Khao Kheow Country Club

The location of the Khao Kheow 27-hole golf course is the heart of the Pattaya golf corridor on the way to Bangkok and the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Like many Pattaya courses, Khao Kheow Country Club sits in a valley between rolling hills. The course is quite long, and the elevation changes between holes add to the challenge.

In typical Pete Dye design fashion, precise shot-making is required to overcome not only the normal windy conditions but also to consider the numerous large ponds, bunkers, and mounds surrounding the fairways. Greens are small and undulating, which makes precise putting a key to scoring well. 

With three nine-hole loops to choose between (A, B, and C), there is no end of excitement and many great golf holes to be played. Each nine has its own potentially card-wrecking holes. On the A Course, the par-4 7th occupies a wonderfully rural setting but standing on the tee, golfers see a vast expanse of water running from tee to green and a much thinner sliver of fairway gently doglegging its way to the hole. The B Course contains one of the best island green par-3s in Thailand. The green sitting out there, surrounded by water, has an eerie similarity to the TPC Sawgrass 17th. With Dye's multiplicity of bunkering styles matched by a nice variety of trees lining the way, this is one Pattaya golf course that's purely experiential. 

Playing all 27 holes is an option for those who would like to enjoy the various holes, elevations, and settings. The clubhouse is functional with the main restaurant overlooking the B Course and serves golfers' favorites like Thai spring rolls, minced pork with basil, fried rice, and a wide selection of noodle soups.

Khao Kheow provides those golfing in Pattaya a solid experience and requires an A-game to score well.