Sir James Country Club

Sir James Country Club (formerly Forest Hills CC): Set in the beautiful foothills of the Khao Yai National Park, this is an excellent golf resort that can boast a fine hotel and a thoroughly enjoyable and very scenic golf course.

Beyond the course, the tightly interlaced wooded hills, so distinctive of the Khao Yai region, provide almost every hole with its own stunning backdrop. Where the jungle clad hills don't suffice, then flower beds, shrubberies, rockeries, and all manner of water hazards also contribute to the picturesque and sometimes garden-like qualities of this layout.

Flanking the fairways is a good-width of semi-rough, often not much longer than the fairway length grass, and beyond the "short stuff", thick vegetation and a variety of palms and other tree varieties await.

The pleasant, though not excessive elevation changes sometimes produce wonderful looking holes, such as the signature par-3 15th played downhill to a water surrounded green. The testing par-4 18th is also played from an elevated tee, and then across water to a nicely elevated green in front of the clubhouse and the Sir James Lodge.

Although easy-going in parts, the layout certainly contains enough water hazards, bunkering, dog-legging holes and elevation changes to ensure your game will be sufficiently probed and tested. With cooler breezes and less humidity than you'll experience in and around Bangkok, a trip to play the beautiful courses of the Khao Yai region is recommended.