Loch Palm golf Club

While Loch Palm Golf Club isn't the longest golf course in Phuket, it is one of the most enjoyable and consistent. Nestled among a series of jungle-clad hills, Loch Palm is a natural course, yet capable of handling many challenges and providing any Phuket golfer with a good workout. As the club's name suggests, palm trees are generously dotted throughout the course, but never too densely.

On the front nine holes, the main objective is to keep the golf ball on dry land; many holes play alongside the loch (a sizable lake), which has a habit of cutting into some of the gently undulating fairways. The short 2nd hole is one of many that tests golfers' nerves around water. It is a par-5 with a significant amount of sprawling, open bunkers also coming into play. Shots that are too far away require longer lengths to avoid ending up in the perimeter or, worse, out of bounds.

The back nine holes are tighter and more undulating, starting with the short but testing par-4 10th. The narrow and challenging par-5 11th is lined with villas on the left side; be prepared to shout "Fore!" Among several excellent holes on the second 9, one of the best is the par-3 14th, played downhill to a green surrounded by water on three sides.