Golfing around... Bangkok

1. THAI COUNTRY CLUB

• WHERE IS IT? 45km southeast of the city centre, 30km from the airport.
• WHAT’S IT LIKE? Bangkok’s premier club was the scene of Tiger Woods’ 1997 Asian Honda Classic triumph, and regularly hosts the Asian Volvo Masters. Managed by Peninsula Hotels, the soigné clubhouse acts as a meeting place for Bangkok’s business community. With good variation in design from hole to hole, the relatively flat course features plenty of water, immaculate conditioning and aggressive greenside bunkering. Paspalum grass makes for rolling fairways but strangely treacherous rough, so from the back tees this set-up is a real challenge. The undulating greens offer a variety of pin placements, so the caddies – almost always female in Thailand – are able to demonstrate their judgment of line and length.
• CONTACT 88 Moo 1, Bangpakong District; tel +66 3857 0234; thaicountryclub.com Bangkok-based golfasian.com is the expert when it comes to booking all Thai courses – it can arrange everything at competitive rates.
• PRICE From 3,607 baht (£74)on low season weekdays to 6,012 baht (£124) for weekend rounds in high season (Nov-Mar). Buggy hire is 856 baht (£18), and a caddie costs 320 baht (£6.50). Peninsula guests play at a sizeable discount.
• CLUB HIRE 1,070 baht (£22, Nike, Titleist, King Cobra). Rental shoes 161 baht (£3).
• CLUB HOURS First tee time 6am, until dusk. Weekend and public holiday mornings reserved for members. Closed Mondays.
• MINIMUM HANDICAP No certificate required.
• FACILITIES The 18-hole, par-72 championship course is 7,157 yards from the tips – from the ladies’ tees, holes are on average 100 yards shorter. A British PGA Pro instructor can be booked, plus there’s a driving range, two practice greens, a pro-shop and palatial locker rooms.
• AFTER THE GOLF The Gallery restaurant and bar serves stylish Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Western cuisine. The Tournament Verandah (open 6am-8pm), with good views over the course, is perfect for a post-game Singha beer. There are several function rooms.

2. SUMMIT WINDMILL GOLF CLUB

• WHERE IS IT? 25km southeast of the city centre.
• WHAT’S IT LIKE? A 20-minute drive from Suvarnabhumi International airport, and 30 minutes from downtown, this course has floodlighting for night golf. There are rolling fairways, severely contoured greens, and artificial lakes, which are on almost every hole. The dogleg 618-yard first, hugging water all the way down the left, is a tough opener, and the short 12th to an island green is the best of the par threes. The course is in good condition and risk-reward drives over water a real feature – a tough test, day or night.
• CONTACT 72 Moo 14 Bang-Na Trad Road, Samuprakan; tel +66 2750 2112; summitwindmillgolfclub.com
• PRICE Weekday rounds are 2,000 baht (£41), weekend rounds are 3,000 baht (£62) and night golf rounds are 1,500 baht (£30). Buggy rental costs 700 baht (£14), caddy hire is 350 baht (£7).
• CLUB HIRE Various makes of club are available for 1,000-1,500 baht (£20-£30).
• CLUB HOURS Open Tues-Sun 6.30am to 10.30pm, depending on numbers on the course. Closed Mondays.
• MINIMUM HANDICAP None
• FACILITIES A 6,964-yard, 18-hole par-72 course with limited practice facilities.
• AFTER THE GOLF The castle-like clubhouse has a fine restaurant that offers Thai and European food, and a spa for a post-game sauna and massage. Many visitors stay at the adjoining four-star Golf Residences (summitwindmillgolfresidence.com), priced from 5,750 baht (£119) per night for a one-bedroom unit, which includes breakfast and an 18-hole round.

3. SUWAN GOLF CLUB

• WHERE IS IT? 40km west of the city centre.
• WHAT’S IT LIKE? A 45-minute drive from downtown, the venue of August’s Thai Open, is a hidden gem. Created in 2005, with greens rebuilt using the latest Ultra Dwarf Bermuda grass in 2009, the course features water on 15 holes, several tricky risk-reward doglegs, and more than 100 deadly bunkers. There are many outstanding holes, of which the 381-yard 17th, a par-four to a green surrounded on three sides by lily ponds, is probably the signature challenge.
• CONTACT 15/3 Moo 2, Nakornchaisri; tel +66 3433 9333; suwangolf.com
• PRICE 1,800 baht (£38) fees at weekends, 1,100 baht (£23) on weekdays; caddies 250 baht (£5), buggies 650 baht (£14).
• CLUB HIRE 1,000 baht (Nike)
• CLUB HOURS 6am-6pm
• MINIMUM HANDICAP None
• FACILITIES A 7,125-yard, 18-hole par-72 course, with a driving range, excellent short game area, spa bath, steam room and sauna.
• AFTER THE GOLF Suwan Nava Thai restaurant has a terrace with a course-view. Accommodation is also available on site.

4. ALPINE GOLF AND SPORTS CLUB

• WHERE IS IT? 35km north of downtown.
• WHAT’S IT LIKE? The American Ronald M Garl created the hilly 7,100-yard course out of paddy fields in 1996. Now one of the city’s top clubs, it hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic in 2000, won by Tiger Woods. Arguably the toughest 18 holes in Bangkok, many of the fairways are jungle-lined, while back-to-front sloping and lightning-fast greens are challenging even for the pros. Both length and accuracy are needed for good scoring.
• CONTACT 99 Moo 9, Bangkhan-Sathaneevithayu Road, Pathumthani; tel +66 2577 3333; alpinegolfclub.com
• PRICE This private club can be booked through golfasian.com from 5,000 baht (£102) per weekday round and from 9,815 baht (£202) at the weekend. Caddies 300 baht (£6), optional buggy 750 baht (£15).
• CLUB HIRE 1,000 baht (£20, various brands).
• CLUB HOURS 6.30am to sunset, closed Mondays.
• MINIMUM HANDICAP None
• FACILITIES A par-72 course, excellent driving range and practice area, pro shop, spa bath, sauna and swimming pool.
• AFTER THE GOLF The informal Coffee Corner is open 6am-7pm and Chalet restaurant (10am-8pm) offers Thai, Chinese, Japanese and European cuisine.