Khao Yai Golf Break

Kirimaya Golf Resort & Spa, formerly The Country Club Khao Yai, is set within natural surroundings with panoramic views of the Khao Yai National Park. Kirimaya is best quality golf resort in the Khao Yai area and one of the most natural courses anywhere in Thailand. The Khao Yai golf course is described by the Nicklaus design team, to be one of their 3 best in Asia.

The backdrop of wooded hills and lush jungle provides a wonderful glimpse of Thailand's countryside that you will not see in and around the Bangkok metropolis. Should you journey out to the Khao Yai region you'll also experience cooler breezes and less humidity than in the city. Nicklaus's excellent, well-maintained; out-and-back layout blends effortlessly with its gently undulating surroundings, producing one memorable hole after another. Beyond the good-width fairways and light semi-rough lies thick impenetrable vegetation, so some tee-shots feel dauntingly tight during your first round here. On a second or third visit you'll begin to discover where the space is, and where it isn't.

Wetland areas boldly intrude across some fairways and also protect the front of several greens. Small lakes and lily covered ponds further enhance the naturalness of this layout, and all the while the jungle-clad Khao Yai hills look down onto the course.

The signature par-4 16th, which doglegs left-to-right past a large tree and down to a water-protected green, must be one of the most beautiful holes Nicklaus has ever fashioned, although surely nature played the biggest part in its creation. Here is a layout where you can feel at one with the beautiful countryside of Khao Yai, forget the trials and tribulations of the modern world, and concentrate on one of Nicklaus's best and toughest Asian challenges.

Another excellent hole is beautiful the par-5 3rd. The key here is to avoid the water on the left side of the fairway. Once past the hazard a small pond protecting this otherwise small green must be successfully negotiated. However, three good shots on in regulation is rewards the golfer with a birdy opportunity or sure par.

Nine holes out, and nine holes in, golfers will struggle to see another group as the holes weave their way around the hills of Khao Yai. With five sets of tees golfers of all abilities can enjoy the layout at Kirimaya.

The attached 5-star Kirimaya Golf Resort is the best in Khao Yai and includes unique tented villas for guest accommodations, personalized butler and chef services, and full service luxury spa. Kirimaya is as good as it gets in Thailand golf resorts. The Khao Yai golf course and resort continues to draw avid Thai and foreign golfers in need of a unique and unforgettable total golf resort experience.
For anyone visiting Thailand and has the time to either travel from Bangkok for a long, but excellent, day's golf, or can spend a few days in the superb mountain and golf destination of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Khao Yai National Park, then Khao Yai will not disappoint.

Rancho Charnvee is an 18-hole layout in the Khao Yai National Park area. The rather flat Bob McFarland resort course is fun to play and caters to golfers of all abilities and as with other Khao Yai golf courses, views from the course are often stunning. 

The golf course has more room off the tees and larger more receptive greens than other Khao Yai golf courses. The front nine plays around a country farm house. The back nine stretches around a flat piece of land with a nice backdrop of hills and mountains. Although the course may be a little more open in its tightness, the presence of excellent bunkering throughout ensures that course management cannot afford to be too relaxed. Rancho Charnvee is long and challenging off any of the three tee boxes with many water carries and out-of-bounds.

The first hole requires a solid drive over a large lake and is not for the easily intimidated. It plays uphill and fairway narrows to smallish green. The very long par-3 4th hole is another of several holes that will challenge even the most accomplished scratch golfers.

The clubhouse sits in front of a small lake. There is no driving range but the changing rooms and kiosks are first rate and the restaurant serves good food. This combined with well-trained staff and well-maintained course conditions will insure that golfers in Khao Yai will enjoy playing at Rancho Charnvee.