GOLF ATRAVEL Player’s Guide
One-Shot Wonder
The island green 17th at Amata Spring Country Club near Bangkok continues to grow its reputation as one of Southeast Asia’s most exciting holes, writes Alex Jenkins.
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n much the same way that the par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass, home of the PGA Tour’s Players Championship, has become one of tournament golf ’s most recognisable holes, the penultimate hole at the Schmidt-Curley-designed A mata Spring Country Club, situated on the outskirts of Bangkok, is forging its own reputation for excitement and terror for the one hazard that’s nigh on in impossible to recover from – water. Measuring just 145 yards from t he back tee, t his short one-shotter, like the one at Sawgrass, features an island green, a design element that has been copied and incorporated at numerous courses throughout Asia. But
Water torture: the floating island green 17th during the third-round play at December’s Thailand Golf Championship 62
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unlike the others, Amata Spring’s signature hole differs by virtue of the fact it’s unwalkable: the only way to reach the putting surface is by boat. A short stroll from the tee brings you to a small pier where your launch, manned by appropriately nautically-attired staff, is ready to whisk you to the floating green. Golfing purists might shudder at the thought; island greens are, by their very nature, contrived. But there’s no doubt they’re also a lot of fun, something the best players in the world agreed with when they arrived at Amata Spring for the Thailand Golf Championship last December. Major champions Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson were joined in their praise for the 17th by
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Sergio Garcia played the 17th as a champion should. The Spaniard found the heart of the green with his tee shot for an easy two-putt par 64
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Ryo Ishikawa, Hunter Mahan and Thailand’s own Thongchai Jaidee, who went as far as describing it as the “perfect” tournament golf hole. “I think it’s one of the best holes I’ve ever played,” declared Watson, the 2012 Masters champion. “I just think it’s neat that you have to take a boat to the green. Even though it’s only a wedge or a 9-iron you’re always worried. With the adrenaline pumping under the conditions of trying to win a golf tournament it makes it very difficult because of the water on both sides. It’s short but really fun.” Ishikawa, the young Japanese star who is known in his homeland as the “bashful prince”, said he was just happy to see his tee shot remain dry. “I enjoy playing it – but only in the ProAm,” laughed the 22-year-old after the first round. “In the tournament it’s a different feeling. It ’s normally a 9-iron but it all depends on the wind. I’ve hit 7-iron when the wind has been stronger. Today I hit it to 20 feet, which is always a good result.” The comparisons with the 17th at Sawgrass are obvious, but Mahan, one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour over the past five years, felt the hole plays differently. “ W i t h t h e w i n d p i c k i n g u p i t ’s a challenging shot for sure,” he said. “But it’s a different test. The green isn’t as severe as the one at Sawgrass, which has a lot of slope to it. If you don’t pay attention and don’t make a good swing you’re going to be penalised for it. You can easily lose two or three shots there, so it’s an exciting hole, especially where
it is in the round.” Former Masters champion Schwartzel, who birdied the 17th twice en route to his victory at the Thailand Golf Championship in 2012, thought the spectator-packed amphitheatre setting of Sawgrass’ 17th made that hole more intimidating, but joked: “I wait for the day the boat runs out of petrol and we have to swim back to the 18th tee.” Local hero Jaidee, who has played the hole countless times since the course’s opening in 2005, said it was the type of hole where really anything can happen. “It’s short, so it shouldn’t be difficult to hit a good shot and give yourself a birdie chance, but you can’t miss it by more than five or ten yards; then you’re making double bogey,” he said. “I love the 17th. The excitement and pressure is great. It really is perfect for a tournament and it looks wonderful on TV. It can also make a good story. If you’re leading by one or two you can’t say you’re going to win the tournament until you’ve f inished playing the 17th. Anything can happen there.” In the event, Thailand Golf Championship winner Sergio Garcia played the hole as a champion should. After picking up a birdie there during the third round, the Spaniard was rather more circumspect at the business end of the tournament. Finding the middle of the green after a well-struck tee shot, Garcia calmly two-putted for a par. “It was nice to be able to get the par at 17 and walk up the last knowing it was pretty much done,” said Garcia, who pocketed US$180,000 for the victory. HKGOLFER.COM