Black Mountain again namned best golf course in Thailand

Hua Hin, Thailand, Nov 12 – As it nears the end of just its seventh year since opening in April 2007, Black Mountain Golf Club near Hua Hin has confirmed its status as Thailand’s best course and one of the great championship layouts in Asia. In the past two weeks Black Mountain has collected a string of more awards, capping off the sixth straight year it has been acknowledged by golf experts in Asia and internationally. Last week at the Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Jakarta, Black Mountain was named best golf course in Thailand for the third year in succession, as well as being first runner-up as best course in Asia Pacific and first runner-up for the best pro shop in the region. Last year, Black Mountain collected its second award as best course in Thailand as well as becoming the first course in the kingdom to be named in the US Golf Digest list of the top 100 courses outside the United States. In 2011, the first year Black Mountain was named best course in Thailand, it was also awarded the honour of being best championship course in Asia Pacific. In 2010, Asian Tour players voted Black Mountain as best host venue on the tour. In 2009, it was named best championship course in Thailand by Asian Golf Monthly and in 2008, the year after it opened, it was declared best new course in Thailand, also by Asian Golf Monthly. “Even though we don’t ‘chase’ awards, our consistent performance in being selected by some of the world’s best golf tourism experts as a superior golf experience is deeply satisfying,” Black Mountain’s general manager, Harald Elisson, said after the latest successes. “It affirms everything we have set out to achieve over the past seven years – to create a golf facility of international stature, giving golfers and families a range of superior quality experiences, and being a responsible corporate citizen in the local and wider community.” Next January, for the third year in a row, Black Mountain will jointly host with the Bangkok Post a charity event that raises funds to help educate disadvantaged Thai students. The club is a sponsor of Thailand’s leading professional golfer, Thongchai Jaidee, who owns a villa on the course, as well as European Tour players Johan Edfors, Rikard Karlberg and Mikko Ilonen. Its championship layout hosted the 2009 Black Mountain Masters, won by Johan Edfors, and the Royal Trophy. Constant improvements to the course and facilities have greatly added to its appeal among Thai and foreign players, all of whom invariably rate the course among Asia’s best. “We’re not going to sit back and rest on these laurels,” Harald Elisson said this week. “We know that a course is only as good as it is on any particular day. We want and intend to remain among the best courses in Asia Pacific for many years to come.”