Siam (Old)

One of three golf layouts at Siam Country Club, the Old course was originally laid out by Isao Mazumi in 1972 then renovated by Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley twenty-five years later when they replaced fairway grasses with salt water-tolerant Seashore Paspalum and removed trees that were obscuring sightlines on many of the playing corridors.

All three courses at Siam (Old, Plantation and Waterside) lie around 10 miles inland from the popular beach resort of Pattaya and the fairways of the Old are routed in a north-south or south-north direction towards or away from a lily-covered creek that runs through the property – water features most prominently between the 15th and 17th, a trio of holes known as the “Amen Corner” of Thai golf.

And just when you think you’ve safely negotiated the par four 15th, the long par three 16th and water-threatened 17th, the 540-yard home hole then doglegs uphill all the way to a heavily contoured green, behind which sits a large golden Buddha to further distract your attention.

The club has hosted many prestigious competitions down the years, such as the Thailand Open, and since 2007, the Old course has been used on several occasions as the venue for the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament.

Siam Country Club introduced a fourth course – Rolling Hills – at its Pattaya site at the end of 2019. Located in a valley at the bottom of the other three courses, it was designed by Brian Curley with the intention of one day hosting an LPGA event.

“The site has a natural sandy base in some areas,” said the architect, “and this material was used to create large sandy expanses with islands of native tropical carpet grasses. The holes often offer angles of attack that reward aggressive play and many have centreline hazards that create strategy and visual excitement.”