BANGPRA GOLF CLUB

Awaiting the visitor to this challenging golf course, just south of Chonburi, is an attractive parkland environment, full of tall, mature trees of many varieties. Like many golf clubs in the Bangkok area, Bangpra offers a full range of health, fitness and sports activities, based around its European style clubhouse and on-site accommodation.

Bangpra is laid out over undulating land in a gently sloping valley surrounded by densely wooded forests. There are lots of tropical flora and bougainvillea bushes of all colours on every hole, making Bangpra one of Pattaya's prettiest golf courses. The fairways are always well kept and the greens roll fast and true. The layout is typified by excellent bunkering and dangerous water hazards which are nearly always combined to excellent effect.

There are many wonderful holes but the holes demanding shots over water to the greens are the highlights of this golf course. The par-3 12th and long par-3 17th both require tee-to-green shots over water, while the testing 12th, 13th and 15th holes, also require approach shots over water to reach the safety of the uniformly circular, slightly elevated and often dome-shaped putting surfaces. Bangpra, built in 1958 and one of Pattaya's first courses, is a nice contrast to the many newer golf courses around here and is a good choice for those who prefer mature parkland golf courses over modern, artificial-looking links.

The club doesn't disappoint once you walk off the 18^th, with a luxurious modern clubhouse comes lavishly furnished with locker rooms featuring Japanese style baths. The restaurant specializes in Thai, Japanese and Western cuisine which makes it a great stop-off after a day's hard work on the course.