Blue Canyon Country Club

The Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club was the original 18-hole course and became famous when it was chosen to host the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1994. Since then, the same tournament has returned twice and Tiger Woods won it in 1998. Blue Canyon, recognized as a world championship course, is still ranked among the best golf courses in Thailand.

The course, located in an abandoned tin mine, features the characteristics of a former open-pit mine throughout the property. Streams filled with rust-colored water, canyons with steep cliffs exposing red and white rocks laden with tin ore, and tailings from old mining operations are just a few of the many throwbacks to bygone days.

The first nine holes climb and cross fairways lined with oil palms. The back nine are even better, with holes 11 to 15 probably among the top five courses in Thailand, if not all of Asia. These five memorable holes will undoubtedly be the focus of post-round discussions.

The par-5 11th is a challenging 560-meter par 5 with water crossing the fairway on the first shot and water protecting the green left and right on the third. A bogey without penalty is a good score here. The famous par-4 13th, which runs through a canyon, tempts the daredevil in every golfer, and the par-3 14th, which follows, from an elevated tee to an island-shaped green, is one of the most beautiful par-3s, but also one of the most challenging for any player who tees off and goes for it. There are no rescue areas, and unless you've played the course before, it's difficult to trust the right club and assess the effects of the wind. Most golfers visiting Phuket experience wet, and not happy, finishes to their rounds.

The 17th is also one of the most intimidating par 3s around, and even from the white tees it takes a long iron or fairway wood to reach a partially hidden green tucked behind the canyon on the right.