Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

New par three course at Thai resort
AML
/ Categories: News

New par three course at Thai resort

The Black Mountain golf resort in Hua Hin, Thailand, has opened its new par three course, known as Dragon’s Breath.

Designed by Australian architect Phil Ryan, whose company, Pacific Coast Design, also created Black Mountain’s main eighteen hole course, Dragon’s Breath is designed to give golfers a full-on experience in a shorter time.

“Members with handicaps of 20 or more have really enjoyed it,W” said general manager Harald Ellison. “It's not a course for beginners, but appeals to low, middle and even higher handicappers who want to test their skills.”

The course is located in a natural valley, with a stone-walled watercourse running through the centre of the nine holes. On either side are holes of 125-175 metres from the back tees, down to 85 metres from the front boxes. By using different tees for some holes, tee-to-green shots of more than 200 metres are possible. And there will even be a tee on the clubhouse roof for novelty events.

European Tour pros Johan Edfors, Pelle Edberg and Alex Noren recently visited Black Mountain and tried out Dragon’s Breath. “It compares more than favourably to Valderrama's par three course in Spain,” said Noren. Edfors agreed: “You could take every hole, put it on a championship layout and it would fit fine.”

Thai-based contractor Links Golf Services built the course.

Previous Article New academy planned for Pitlochry
Next Article Uruguay course for Palmer firm
Print
8132 Rate this article:
No rating
Sean Dudley

AMLSean Dudley

Other posts by AML
Contact author

Contact author

x

Subscribe to the Golf Course Architecture newsletter


  • ©2025 Tudor Rose. All Rights Reserved. Golf Course Architecture is published by Tudor Rose.