The paradise-like island of Koh Samui on Thailand's eastern side offers refreshing Singha, coconuts and challenging golf at Santiburi Samui Country Club.

Each month, two million coconuts are exported from the small holiday island of Koh Samui on Thailand's eastern coast to the capital, Bangkok. An impressive figure but nothing that surprises those who have visited the island - coconut palms grow namely everywhere. Every beach, hill, mountain and patch of grass is strewn with coconut palms and it is easy to see why the first European tourists spoke of the island as a real paradise. But today is another matter. The island has been exploited, and not always with good taste.
Still there are places where you don’t hear the music and ranting tourists all night long. Mae Nam is a narrow but beautiful strip of beach on the northern part of the island, and here we found the luxury resort of Santiburi. The entire facility is owned by Santi Bhirombhakdi, head of the Boon Rawda brewery where beer Singha is manufactured. Money is consequently not lacking, and considering the beer, neither is good taste. Both of these qualities have come to good use through the resort’s golf course.

Santiburi golf course is the first and so far only golf course on the island. The Asian Tour golf competition is held here annually with Bangkok Airways as the main sponsor, which in general tends to attract international golfers.
So if you’re in the neighborhood, I warmly recommend a round. No, for that matter, two rounds because during the first round you will just stare yourself blind at the view and be horrified by the dramatic holes that appear up and downhill the mountain.
The clubhouse is located a good distance up the palm-strewn mountain and when you go there for the first time it’s impossible not to be impressed by the beautiful view. The treatment from the extremely friendly personnel also adds to your well-being.

The opening holes are relatively kind. Not before the third hole does the course take a bite. Nearly 400 metres steep uphill with a number of well-placed bunkers. If you get a par here you should be happy. Hole four for its part is a beautiful and good par three where you absolutely mustn’t lose the ball to the right. Hole six also tests your precision. A short hole where the ball is allowed to fall into what seems like an eternity before it hopefully finds its way to the green, far, far down there in the valley. If you hit slightly too far you end up in a very beautiful but oh so treacherous waterfall…as exotic as it suggests.
The course has many blind tees where a wrong swing often means a lost ball. The fairway goes up and down and makes every hit a challenge. One challenge you gladly accept considering the beautiful scenery that surround s the golf holes, one after another.

When your body has finally had enough of golf, you can easily spoil it down there in the hotel area. The rooms and villas are beautifully decorated in contemporary Thai style, and some villas even have their own outdoor Jacuzzis.
If you want you can have your buffet dinner on your private terrace. Otherwise, the restaurants serve delicious food, and for being in Thailand there is also a pretty good wine cellar. The hotel’s spa offers as usual everything imaginable and a sense of wellbeing is spread over the entire facility. If you’d like to spend your days on the beach, that’s fine; likewise if you prefer life poolside.

SANTIBURI GOLF
Number of holes: 18, par 72
Length: Gold 6,193 metres, blue 5,815, white 5,437 and red 4,465
Course design: Edward A Theil (first nine) and Pirapon Namartra (second nine).
Opened: End of 2003
Practice areas: Driving range, putting green and chipping green.
Grass: Seashore Paspalam on tees and fairways; Tifeagle on the greens; Bahia in the rough.
Golf club hire: Very nice club hire set with Callaway and Ping irons. Price from EUR 16-26.
Rating: Up and down along the cliff edge with spectacular views over the sea and party island Koh Pha Ngan. At times incredibly difficult to play even if you happen to hit the fairway. If you have a high handicap it will be difficult. Yes, the same goes for all handicap groups! A truly spectacular course, you have to play one, no two times if you are on Koh Samui.
Green fee: http://www.santiburi.com/GolfReservation.asp
Remarks: You are not allowed to walk. Car & caddy (who drives) is a must. Nice clubhouse with a small shop (mostly clothes), exquisite dressing rooms and very good service. The restaurant has fabulous views and good, inexpensive food.

SANTIBURI RESORT
Where: Koh Samui, Mae Nam Beach on the northern part of the island.
Built: 1992
Number of rooms: 12 suites and 59 separate, stand-alone villas in elegant Thai-style.
Amenities: Three restaurants, two bars, large swimming pool, children’s pool, Jacuzzi, two tennis courts, driving net, table tennis, video games, diving center, all possible water sports, Business Centre with internet access (however, relatively slow), transfer between hotel and golf course (approximately 5 minutes).

Text and Photo: Mikael Andersson
Web Editor: Emma Lindén