top of page
Search

Palm Hills Hua Hin – Fun Course but Brutal Greens

  • Writer: Gunnar Kobin
    Gunnar Kobin
  • Jan 27
  • 6 min read

Updated: Mar 23

Palm Hills

Palm Hills: Great Course, Insane Green Speeds


Palm Hills is one of the earliest international courses built in Hua Hin, and when you play it, you still feel that pioneering spirit. It's just a couple of minutes from the beach and the airport, and the course is set between the coast and hills, combining a relaxed tropical vibe with clever routing and genuinely interesting golf holes.


When it comes to overall golfing experience, it stands out as one of the best in the region. Along with the consistently fun experience, you can expect a fast, smooth round as the set-up is expertly dialed in.


It’s great to be out of the car, as the clubhouse offers a great view across the landscape and out to the hills. You can take your time, and leisurely enjoy the Thai golf atmosphere. This is vacation golf done to perfection.


The Layout Works Really Well


Great use of the gently rolling terrain with a variety of palm trees and rock and lake outcrops. Instead of a boring flat course, Palm Hills uses constant subtle variations. You won’t have level lies, and your approach shots will require careful control of your trajectory on the way to the green.


It may seem like the front nine is the easiest part of the course with forgiving fairway and landing areas. But there is more to it than just hitting the ball. How you throw (i.e. club selection) and the position of your ball on the course are big factors. Be careless and you may end up with awkward stances and obstructed shots. The personality of the greens is also on display and they don't hold back. They can be fast, and often are deceptive and misleading.


The back nine starts to climb up into the hills and is the best part of the course. The views of the mountains from the elevated tees are stunning. This part of the course is simply beautiful. Some of the par 4's may require you to have an accurate first shot to leave an easy second shot. However, you will have to be careful and consider your strategy for the par 5's because they can go from birdie to bogey very quickly.


Routing is designed very well and you are often changing perspective and the feel of the course will be shorter than the length of the scorecard.


The greens are where it gets complicated at Palm Hills and they are the same as the other Hua Hin courses. When it comes to putting you are going to be graded on the weakest link, as you will need to put your greens reading skills to the ultimate test. The 6th, 9th, 17th and 18th are the worst and leaving the wrong position on the green can really hurt your overall score as it will leave you with a very difficult putt.


The illusion of sinks being easy birdies is shattered on hole six. From 70 meters short of the flag pole, I ended up getting a three putt because I was above the hole when I got my ball on the green. From then on the hole is kept to the green, the hole is kept below the hole, and the putt is kept above the putt. It is possible to five putt on hole six.


The ninth hole had some of the same lessons. Below the hole is huge when it comes to position, but I ended below and on the wrong side. That led to a second putt that climbed almost fifteen meters uphill. What should be a simple two putt was transformed into a delicate lag just trying to save par.


The last two holes are 17 and 18. I was pin high with what should have been a routine side hill putt. It is evident how severe the slopes are on the course because after a 10 meter below the hole I started my putt.


The greens have aggressive shaping as a consequence of the speed demanding fairness, with the current set up, the greens are wrong. Palm Hills currently has the greens that are too fast and cause an issue with the slopes they contain.


On holes 6, 9, 17, and 18, extreme elevation changes and quick greens turn strategic challenge into something nearly absurd. The more serious approach shots detrimentally affect putting. Instead of punishing mistakes and rewarding skill, the slippery law of Slope and Speed takes control of the situation.


If the greens were slowed down ever so slightly, the challenge wouldn't decrease, but the level of playability, fairness, and most importantly enjoyment would dramatically increase. The shot would finally be made to give the architecture the credit it deserves instead of the course doing all the work.


Through the round, the downhill, down grain putts, no matter how slight, the putts become insurmountably quick while the subtle, slight, uphill putts require more force than would be assume. The local caddies absolutely become a necessity. If you trust them, you will make putts that would embarrass you to leave them short or to send them racing past the hole.


Clever Design Without Being Mean


When you play at Palm Hills, you are not overwhelmed by approach shot carries or extreme hazards. Instead, Palm Hill urges you to make advantageous decisions. The elevation and natural bunkering creates a challenge without artificial additions, and while the water in play it not excessive.


While the long hitters will get scoring opportunities and par 5`s, the aggressive playing style will get punished. The appropriate tee s will let the short hitters play from a lower area so they are not overpowered in the experience of the game.


This makes a balanced game for mixed-ability groups, eyecatchable flow, and relaxed golf, Palm Hills is designed for playability whereas challenge is secondary.


Wexler's Vision


Palm Hills is designed by Max Wexler. In his Southeast Asian work, Wexler prioritizes playability, focused creatively on visual harmony and strategic simplicity rather than difficulty. In Southeast Asia, his use of routing and play with the natural landscape allows the course to flow seamlessly across the hills, palms, and rocks.


Wexler allows the land to guide hole geometry, instead of imposing his own design. The subtle elevation changes, the natural landing zones, and the green complexes that are preserved and coalesce seamlessly into the environment. The beauty of Wexler's courses is that it is timeless, instead of trendy, and will still play wonderfully decades after its opening.


This is especially apparent on the back nine, where the landscape is elevated, and presents some of the most beautiful and enjoyable holes in Hua Hin.


The Atmosphere is Immaculate


Palm Hills captures what most golfers seek in Thailand; great pace, attentive caddies, warm service, and great views. The staff and caddies are professionals, sincere, and welcoming, and establish comfort and warm service from the first tee to the last putt.


The ideal spot for post round drinks from the clubhouse patio is where the drinks are, and the views stretch across the course to the hills. With the breeze and the warm weather, people tend to stay in the spot for longer than expected, reliving the holes already played.


At Palm Hills, there is a great focus on the experience rather than the pace. Everything is designed with the idea of slow play and great rounds in mind.


Bottom Line Palms Hills is great for playing golf in hua hin as it is an enjoyable and scenic course. The course design is strategic and is set in tropical beauty with a relaxed resort course atmosphere. At its best, it rewards planning and creativity. However, with the greens set at excessive speeds for certain holes, it crosses the line from challenging to unfair. A slightly softer setup would allow the design to reach its full potential and turn Palm Hills from very good to truly outstanding. You leave smiling — and slightly shaking your head at a couple of unforgettable putts — already thinking about when you'll return. Just maybe hoping they've slowed those greens down a touch by then.









Comments

bottom of page