Laguna Golf Phuket

The course starts with a medium length par 4 with water in play both off the tee and on your approach, followed by a pretty par 3 with water all along the right hand side but with a generous bail-out area to the left. The short dog-leg par-4 3rd if followed by a classic risk/reward hole, where the more of the water hazard you dare carry off the tee, the easier your approach to the 4th green. After another picturesque par 3 requiring a carry over water, the 5th offers the choice of a direct route to the green, risking your second being blocked by a large tree, or a more conservative wider route. Either way, the approach to a green guarded by a bunker in front and water to the right is a daunting one.

If your scorecard can make it unscathed through the par-4 6th, with its 5 well-placed bunkers, the short par-5 7th offers a great scoring opportunity if you can avoid water on both sides. The front nine concludes with a gorgeous par-3 with a two-tier green and a long par-5 that requires you to negotiate water, trees, bunkers and uneven lies.

The back nine doesn’t let up, starting with a par-4 requiring an approach that must avoid the tree jutting out into the undulating fairway and the water lurking behind the green. The direct route to the green on the par-5 11th offers a birdie opportunity if you can carry the fairway bunker, but the more conservative route presents problems of its own, requiring either a perfect second shot or a clever fade to avoid the trees that will likely block your route to the green. After the short par-3 12th and its deep greenside bunkers, you must navigate a bunker-less but  tough par-4 with water down the left and a tricky two-tier green that invites a three putt unless you’re on your game.

After the long uphill par-5 14th comes one of the best par 4s on the course, the 15th. An accurate drive is needed to reach the elevated fairway, and your approach must avoid the two huge bunkers guarding the front of the green. After the long downhill par-3 16th and the dog-legged par-4 17th, which both feature water hazards and a heavily-contoured green, the round ends with the longest par-4 on the course. This dog-leg left can be considerably shortened by taking the tiger line, but with trees and OB often punishing this approach, you’re better off aiming for the middle of the fairway and taking on a long approach requiring you to carry a bunker just short of the green. 

Laguna Golf Phuket's facilities and service are second to none. Driving range, practice greens and bunkers, a well stocked pro-shop staffed by friendly and experienced staff and well appointed locker rooms with luxurious towels all combine to ensure a five star experience. The 4-hour spa and massage treatment available on-site mean that for once 'golf widows' won't have cause to complain about the amount of time you spend playing golf, and once you've finished you can both enjoy a drink and a fine meal in the top notch restaurant.

The course is conveniently located for those staying in any of the multiple luxury hotels in the larger Laguna complex, and with its enjoyable golfing challenge, makes for one of our top picks for a Thailand golf holiday.