Today’s installment in our Thailand’s Top 18 Holes feature is at Springfield Royal Country Club in Hua Hin, Thailand is home to some fantastic golf holes, scattered throughout an excellent 27 hole layout. However, hole 9B, which often plays as hole 18 in a round, is an outstanding finishing hole playing 500 yards from the Blue markers, with a ninety degree dog leg left playing to an island green and vistas of the beautiful clubhouse in the background.
There are two ways of playing this hole. For the longer hitters, they’ll need to carry the bunker on the corner of the dog leg which is 259 yards from the back tee and 220 yards from the Blue tee. From there, the approach can be anything from 180 to 220 yards once the corner has been negotiated. For those that hit it long or like to take the risk, it is possible to go for the green in two, however with the large amount of water protecting the green, the approach needs to be high and extremely accurate in order to hit and hold the green. A lot depends on the tee shot when going for it in two.
The most popular and safer way to play the hole however would be a safe 3 wood off the tee, then lay up to the widest part of the fairway with a 6 or 7 iron, leaving an 80 yard nervous pitch shot across the daunting water to the island green. From there, the green is your playground with some interesting slopes that, when coupled with the size of the green, can make a two putt tricky and a fulfilling way to complete a round of golf at Springfield Royal Country Club.
We have this hole included in our Thailand’s Top 18 Holes as whether you are playing medal or match play, anything can happen on this hole and can provide for scintillating finish to a match or round. In addition as the lay up area is fairly undulating, a nasty downhole lie is possible and whichever way you play it, it’s always nice to walk off with a par.
All Holes in the Series
1. Hole 9B at Springfield Royal in Hua Hin, Thailand
2. Hole 18 at Nikanti Golf Club in Bangkok, Thailand
3. Hole 16 at Sea Pines Golf Course in Hua Hin, Thailand
4. Hole 5 on Sugar Cane at Siam Country Club – Plantation Course in Pattaya, Thailand
5. Hole 15 at Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand
6. Hole 8 at Red Mountain Golf Club in Phuket, Thailand
7. Hole 11 at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand
8. Hole 15 at Chee Chan Golf Resort in Pattaya, Thailand
9. Hole 16 at Subhapruek Golf Club in Bangkok, Thailand
10. Hole 18 at Blue Canyon Country Club, Lakes Course in Phuket, Thailand
11. Hole 4B at Chiang Mai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort in Chiang Mai, Thailand
12. Hole 8 at Riverdale Golf Club in Bangkok, Thailand
13. Hole 18 at Siam Country Club Old Course in Pattaya, Thailand
14. Hole 1 at Alpine Golf & Sports Club in Bangkok, Thailand
15. Hole 10 at Katathong Golf Resort & Spa in Phang Nga, Thailand
16. Hole 10 at Grand Prix Golf Club in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
17. Hole 14 at Blue Canyon Country Club, Canyon Course in Phuket, Thailand