Designed by Jonathan Morrow and Al Tikkanen and like Red Mountain, their other high-profile Phuket golf course, Riverdale Golf Club is destined to become one of the most celebrated Bangkok golf courses. Riverdale may not at first glance look the most menacing test of golf you've seen. However, the golfer is in for a surprise.

The landscape includes several large lakes which were dredged to create the hills that surround the golf course and frame most of the holes. Beyond the perimeter though there's not much to look as it is predominantly comprised of factories and small villages. But once you've fired your opening tee-shot at the gently sloping downhill opener, the challenges and considerable charm of these immaculately groomed links will quickly assert themselves.

Aside from its excellent conditioning and undoubted challenges, the real joy of Riverdale Golf Club lies in its wonderful interplay of gently rolling fairways, many small reed-lined lakes, raised greens, excellent bunkering, and large hills that break-up some of the layout's innate openness.

After negotiating many immaculate, subtly breaking greens and hopefully coming through the 18 holes with scorecard relatively intact, enjoy cool refreshments at the contemporary styled club house which overlooks the 1st and 18th holes. Elegant locker rooms provide for nice changing facilities characteristic of a 5-star private members golf club.

Insiders Tip: Ask to play the back nine first. Then, by the time you reach the “Rice Mill Corner” comprised of (1) the dogleg par-4 7th , (2) the serious par-3 8th with a choice of greens including a water-protected island or postage-stamp with pot bunker and (3) the stunning long uphill par-4 9th your game may already have been given a bit of a mauling. However, save some strength for these 3 great “finishing” holes and you will be amply rewarded.

Good luck and enjoy!

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