ASIAN GOLF INDUSTRY FEDERATION

Powerful Pull of Phuket Golfing Gems

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Laguna Golf Phuket offers an enjoyable challenge for players of all abilities.

Phuket, Thailand: When it comes to listings of the world’s most exotic and desired golfing getaways, Phuket invariably features prominently. 

With its spectacular array of courses, immaculately manicured fairways and greens, and world-renowned caddies, this southern province of Thailand provides a stunning backdrop for a golfing holiday.

Add in pristine white beaches, cooling blue lagoons, tropical mountains and arguably Thailand’s most beautiful sunsets and it’s easy to understand the pulling power of the largest island in the country, located off the west coast of the mainland in the Andaman Sea.

Proudly rated among the Phuket region’s most cherished golfing gems are Laguna Golf Phuket and Aquella Golf & Country Club, both Facility Members of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

In terms of distance, they may be some 60 kilometres apart, but the two venues are inextricably linked as part of the elite Asian Tour Destinations network, signifying their presence among the top tier of golfing properties in Asia.

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, said: “Being part of Asian Tour Destinations means that each venue is certified Tour-calibre and operates a comprehensive range of facilities and services to their members and guests under tournament-ready conditions, all-year round.

“We’re delighted that Laguna Golf Phuket and Aquella Golf & Country Club have joined the network. In the process, they’re underscoring the reputation and appeal of Phuket as a genuinely world-class golfing getaway.”

Set within Laguna Phuket Resort – Asia’s first fully integrated destination resort with a variety of hotel options, including Banyan Tree Phuket – the Laguna Golf Phuket course is an idyllic golfing paradise.

Darren Robson, Director of Golf at Laguna Golf Phuket, said: “We’re proud to partner with the Asian Tour as an official Asian Tour Destinations venue.

“Whether you’re just setting out on your golfing journey … or you’re an Asian Tour professional, the layout offers an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all abilities.”

As well as staging a Faldo Series Thailand amateur event, the course hosted the Singha Phuket Open on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2017. Late last year it was the venue for the inaugural Laguna Phuket Championship as the Asian Tour resumed play following the Covid-19 pandemic. Two more ADT events were held there in April.

Following its renovation in 2015, Laguna Golf Phuket’s landscape provides golfers with two distinct scenic experiences – lush tropical foliage on the front nine, and coconut groves and sand bunkers on the back nine.

The layout also highlights sustainable environmental conservation with great emphasis placed on the natural surroundings and local wildlife. A native cultural experience has been well represented with reused wooden steps, golf course furniture and decorative traditional Thai fishing boats to provide a local essence.

One of the club’s unique selling points is that golf buggies are not compulsory, meaning you can walk the course if you so choose, in the company of a highly-trained caddie.

“A lot of golfers who come here, especially Europeans, enjoy walking the course. So, too, do many of our guests at Banyan Tree, who tee-off after 2.30 pm and play nine holes,” said Robson, who has noticed a post Covid-19 pandemic rise in traffic on the course.

That is partly due, he says, to an increase in the number of direct flights coming into Phuket from Singapore and Korea, and also a reduction in green fees.

Majority-owned by Pacific Century Premium Developments and managed by Absolute Golf Services (AGS), Aquella Golf & Country Club is separated geographically from Phuket by the Sarasin Bridge.

Located on the pristine Andaman Sea coastline at Thai Muang Beach, 40 minutes north of Phuket International Airport, the property sprawls over 177 hectares and includes an 18-hole miniature putting course as well as a covered driving range with automatic ball dispensers. The elegant clubhouse features a pro-shop, restaurant, first-class spa and an extensive gym.

The centrepiece, however, is the 18-hole golf course sculpted by Phil Ryan and Paul Reeves of Pacific Coast Design that is primed to host its first Asian Development Tour event in the near future.

James Shippey, Managing Director at AGS, said: “Aquella has been redesigned and developed into a beachfront golf course with a fun and challenging layout set amongst a luxurious residential complex. It’s our intention for the facility to set new standards of excellence – not only in Phuket and Phang Nga, but in the region.

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Aquella Golf & Country Club.

“In conjunction with the Asian Tour and the Asian Development Tour, we very much look forward to staging top-level tournaments at Aquella in the months and years ahead. We are confident that the facility and course lends itself very well for hosting events of the calibre of the Asian Tour.”

If you’re looking for assistance in organising and facilitating your trip to Laguna Golf Phuket and Aquella Golf & Country Club, then Golfasian fits the bill perfectly.

The foremost golf tour operator in Southeast Asia, Golfasian has been bringing golfers to Asian golfing hotspots for more than a decade with Phuket high on the list of preferred destinations for golfers from all over the world.

In recognition of the role it plays in delivering a personalised golfing journey combined with exploring the culture of the countries visited, Golfasian is also part of the Asian Tour Destinations network.

Mark Siegel, Managing Director, Golfasian, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation, said: “Phuket has long been a favourite with golfers from Europe as well as around Asia.

“At Golfasian, we have always prided ourselves on working with the best golfing venues in Asia. In terms of the overall golfing experience, there’s no doubt that Laguna Golf Phuket and Aquella Golf & Country Club fit comfortably into that category.”

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