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Golf guide • Thailand • Andaman Sea

Golf in Phuket: old tin mines and jungle on the Andaman Sea

Phuket, Thailand's largest island, in the Andaman Sea, brings together within three-quarters of an hour's drive of one another the two Blue Canyon courses (Canyon and Lakes), Red Mountain and Laguna Golf Phuket. Golfers come for layouts cut through former tin mines and jungle, for hillside villas and for Phang Nga Bay. The best period runs from November to April, in the heart of the dry season.

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At 547 km², Phuket is Thailand's largest island, linked to the mainland by the Sarasin Bridge. Its hills, covered in forest, rubber trees and oil palms, drop on the west to a string of bays, from Bang Tao to Kata, while the quieter east coast looks out on the limestone pinnacles of Phang Nga Bay. In the south-east, Phuket Old Town lines up its pastel-fronted Sino-Portuguese shophouses.

That architecture is a legacy of tin, which made the island's fortune from the 16th century until its decline in the 20th. Golf has settled into landscapes reshaped by mining: Blue Canyon replaced a mine and a rubber plantation, while Red Mountain threads between rock cliffs and flooded ravines. Blue Canyon's two courses, Red Mountain and Laguna form the core of the offer, completed by Loch Palm and Mission Hills, all less than an hour's drive from the airport.

Most stays are based on the west coast, between Bang Tao, Layan and Kamala: tee off at daybreak, back by the pool before the midday heat, dinner facing the sunset over the Andaman Sea. Days without golf are spent by boat among the islands or in the lanes of the old town.

The courses

Fairway and white-sand bunkers at the foot of red-earth cliffs topped with jungle

Blue Canyon Country Club, Canyon Course

  • Architect: Yoshikazu Kato
  • Opened 1991
  • 18 holes
  • Par 72

Opened in December 1991 and designed by the Japanese architect Yoshikazu Kato, the Canyon is the island's benchmark course. It was built on a former tin mine and rubber plantation, disturbing the terrain as little as possible: the front nine winds between the trees of the old estate, while the more open back nine gives pride of place to water. It hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1994, 1998 and 2007; Tiger Woods won here in 1998 in a play-off against Ernie Els. A demanding par 72, it calls for precision and suits good players.

Signature hole. The 13th, a par 4 of about 390 yards, is nicknamed the "Tiger Hole": in 1998 Tiger Woods carried the canyon from the tee to reach the green directly.

Official website

Blue Canyon Country Club, Lakes Course

  • Architect: Yoshikazu Kato
  • Opened 1999
  • 18 holes
  • Par 72

The club's second course, the Lakes opened in February 1999, also designed by Yoshikazu Kato. As the name suggests, water dictates the strategy, but the landing areas, about 270 yards wide according to the club, leave some margin off the tee. This 7,129-yard par 72 is a good choice for finding your rhythm after the long-haul flight, or for a group of mixed ability. The club, a quarter of an hour from the airport, also has 31 rooms above the clubhouse, overlooking the Canyon.

Signature hole. The 18th, a par 4 flanked by the canyon walls and marked by a lone tree, was named the best par 4 in Asia by Asian Golf Monthly magazine, according to the club.

Official website

Red Mountain Golf Club

  • Architect: Jonathan Morrow
  • 18 holes
  • Par 72

In Kathu district, in the centre of the island, Red Mountain was sculpted by Jonathan Morrow from the rocky ground of a former tin mine. Fairways squeezed between rock cliffs, flooded ravines and dense forest: probably Phuket's most spectacular course, and the hardest according to the club. A par 72 of 6,745 yards from the black tees, it requires a buggy and a caddie, and a round takes about four and a quarter hours. Birdwatchers will find nature trails. Loch Palm, its quieter neighbour, belongs to the same owner.

Signature hole. The 17th, a par 3 of about 170 yards from the back, plunges to a green set at the bottom of a wooded valley some forty yards below: the most photographed hole on the course.

Official website

Laguna Golf Phuket

  • 18 holes
  • Par 71

On the west coast, Laguna Golf Phuket lies at the heart of the Laguna Phuket complex in Bang Tao, among lagoons, coconut palms and beach hotels. Remodelled by Paul Jansen and reopened in January 2015 after eighteen months of work, it cut its sand areas by more than half and brought out its natural habitats. A par 71 of about 6,770 yards, flat and short, it rewards accuracy over power. Ideal for a late-afternoon round from your hotel, or for a less experienced player.

Official website

Where to stay

The Pavilions Phuket

Set on one of the highest points of Cherngtalay, The Pavilions Phuket overlooks Layan beach and the Andaman Sea. You stay in suites or in villas with private pools, from one to four bedrooms. Ask for an Ocean View Pool Villa: its infinity pool faces the sunset over Layan. Laguna Golf Phuket is about ten minutes away, Blue Canyon about twenty.

