Angkor - Cambodia

This review is probably affected by the fact that I've written reviews on another Siem Reap course (Phokeethra) and two Danang, Vietnam courses in the past 24 hrs and I tend to be finding the same faults with most of the courses. As some more background, I'm really only interested in the golf, so fawning staff and expensive clubhouses don't add much for me. Cambodia is the 40th country I've played golf in, as when I travel, my sticks travel too! So, from the top, this is a very nice course that was well groomed; the staff were all pleasant and the club facilities are all that you'd expect of a high-end resort. But, that should all be expected based on the very significant price being paid for the round. Goods: - Very calm and pleasant atmosphere all around the club. - Friendly and efficient staff. - Course looks very well kept. - Caddie tried her best. - It was MUCH better than Phokeethra. - I was playing golf on holidays: life's good! Not so goods: - Cost. Why so expensive? Cambodia is a cheap country and must give the course a low cost base. Plus there were only a few other golfers about, so it's not supply and demand. Then you get to the drinks. USD2.50 or 3.00 for a bottle of water that costs 30c in most shops or 70c in restaurants. (I already know the answer to these questions of course... because they can. And because they aren't selling a product to locals) - Because of the flat and lowland nature of the area around Siem Reap, the course appears to have been constructed by digging earth out of one area and then adding it to the adjacent area to create the fairways, greens and surrounds. This leaves the ever present water hazards on pretty much every hole where the earth was removed from. This means that the course design has a constant one-dimensional element: hit it away from the water, so aim for the left or right of the fairway depending on which side the water is on. This is generally combined with a bunker(s) about 200-240 off the tee on the opposite side of the fairway from the water. So, unless you can safely hit each tee shot straight, pretty much just aim for the bunker. It became rather repetitive to have the same risk-reward issue every hole except the par 3s. - Too many balls finding the fairway were plugged. Not as bad as Phokeethra where pretty much every one did, but if this is a high end course it should have the drainage to cope with the conditions (and it hadn't rained that much). - My caddie could speak basic English and tried to help out as best she could but couldn't add anything more than the basics of golf: aim here, pin centre, 210 yards etc. When I tried to ask about anything more, then the language barrier stopped us (things like how far into the fairway does the water hazard come up ahead; is there trouble over the back of the green when shooting for a back pin etc). The basics I can already see, or can work out from my GPS on my bag, what I want from a caddie is the extra info. If I can't get that, then what is the point of a caddie? It was fun and I nearly played to my 12 handicap (not puting a ball in the water until my 17th hole helps) but I won't be playing here again as I can't justify the cost. I used this comparison on another review: this game cost me as much as it did to play the Old Course at St. Andrews...

Angkor Golf Resort is a flat and very challenging course. Water comes into play on 17 out of 18 holes and the course length is long nearing 7,300 yards with strategically placed bunkers throughout the course. The beautifully designed contours around the greens are one of the Faldo’s features and are impressive. The greens have plenty of subtle undulations, so your abilities to read the putting lines are tested. Some holes are narrow and lined with high palm trees, which are used in Cambodian national flags. The condition was superb as Paspalum grass made in America was used on the greens and the fairways.

The par 4 376-yrd 2nd is a dogleg to the right and a relatively short par 4. Plenty of high palms line the fairway as with the rest of the holes, which resemble the neighboring view of Angkor Wat. Two massive fairway bunkers are positioned on both sides squeezing the fairway. The green is small and elevated with two mounds in the center. The par 4 440-yard 18th is a slight dogleg to the left and a demanding finishing hole. Water runs the entire left side from the tee to the green, thus pressuring both the tee shot and the approach shot. The green is elevated. To read more about Angkor Golf Resort, click here to visit my website.