The Banyan Golf Club

Course Data
Location Hua Hin, Thailand
Yardage 7361yards Par 72
Course Rating 75.2
Playing Date 8 Aug. 2010
Designer Pirapon Namatra
Opened 2008
Caddie Yes
Golf Cart Yes (Can be driven on fairways)
Rating
Overall Rating
4.80
Course Layout
5
Difficulty Level
5
Greens Condition
5
Fairways Condition
5
Landscaping & Views
4
 
 

It was built amongst a pineapple plantation with some of most spectacular mountain views. The designer has made full use of its natural terrain, most of which is remained in the course. It is not so difficult to play from front tees due to shorter distance while very demanding to play from back tees as lots of water hazards, bunkers and the other traps will come into play. The front 9 is exceptionally good to play. Most greens are wide but not deep, so approach shots should be in the right distance.

The course was selected as a winner of “The Best New Course in Asia” in 2008 Asian Golf Monthly Awards.



A view from Clubhouse

A view from Clubhouse

A view beyond 2nd green

Scorecard
 
1st Par 4 423 yards

1st Par 4 423 yards (2)

1st Par 4 423 yards (1)
A dogleg to the right. A forgiving, wide fairway beckons a bid drive but a pond on the right side comes into play fro long hitters. The green is deep & narrow, elevated, and protected by 3 bunkers.
 
4th Par 3 253 yards

4th green seen from 3rd hole

4th Par 3 253 yards
A long par 3 over water. The deep & narrow green is sloping from back to front. A bunker in front of the green is in play. A par is good score here.
 
5th Par 4 377 yards

5th Par 4 377 yards (2)

5th Par 4 377 yards (1)
A dogleg to the right, short par 4. The tee shot is downhill and the fairways slopes from the right to the left, so a bunker on the right corner 250 yards form the tee will come into play. The second shot is over a stream. The green is smallish sloping from back to front.
 
8th Par 5 546 yards
A slight dogleg to the right. The second is over a creek and uphill. Four bunkers are strategically placed onto the landing area of the second shots. The wide green wide is double-tiered with the higher left. The green is not deep, so an accurate wedge shot is required on the third shot.
 

8th Par 5 546 yards (3)

8th Par 5 546 yards (2)

8th Par 5 546 yards (1)
 
10th Par 4 430 yards
A slight dogleg to the right, difficult hole. The tee shot is over trees & bushes and the second shot is uphill. The green is wide and slopes from back to front. A bunker protecting the left side of the green is deep.
 

10th Par 4 430 yards (3)

10th Par 4 430 yards (2)

10th Par 4 430 yards (1)
 
14th Par 4 386 yards
A slightly dogleg to the right, short & neat par 4. A stream crosses the fairway 300 yards from the tee. The green is double-tiered and slope to the right.
 

14th green

14th Par 4 386 yards (2)

14th Par 4 386 yards (1)
 
15th Par 3 147 yards
A signature hole. The hole is not far nor difficult offer you with picturesque views of the spectacular ocean to your left and valley & mountains to your right and. From the elevated tee you will slightly hit down onto the narrow & wide green. When the pin position is on the left, the difficulty level will increase as the green become narrower toward to the left, like only 10 some yards in depth, and the banker in front of the green is in play.
 

15th Ocean view

15th Par 3 147 yards (2)

15th Par 3 147 yards (1)
 
16th Par 4 413 yards
A slightly downhill & straight par 4. The longer you hit, the narrower the fairway becomes. The deep & narrow green is protected by a stream and two bunkers on the right. Pay also attention to the green sloping slightly from front to back.
 

16th green

16th Par 4 413 yards (2)

16th Par 4 413 yards (1)
 
17th Par 3 237 yards

17th green seen from the side.

17th Par 3 237 yards
A slightly uphill, tough & long par 3. The green is placed at the foothill of a small mountain. It features the green that is as much as 60 yards long in depth.
 
19th hole

It is a 20-minute drive from the center of Hua Hin. I stayed at the Banyan Resort in the same company this time, a 15-minutes drive away from the golf course. Villas are spacious & comfortable with free WIFI connectivity all though the resort and testy meals are available.

The black tees, the longest, are usually open to pro tounaments. However, players should negotiate with the starters when their handicaps are 3 or below. If they are lucky, they can play from the pro tees.



The Banyan Resort

The Banyan Resort


The Banyan Resort

The Banyan Resort

Meal at The Banyan Resort

When I had a dinner at a restaurant in the resort on the day I played the course, I was deeply impressed by the fact that a Thai could design such a great course. Accidentally, Mr. Namartra was sitting the next table and I was able to talk with him about many topics of golf course designs. He is a nice guy with full of talents.

According to the top100golfcourses.co.uk site, The Banyan GC was ranked 5th out of the 270 (as of 2015) courses in all of Thailand during its 2015 evaluation.



Greeting line of Caddies

Restaurant

Designer (right) and myself (left)

(Based on my personal feedback from the perspective of overall rating on 1-5 scale) 4.00 or above of my evaluation are good courses I would like to play again while 5.00 or above are such great courses that could represent a country. I have played many reputable gold courses in Asia. Almost all courses which I have ranked 5.00 or above are designed by foreigners. The exceptions are very few such as Oarai GC in Japan designed by Seiichi Inoue and this Banyan GC Hua Hin, both of which are designed by a local in each country. Blue Canyon CC – Canyon Course in Thailand made by Yoshikazu Kato is in the similar case. The same Asian designed it but not from local country.

The other Pirapon Namatra designed courses in Thailand are Bangsai CC, Singha Park Khonkaen GC, Nikanti GC, Santiburi Samui CC, etc., and renovated Chtrium GR Soidao・Chantahburi.