Keemala

On the wooded heights of Kamala, Keemala is unlike any other hotel on the island. Its villas, all with pools, take the form of clay cottages, tents, tree houses or woven "bird's nests" suspended above the forest. Ask for one of the nests, for the view over Kamala Bay. Red Mountain is about half an hour away by the hill road.

Villa terrace with a dark-tiled roof and teak loungers, above a wooded coastline at dusk

Where to dine

PRU

Holding a Michelin star, PRU is the fine-dining restaurant of the Trisara hotel, near Layan. Chef Jimmy Ophorst cooks Thai produce and the harvest of the restaurant's own farm, Pru Jampa. The evening begins in the lounge and passes through the kitchen; try the "King of the Fruits", durian with caviar and sea grapes. Dinner Tuesday to Saturday, lunch on Friday and Saturday; reservations direct only.

One Chun

In a 19th-century house in the old town, One Chun serves Phuket cooking as families make it: the owner's grandmother's recipes, handed down over three generations, among old clocks and transistor radios. Order the yellow crab curry with coconut milk, then the moo hong, pork belly braised with garlic and pepper. Bib Gourmand; no reservations and cash only, so arrive before 11.30am.

Mor Mu Dong

In the mangroves of Chalong, on the east coast, Mor Mu Dong takes its name from its founder, Mor, and the Mu Dong canal. His family set out two tables here in the early 2000s; today you eat in wooden salas built over the mangrove. There are no reservations: ask for a sala over the water when you arrive, and order the salt-crusted fish first, as it takes a while. Bib Gourmand; closed on the 15th of each month.

Beyond golf

Phang Nga Bay

North-east of the island, Ao Phang Nga Marine National Park protects some 400 km² of sheer-sided limestone pinnacles and Thailand's largest natural mangrove forest. The most famous islet, Khao Phing Kan, owes its nickname of "James Bond Island" to the filming of The Man with the Golden Gun. Set off early by private boat to stay ahead of the group tours and enjoy the morning light.

Phuket Old Town

The historic quarter lines up shophouses and Sino-Portuguese mansions built by tin merchants, now restored as cafés, galleries and small shops. The town is best explored on foot late in the day, as the heat eases. Then head up to the Big Buddha, a 45-metre statue clad in white Burmese marble, visible from afar on its hilltop.

Khao Phra Thaeo forest

In Thalang district, like Blue Canyon, the Khao Phra Thaeo protected area preserves more than 20 km² of tropical forest on the hills of the north of the island. Trails let you walk in the shade, far from the beaches. Nearby, the Heroines Monument honours the island women who forced the Burmese army to lift its siege of the town of Thalang.

Prow of a longtail boat facing limestone pinnacles in hazy green water

When to go

From November to April the weather is at its driest and sunniest; the heart of the dry season runs from December to March, with firm fairways and calm seas. It is also high season: book tee times and hotels early. April, hotter, remains pleasant if you play at dawn. From May to October the monsoon brings showers, often brief but heavy, and rougher seas on the west coast; the courses remain playable and quieter. Highs hover around 32°C all year.

Getting there

Phuket International Airport (HKT) is in the north of the island: allow a quarter of an hour to Blue Canyon, half an hour to Bang Tao and Laguna, three-quarters of an hour to Red Mountain. From Europe, most travellers connect in Bangkok, the Gulf or Singapore; seasonal direct flights from Europe also operate. Plan on a driver for the week, as distances are short but traffic is slow.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best golf course in Phuket?

The Canyon at Blue Canyon Country Club, opened in 1991, which hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic three times and saw Tiger Woods win in 1998. Red Mountain, cut from a former tin mine, is considered the most spectacular.

How many golf courses are there in Phuket?

The island has half a dozen 18-hole courses, including Blue Canyon (Canyon and Lakes), Red Mountain, Laguna Golf Phuket, Loch Palm and Mission Hills, a Jack Nicklaus design. All are less than an hour from the airport.

When is the best time to play golf in Phuket?

From November to April, during the dry season, with its heart from December to March. From May to October the monsoon brings showers, but the courses stay open and are quieter.

Are caddies compulsory on Phuket golf courses?

On most courses, yes, as everywhere in Thailand. At Red Mountain, both a caddie and a buggy are compulsory.

Where should I stay for a golf trip to Phuket?

The west coast, between Bang Tao, Layan and Kamala, is the most convenient base: Laguna Golf Phuket is on the doorstep, Blue Canyon about twenty minutes away and Red Mountain half an hour to three-quarters of an hour depending on the hotel.

Tailor-made

Your golf trip: Phuket

Tee times, suites, transfers and tables: your concierge replies within 24 hours with a proposal shaped around you.

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