Convincing our wives to come along for the ride was easy once we had shown them a few pictures of the beaches and spas. They had also heard about the incredible shopping. Managing to agree on a date was a little more difficult, but we finally settled on a week when all four couples would be free.

As our plane came in to land at Phuket Airport , I could see the layout of the Blue Canyon Country Club in the distance. Its rolling fairways, designed by Yoshikazu Kato, have tested the likes of Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. It has also hosted two Johnnie Walker Classics - in 1994 and 1998. Now it awaited four less talented golfers – but no-one could have been more eager. We wanted to get out there!

We had booked to stay at the Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort on Relax Bay . I chose this hotel because it has a putting green, but it proved to be a hit with our partners as well. The hotel is a peaceful oasis with its own private beach, but is only a few minutes drive from the shopping markets in bustling Patong Beach . As we enjoyed a seafood dinner at the poolside that night, we contemplated the four-day golfing feast which lay ahead.

Early the next morning, we headed for our first challenge, Phuket Country Club. Established in 1989, it was the first course built on the island, over a reclaimed tin mine site. We played the 18-hole course, which traverses three distinct environments: six holes in the hills, six on the level and six holes through forest. There is a new 9-hole course as well, but it has gained a reputation as a real “tester”. In the end, it didn't really matter which course I played, as I ended up in the dreaded last place and had to fund the 19th hole drinking session.

My nemesis was the 10 th hole, where I managed to drop two shots. The 557-yard hole is a dog-leg right that snakes around an enormous lake. It is reachable in one shot, but to achieve this, you have to aim 90 degrees right of the fairway – and be able to carry your drive 240 yards over the water. I failed miserably.

I was determined to do better the next day on the Loch Palm course. This 18-hole, par 72, course was designed by Thailand 's foremost golf architect, Dr. Sukitti Klangvisai. The front nine holes sit among lakes and palm trees, while the second nine move you along through the hills.The signature hole is the 220-yard 16th hole, a par 3. Situated beside a large lake, the green is squeezed between two sand bunkers. The best any of us did on the very tricky green was three putts.

However, I was in better form than the day before and managed to sneak into second place overall with a birdie on the 18th hole. As it was a very hot and humid day, we made the most of the Thai golf custom of having a drink stop every three holes. We continued our thirst-quenching in the clubhouse afterwards!

On the third day, our wives accompanied us to the Laguna resort complex on Bang Tao beach. They were there not only to keep us out of the clubhouse pub; they had decided to go for full-day spa treatments at the luxurious Banyan Tree Spa. The spa is part of the five-star Banyan Tree Resort, which flanks the Laguna Country Club.

Designed by Max Wexler, the par 71 Laguna course features lagoons, coconut groves and undulating fairways. Water comes into play in 13 of the holes, so players need to be very exact! A taxing signature hole is the 16th, offering fabulous views of the Andaman Sea and a green surrounded by 12 gaping bunkers.

The next morning we were up early, ready for the highlight of our stay – playing Blue Canyon. It is home to two 18-hole courses. The Lakes Course, with water hazards on 17 holes, is the newer of the two, but we had booked to play the more famous, older Canyon Course. It was developed in 1988 from an old tin mine and rubber plantations, with the course molded around canyons and trees with minimal disruption to the natural landscape.

What has been created is a masterpiece of golf course design with spectacular natural hazards, plus acres of lake accentuated by towering trees. The course features some of the fastest greens in Asia incorporating huge breaks that, for some reason, never seem evident. It shot to international acclaim during the 1994 Johnnie Walker event when many of the world's top golfers ended “in the drink” at its signature 14th hole. Rightly named 'The Island', the 14th is a natural island green. It was little consolation to know that when our balls failed to hit any part of the putting surface, that Greg Norman and Nick Faldo went the same way.

The hole that floored me was the 13th. The hole features a wide, yawning canyon in front of the tee box, extending for a good 200 yards on to the right. The key to success is an excellent tee shot – and then you still have to survive very speedy greens. Tiger Woods made the green in one shot in 1998, but certainly not me. They say this hole is more of a test of character than of ability, so I'm afraid I am a loser all round. Once again, I finished in fourth place and had to stump up for the drinks – but I didn't mind one bit. Playing the Blue Canyon had been everything we expected – and more. It truly is one of the premier golf courses of the world.

If we had had the time, we could have played a fifth course situated in nearby Phang-Nga province on the mainland. As Thailand 's only links course, Thai Muang gets a fair share of golfers from Phuket and the beach resorts at Khao Lak. We will have to give it a try next time.