Hua Hin is a coastal resort approximately 3.5 hours south of Bangkok. It has beautiful beaches, great hotels, wonderful restaurants, and an exciting nightlife. Providing you avoid the rainy season, the weather is hot and perfectly suited to those northern European tourists looking to escape the colder part of the year.
It is also very well served with golf courses: Golf Features visited two clubs in the area.
Pineapple Valley Golf Club
Pineapple Valley Golf Club (formerly Banyan Golf Club) was designed by acclaimed Thai architect Pirapon Namatra of Golf East. Established in 2009, the 18-hole championship course is renowned for its tropical layout, incorporating natural terrain, rolling hills, and panoramic views of the mountains and sea, designed to blend into the former pineapple fields.
The course is just 20 minutes away from the main part of Hua Hin and, as you might expect, it is beautifully appointed, well laid out and has all the possible facilities that one would wish for at such a venue. The practice ground, however, is situated at an inconvenient distance from the main clubhouse, but can be easily accessed by buggy, driven by one of the club’s caddies. The grass range is laid out over three tiers with the bays being mainly uncovered, with just a few providing protection from the sun and rain. The range balls are purchased in the pro shop and so there is no need for a ball dispensing machine at the range. There are also two large practice greens with bunkers to warm up before the round.
The 7,361-yard par 72 course is immaculate, set in rolling parkland with a selection of different tees that allow golfers of all abilities to enjoy the layout. There is plenty of water and the risk and reward holes are greatly enjoyable. The fifteenth in particular is the course’s signature hole, with elevated views from the tees affording a spectacular view to the ocean on the left and valleys and mountains to the right. The hole is not long and plays downhill, but the wind will surprise, so you need to choose your club wisely. The whole course is presented in tip-top order, with swales and mounds, well positioned and cared for bunkers – a winning combination. The greens are lightning quick and require precise course management to not allow them to become a card wrecker!
As with all courses in Thailand, the caddies – who are all young women – drive your buggy or push your trolley, providing useful advice and friendly assistance to enhance the enjoyment of your round. The cart paths are strictly adhered to by the caddies, ensuring that the course is always in beautiful condition – this can sometimes be frustrating when you are then required to walk some distance to your ball if it happens to be lying on the other side of the fairway.
The Thai-styled clubhouse contains a large golf shop filled with the latest stylish apparel and accessories, offering a great opportunity to buy a souvenir or two to remember the trip. There is a great array of funky golf shirts with designs including elephants and jelly fish that you never see in Europe. There are also clubs to rent if needed. Inside the clubhouse there are beautiful and spacious changing rooms which would shame many a spa, and two main food and drink areas, both sprawling out onto terraces overlooking the course and providing delicious food and cold drinks, served in iced glasses – quite a delight after a hot round. The whole feel of the clubhouse is very relaxed and informal.
There are plenty of opportunities to buy real estate at Pineapple Valley. There are some apartments along with an array of beautiful villas which can be purchased by those eager to enjoy the golf course more regularly. With all property in Thailand, it is not possible to own the land as a foreigner, so whilst the plots are not available to own outright, a lease is granted for 50 years or more so that a sound investment can be achieved. The prices of such properties are very appealing compared with similar style resorts in Europe.
Green fees at Pineapple Valley cost 4200 Baht (£98 approx) or 2500 Baht after 2pm and 1,700 Baht after 4pm, with buggy hire (complete with Visage screen) costing 750 Baht and the mandatory fee for a caddy being 400 Baht.
Pineapple Valley overall is a really great course, and well worth a visit whilst in the area of Hua Tin.
For more details visit the website: pineapplevalleygolfclub.com/
Black Mountain Golf Club
Golf at Black Mountain is a first-class golf course and, not surprisingly, it is one of the outstanding courses in the country and is regularly ranked in the top few courses in the whole of Asia. The course is located approximately 35 minutes from the main part of Hua Hin, and takes its name from the black-faced and dramatic granite outcrops that form the backdrop to most of the views across the course.
