Fourteen of Thailand’s 76 provinces are located in Southern Thailand, strung out in a narrow strip down the narrow Isthmus of Kra which connects the country with the Malay Peninsula. To the west lies the Andaman Sea, to the east the Gulf of Thailand, and there’s been talk for some time of building a canal to connect the two, providing an alternative shipping route to the Straits of Malacca.

The main golfing centre of excellence in this region is found off the west coast, on the island of Phuket in the Andaman Sea, which is one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations. Here, half a dozen international standard resort courses are dotted around the island, with the Blue Canyon Country Club near the international airport recognised as one of the nation’s best 36-hole golf facilities.

Off the opposite coast to the east, the island of Samui is home to a fabulous 18-hole layout at Santiburi Samui Country Club whilst, back on the mainland, the course at Southern Hills Country Golf & Country Club is a well-regarded Perry Dye design which is set out in a narrow river valley in the deep south of the country, close to the Malaysian border.