Pineapple Valley Golf Club (Former Banyan Golf Club)

One glance at the course and it is easy to see why Pineapple Valley Golf Club is so highly regarded.  The 18-hole championship golf course was designed by Pirapon Namatra of Golf East, one of the great golf course designers Thailand.

While water does come into play, it is perhaps not as prominent at Pineapple Valley Golf Club as others throughout the country.  The views from the course are superb and the backdrop of mountains on one side is in contrast to the ocean views on the other side of the course. 

Despite not featuring the abundance of water found on some of the other golf courses in Hua Hin, water hazards are present on the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th holes.  This may seem like a lot but once you get beyond the 7th hole, water is not really a feature on the course.

That’s not to say Pineapple Valley Golf Club becomes an easy course after the 7th hole and there are many tricky holes to look out for on the back nine.  One of which is the short par-3, 15th hole.  This is the signature hole at Pineapple Valley Golf Club and the views to the left from the elevated tee box over the ocean is fantastic, with mountains and valleys off to the right.

The distance to the hole is short but you must know your distance well with each club as it can be deceiving.  The wind also plays a part on this hole and if it picks up when you are on the tee, it can lead to a very tricky shot.  The key is to try and focus on the shot but with the spectacular views surrounding the hole, even that can prove tough.

Each hole at presents a fresh challenge and the par-5, 12th hole presents a nice comparison to the 15th.  This hole plays to a massive 610 yards from the back tee and although the fairway is generous, there are several bunkers waiting to gobble up the ball. 

Pineapple Valley Golf Club has a choice of four tee boxes on each hole, so if the 12th sounds too daunting, you can play from one of the other tees and this makes the course suitable for everyone.

In addition to the fabulous golf course, Banyan Golf Club is home to a stylish club house.  It comes complete with locker rooms, showers, pro-shop and terrace restaurant, the latter of which offers tasty cuisine and lovely views of the golf course and mountains.