Plutaluang Royal Thai Navy Golf Course

The municipal Plutaluang Royal Thai Navy Golf Course opened in 1969 and is a 30 minute drive South of Pattaya towards Sattahip.  The 36 holes pride of the Royal Thai Navy were constructed to take advantage of the natural beauty of the area. Set in a wooded valley with mature trees of all types, Plutaluang is a must play for nature lovers. Built around a huge natural reservoir shortly after the Vietnam War it abounds with amazing flowers, birds and small forest creatures. Moreover, troops of local monkeys abound working their way through the fruits and seeds that come and go with the seasons.

Unlike modern Thai golf courses, which follow the trend of having a professional golfer design the course, and then a construction firm create the terrain, Plutaluang Royal Thai Navy Golf Course is an old school natural golf course, offering some of the best Asian golf available anywhere. The fairways and greens are of Zoysia grass, which while helps conserve water is more typical for courses in Phuket and Malaysia.

The four nines are named after the cardinal points, North, South, East and West. The first two are the core of the old course with East and West having only been constructed in the 1990’s. Each nine plays to a standard par-36 and golfers can usually select whichever two courses they wish to play at the time of check-in.  Each has a wide variety of obstacles, narrow fairways, well-protected greens, and hazards with very thick rough. 

The two most notable holes are the third hole on the North Course and ninth hole on the South Course. The former is a par-3 with its own lighthouse and island green. The latter is situated at the highest point on the course and this par-4 requires an accurate long downhill drive and a good second shot over water to a small green.

The refurbished clubhouse is well laid-out with well-maintained lockers & showers, although towels are chargeable.  The pro-shop is simple and has a small stock of basic golf items while the restaurant has excellent views across the golf course and surrounding hills. Drinks and Thai food are very reasonably priced as the course is essentially a public Navy facility. This is a great place to “finish” a round.

Though Plutaluang is one of the older Pattaya golf courses and definitely not first-class, it is nevertheless one of the most popular. The friendly attitude of the staff, natural layout, and low costs really make for an enjoyable day golfing in Pattaya.