Blue Sapphire Golf and Resort

Had a chance to play at Blue Sapphire Golf and Resort this week.  Haven't been there for a couple of years now due to scheduling conflicts.  We used to come to Kanchanaburi province to play golf every few months because of the great deals on the golf courses and resorts in this area.  Previous review from my other blog is here.   Aside from the beautiful River Kwai and its bridge made famous by the David Lean Movie in 1957, the area is blessed with mountains and vistas ideal for golf courses.

Blue Sapphire Golf & Resort got its name from the Sapphire mine that once operated there and the one that is adjacent that is still in operation.  The big holes created by the mining operation were reclaimed by filling them with water to create some beautiful lakes and water hazards for the golf resort.  On a few holes, petrified trees unearthed during the mining operation are used to add beauty to the layout.  

Consisting of 36 holes (A-B-C-D), the A&B Canyon course is more resort oriented while the Ocean Course (B&C) is a bit more difficult with more water in play.  You can play any combination of 9 holes as well, so depending on the starter, you may be assigned to courses A/C or B/D etc if you desire and scheduling permits.

Hole 3, Canyon Course - Drive over the water or else!

Hole #16 - Par 3, 181 yards from elevated tee

Both courses offer challenging carries over water on some holes (either your drive or your approach shot to the green) so bring some extra balls if your game is not up to snuff.  The fairways are fairly wide but if you miss the fairways there are many hills, mounds and trees that can quickly kill your score.  Golf carts are mandatory here as the terrain is very hilly.

On this visit, the greens again had just been sanded so the greens were very coarse and unpredictable due to the large sand pebbles used.  The dry weather and wind also brought down a lot of leaves from the nearby trees and thus a few greens were littered with both leaves and sand.  The fairways were in decent shape and our caddies were quite pleasant and knowledgeable.

A little map at the tee box to indicate the layout of the hole

Basic locker room facilites

Locker rooms were still very basic, although they said during our last visit that they would be improved but they looked the same to us.  We didn't stay for the food at the restaurant because we had a previous arrangement at the resort we were staying at.  There is a jewelry shop located near the pro shop which features sapphires found at the mine site before its renovation - a very unique souvenir if you are looking for something special to remember the visit.   

To get to Blue Sapphire, take 323 from Kanchanaburi City to 3398 and then 3086 .  The total driving time is about 2 1/2  hours from Bangkok.  Currently the green fees are only 800 baht during the week, and 1500 baht during weekends.  GPS Coordinates:  14.351751,99.508538

Overall rating:  3 out of a possible 5.  Challenging layout, decent fairways, good service.  Locker and greens (on this day anyway) need improvement.  A great value for a course of this caliber.