Thailand is on everyone’s bucket list and for good reason, this southeast Asian country has it all. The city of Bangkok is always buzzing and home to everything from exotic markets, great nightlife, ancient temples, and of course, amazing Thai food.
As you venture out of the capital, you have pretty much every option when it comes to landscapes too. The Thai islands like Phuket are pretty much the benchmark for a postcard showcasing paradise, the north of the country is mountainous and covered in rainforests, plus there river valleys and flatlands in the center and the south.
All of this stunning diversity is showcased across all the golf courses in Thailand, and there are over two hundred of them to choose from.
Golf arrived in Thailand thanks to King Vajiravudh The Great. He was interested in the sport and introduced it to Thailand back in 1923. Since then it’s grown in popularity and the Thailand Golf Association, set up in 1964, now manages all the Thai Opens and ensures the golf courses are up to spec.
With so many options to choose from in Thailand, we thought we’d make it a little easier and showcase the best golf courses in Thailand for you.
Ayodhya Links Golf
The Ayodhya Links Golf Course was created in 2007 when 30 of Thailand’s richest individuals got together to create one of the best and certainly the most exclusive golf course in Thailand if not all of Asia.
To play on this course you have to be a member or be invited by a member and to become a member, you also have to be invited by a member, so good luck playing at it, but if you manage it you won’t be disappointed.
The golf course was designed by Thomson and Perrett and then completed by Chairman Pitak Intrawityanunt. The golf course runs 7,639 yards from the championship tees and is rated as a par 72.
This golf course will test any golfer’s limits. Every single hole comes with a water hazard, rolling fairways, extremely fast greens, and some super deep bunkers. It’s made to catch you out on every turn. Of the 10 par 4s, only one of them is under 400 yards, but luckily there are 4 other sets of tees to play off if you don’t fancy the challenge of the championship ones.
Amata Spring Country Club
The Amata Spring Country Club sits 55 miles southeast of Bangkok and close to the beach area of Pattaya. It’s rated as one of the best golf courses in Thailand thanks to its modern design with super-fast greens, lots of water hazards, long rolling fairways, and top-notch greenside bunkering.
The golf course was designed by Lee Schmidt and they started construction in 2003. The golf course features some amazing holes including the 17th which has a floating green. This is not an island green, it actually floats and is anchored in a lake. When you go to the green to putt, you have to get into a ferry boat serviced by a Thai skipper – pretty unique. Also, the 4th hole’s green is guarded by a creek along the front side and framed by a gold historic Thai temple.
As you can see, this golf course is Thai luxury embodied in the game. The golf course measures 7,453 yards from the championship tees and is rated as a par 72. It’s immaculately maintained and has hosted numerous competitions including the LPGA in 2006, the Royal Trophy events in 2006-2010, and the first Thai golf championship in 2011.
If you’re in the area, then playing at the Amata Spring Country Club is a must. Be sure to book ahead though as it’s a very popular golf course being one of the best golf courses in Thailand.
Pattaya Old Course, Siam Country Club
The Pattaya Old Course at Siam Country Club was first designed in the 1970s by Isao Izumi and was recently completely renovated by Lee Schmidt, the legendary golf course architect.
The major changes made included swapping out the grass for Seashore Paspalum, which can tolerate saltwater, and removing a few old trees that blocked sightlines of playing corridors, and added a bit more breeze to keep you fresh in the heat. He also added Novotek grass for the greens, making them super fast and smooth.
The golf course is around 10 miles inland from the popular beach resort area of Pattaya and has hosted many prestigious competitions including numerous Thai Opens and LPGAs.
The golf course runs 18 holes and measures 6,553 yards from the championship tees and is rated a par 72. There are a few water hazards around the 15th, 16th, and 17th holes, and the course has a total of 101 bunkers, so there is a lot of sand for you to avoid.
In addition to the Old Course, there are three others to choose from at the Siam Country Club including Plantation, Waterside, and Rolling Hills golf courses, so if you’re in the area for a while, you can mix it up each round.
Banyan Thailand
The Banyan Thailand golf course sits 130 miles southwest of Bangkok and just inland from the beaches that lap the seas of the Gulf Of Thailand. The golf course was funded by a group of Dutch investors from Hua Hin, the region Banyan is in, and was designed by Thailand’s leading golf course architect Pirapon Namatra of Golf East.
The golf course is surrounded by thick forest, rolling hills, and beautiful ocean views. All of the 18 holes featured water hazards, well-bunkered, with rolling fairways and super fast undulating greens.
It certainly is one of the top golf courses in Thailand and their signature hole is the 15th, a par 3, where you’ll pick a wedge from the tee to hit the green that is just under 150 yards away. The views are insane as you look over the heavily bunkered green onto the island of Sing Ton.
The golf course is a par 72 over 7,361 yards from the championship tees but you can play from other tees if you want to make the course a little easier.
Best Golf Courses In Bangkok
Chances are that you’ll be arriving and leaving from Bangkok, and if you’re on a business trip, you might not leave Bangkok at all. So, we decided to create a section around the best golf courses close to Bangkok, meaning you can get a quick round or two in, even if you’re just stopping by for a few meetings.
Alpine Golf Club
The Alpine Golf Club sits just 20 minutes north of central Bangkok, so no matter where in the city you’ll be staying, it’s only a short taxi ride away. Once you arrive at the Alpine Golf Club, you’ll feel like you’ve completely left Bangkok and made it into the peaceful countryside.
The golf course sits on a wide-open piece of land, is not cramped, and gives a lot of room for each hole. There are numerous water-hazards, solid bunkering, and serious greens. All the greens are heavily contoured and extremely fast, even when it’s wet, so bring your putting A-game and don’t overhit or you will pay the price.
The golf course is 7,100 yards and a par 72 and the holes to remember are the 3rd and 12th par 3s which look like beaches, while the 7th par 5 has an island green, and 16th and 18th have beautiful water features.
It truly is a tropical paradise with lots of ancient palms surrounding the golf course and is a welcome break from the business of Bangkok.
Summit Windmill Golf Club
The Summit Windmill Golf Club sits on the eastern side of Bangkok and has a very rural countryside feel to it for being so close to the city of Bangkok. The golf course was designed by Nick Faldo and features a sequence of man-made lakes, heavy bunkering, lush rolling fairways, and sloping greens.
Water is featured on every one of the 18 holes plus you’ll find island greens and tees with beautifully manicured rough sections that are full of trees and beautiful tropical birds. The golf course is even flood-lit for nighttime play so you can get a round in after a later finish at the office.
The hole to remember is the 12th which is a par 3 with an island green and the par 4 16th hole that features a bunker that stretches along a lake that both run from the tee to the green – watch out on that hole.
The entire course measures 6,964 yards from the championship tees and is rated as a par 72. There are other tee off options to choose from if you fancy less of a challenge and it’s highly recommended to spend some time in the Club House, one of the best in Bangkok with stunning scenic views.
The one downside for some, which is an upside for others, is how close the golf course is to the airport. You’ll be hearing and seeing many a plane take off and land, which is thrilling for some but does take away from the tranquility that one might expect to experience on the golf course.
