite simpler for a par three with a cluster of trees on the left. However, if a along straight shot is aimed straight into the green, it might get stuck in the strand of pines along the road to the right.
Hole 3
This is the first par 5 hole of the course. The only way to get out of the doglegged tee is to aim for the shot to the right. Although, there are many mounds and undulations in this area, but reaching the fairway is comparatively very easy. Standing on the fairway,
one can see pines and out-of-bounds, cornered by a road and trees on the left. On the right is the green, but it is surrounded by bunkers and thick grass.
A good short game will work wonders here but for the long-hitters, it merely means more trouble as the green is guarded in the front and in the back by bunkers.
Hole 4
According to the Asian Golf magazine, this is the most difficult hole on the course. Firstly, it is a par four, which means it is quite a distance, and then it is dogleg to the left with out of bounds on a little distance. The player might find the right
side more tempting with wide and open fairway but it is the longest way to the green. Besides there are deep bushes on both sides and if a player chooses this path, then he has to pull the shot uphill saving it from the dogleg turn which ultimately reaches
the green. More the less, the putting area is full of bunkers welcoming the double bogey.
Hole 5
One more par-three but with water hazard running diagonally, emerging from the left. Trees lie on the right side but if a straight shot is taken, it will be easier reaching the green.
Hole 6
It is yet another par- 4 hole but with tee at one of the highest points on the course. To reach the green one has to ponder for several minutes as there are out of bounds on the left and bunkers on the right of the green. Moreover, if the shot is a little
more towards the right then, it will have to fly pass the series of bunkers to reach back.
Hole 7
This is the fifth par- four hole of the course and like the previous hole, it too has an elevated tee. However, the tee doglegs right into the fairway with a series of bunkers edging the left side of the sloping green.
Hole 8
This is the third-hardest hole of the course, with par four which doglegs left. Apparently, the fairway is open and wide but looks are deceptive, therefore despite having no bunkers and out-of-bounds, accuracy of shots are required to reach the green.
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