The course was designed by Australian architect Phil Ryan of Pacific Coast Design. Opened in 2007, the championship course was created under the guidance of Swedish owner Stig Notlöv, featuring 18 holes originally, with a 9-hole expansion (the West course) designed by Ryan and Johan Edfors added later.
The 11th hole at Black Mountain is a short par three but is fiendishly difficult with lots of penalty areas for the inaccurate golfer
There is an impressive two-tier golf range just a couple of hundred yards from the main clubhouse that allows golfers to warm up before and after play from either of the tiers, and there are some grass teeing areas which are reserved for members and lessons. There is a busy golf academy as well. Golfers waiting to tee off can also take advantage of the excellent short game facilities which are convenient to the clubhouse and provide the chance to practice on the lightning-fast greens and the tricky shots you will play from the rough and bunkers. There is a heavy grain on all of the greens and it is vital to find a route to the hole which is either uphill or against the grain. A downhill and down-grain putt is almost impossible to stop and so golfers wishing to score well must carefully position their ball as they approach the green.
Gary McCord was a good player and a very good commentator until he fell foul of Augusta National for suggesting that rather than cut their greens, they exceeded the norms of pace by bikini waxing the putting surfaces. This so affronted the pompous toads at Augusta that he was no longer welcome to provide his excellent commentary for the Masters. So, in honour of Gary McCord, the greens of Black Mountain are so quick, particularly down grain, that they must’ve been bikini waxed!
The 27 holes at Black Mountain are all in great condition and provide an excellent challenge; a variety of different tees are available to ensure that golfers select the correct challenge for their ability and strength. It is very scenic with stunning views across the course, framed by the dramatic mountains and beautiful local landscape. Ninety percent of play is on golf buggies and the team of local caddies take great care to look after their players. It is a very warm climate for most of the year and so there are ample opportunities to stop for a comfort break or two and top up with cold drinks and snacks. There are three of these very well-appointed halfway houses, and the course is designed so that you are never far away from one of them, which is very welcomed. The water features are mainly lined with chunky rock features and look very dramatic as you size up your shot – they can also ruin your card!
The clubhouse at Black Mountain is spacious and has marvellous views out onto the course and the mountains beyond
The striking-looking clubhouse sits at the hub of the club, providing great views over the beautiful courses. There is a restaurant offering food and drink on the terrace where players can relax before and after their rounds, along with a fully-stocked and impressive golf shop, with an emphasis on clothing, and great deals being on offer – a lot cheaper than back at home. There is also a fully-equipped gym as well as a comprehensive sports complex with tennis, padel, pickleball and mini-golf all on offer.
The retail offering at Black Mountain is extensive and beautifully presented
There is also a growing number of smart and stylish properties around the edge of the course. All of the properties come with golf club membership, with townhouses starting at 11.9m Baht (approx £275,000) and single-storey villas costing from 29.9m Baht (£695,000).
Green fees start at: 4,500 Baht (approx £105), caddie fee 350 Baht, club rental 1,500 Baht and Stay and Play costs from 4,995 Baht (£117) per night, which represents the best deal, unless players wish to spend the evenings in Hua Hin, which has more to offer in terms of food and fun.
As a distraction away from golf, there is a surprisingly good 1000 acres vineyard at Monsoon Valley around an hour’s drive west of Hua Hin. To ensure that the whole family visiting the vineyard will enjoy the experience, there are two charming orphaned elephants in a small sanctuary onsite, who can be hand fed by visitors. There are many arguments against too much interaction with human beings, but the elephants seemed very happy and had a large area to enjoy themselves. Bringing animals so close to humans often inspires young people to look after the best interests of elephants for the rest of their lives so unless the elephants are going to be re-introduced to the wild, there are some really good reasons to encourage this sort of interaction.
For more details visit the website: blackmountainhuahin.com/
So, all in all, the golf at Hua Hin is fabulous. A great place for the golfing tourist to broaden his or her experience and marvellous acres of golf.