Loch Palm Golf Club Phuket

Loch Palm Golf Club Phuket is spectacularly set in a basin surrounded mountainous jungle and has been a firm favourite on the Phuket golf tour since its inception in 1993. Despite being more straightforward than some of its more illustrious competitors, it still has enough challenges to test golfers of all abilities thanks largely to the loch itself. Keeping your ball out of water should be your main objective, and if you can achieve this first time around then you are ahead of the curve. On the front nine the loch and its associated tributaries are frequently in play, often cutting into the fairway ensuring that even the straightest of drives can end up being punished.

Off line you can also find yourself amongst the numerous palm trees which helped give the course its name, but they are never so densely packed together that recovery is impossible. The most memorable holes come towards the end. The 14th is a short par-3 with an elevated tee shot to an island green. It is tricky to pick the right club, and it takes some time to find out if you made the right choice as your ball seems to hang in the air for eternity before (hopefully) finding the safety of the green.

The 16th is another par-3 where anything right will be swallowed up by water and a sloping two-tier green means that not all balls that land on the green stay there. Your round ends with par-5 featuring a severe dog-leg lined with thick trees. If you fail to hit a good drive, you really struggle but it is possible to cut corners by going over the trees.

While the overall condition of the course is excellent, one small complaint is the inconsistency of the greens. A few of them have been relaid and play much faster, which means it can be easy to get caught out. Thankfully the caddies are excellent, so pay attention to what they suggest!

Avoid Thursdays where the benefit of the discount on offer is negated by very long rounds thanks to the crowds. Like the sound of this course? Secure a tee time and take advantage of the discounted green fees on offer by adding Loch Palm Golf Club to your Phuket golf holiday.