Cool season air, mountain backdrops, big name designers and some of the best value in Asian golf. Chiang Mai is northern Thailand's golf capital. Here are the six courses we would build a trip around, ranked, with our verdicts and the reasons to play each.
A great Chiang Mai golf trip balances course quality with the easy, good value living that makes northern Thailand such a draw. We weigh the design and conditioning of each course first, then how it fits a week: the strength of the layout, the mountain scenery, the standard of maintenance, and how convenient it is from a city base. The verdicts are ours. We have flagged the designer and the character of each course so you can match the golf to the group and the budget.
Chiang Mai is compact and golf rich. A dozen courses sit within an hour of the old city, several by recognized international architects, set in the valleys and foothills below Doi Suthep and the surrounding ranges. The cool, dry season from November to February brings near perfect conditions, and the green fees are a fraction of what the same quality costs in Europe or the United States, which is why Chiang Mai has become one of Asia's favorite golf escapes.
Reviewed June 2026 by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, opening years and hosting history verified at publication. How we research and review.
From the Asian Tour pedigree of Alpine to the value and condition of North Hill, ranked with our verdicts and the reasons to play each.
The benchmark for Chiang Mai golf and usually rated the finest course in the north, a Ron Garl design laid out in a valley between mountain ranges in San Kamphaeng. It hosted the Asian Tour Chiang Mai Classic in 2013 and 2014, and the championship pedigree shows in the strong, well bunkered holes and immaculate conditioning. With its own resort on site, it is the natural anchor for any group trip and the round to build the week around.
A polished Schmidt and Curley layout in the hills at Doi Saket, built on a site long held to be a power spot and blessed with mountain views from almost every hole. Generous, beautifully presented and backed by a spa resort, it is the most complete golf and stay package in the area and the closest rival to Alpine for the top spot. A group favorite for the scenery and the service.
One of the most beautiful and most demanding courses in all of Thailand, a Pravit Reungpo design of 27 holes set beside Khuntan National Park where water lurks around almost every corner. Routine approaches become nail biting decisions, and the mountain setting is spectacular. A serious test for the better player and a thrilling change of pace, about an hour from the city toward Lamphun.
A design by Peter Thomson, the five time Open champion, that resembles a traditional British parkland transplanted to the northern Thai countryside. Mature, walkable and full of strategic interest, it is a refined, classical contrast to the modern resort courses and a thoroughly enjoyable round north of the city. The connoisseur's pick in Chiang Mai.
A Dennis Griffiths design, the same architect behind Bangkok's Thai Country Club, and one of the best conditioned layouts in Chiang Mai. Set in the Mae Rim valley with the mountains as a backdrop, it offers a fair, well presented test that suits all standards, making it a reliable and scenic addition to any group itinerary.
Opened as nine holes in 2011 and expanded to eighteen in 2014, North Hill is renowned for the best course conditioning in Chiang Mai. The flattish, friendly layout suits all standards and beginners alike, and its convenient position close to the city and the airport makes it an easy, high quality round to slot into a week. Proof that value and condition can go together.
For almost every group the answer is to base in or near Chiang Mai city and drive out to the courses, all of which sit within an hour. The cool, dry season from November to February is the sweet spot for weather and conditioning, with comfortable temperatures and clear mountain views; March to May is hot, and the rainy season from June to October still offers playable golf around the afternoon showers at lower prices. A private van with a driver is the standard way to get between courses and into town each evening.
The value is the headline. Quality, internationally designed courses here cost a fraction of the equivalent in Europe or North America, and caddies are included as standard, which adds to the experience. The figures below are indicative per round green fees to help set the budget, with caddies and carts typically on top.
| Course tier | Style | Indicative green fee |
|---|---|---|
| Premium resort courses | Alpine, Highlands, Gassan Khuntan | $80 to $120 |
| Mid tier quality courses | Royal Chiang Mai, Summit Green Valley | $55 to $90 |
| Value rounds | North Hill and others | $40 to $70 |
Compare live tee times through our partner: check tee time availability. Group lodging near the courses: find hotels in Chiang Mai.
A Chiang Mai golf trip lives on the detail: the right courses in the right order, the cool season tee times secured, a comfortable city base and the transfers that turn up. Tell us the group, the budget and the kind of week you want, championship tests or scenic value, and we will build the itinerary around Alpine, the Highlands and the best of the north.
We secure the tee times, arrange the rooms and the transport, and handle the logistics so the organizer can play. Groups of any size, from a fourball to a full society, and easy to combine with Bangkok or the islands.
Alpine Golf Resort Chiang Mai, a Ron Garl design in San Kamphaeng that hosted the Asian Tour Chiang Mai Classic in 2013 and 2014, is usually rated the best course in the city. Chiang Mai Highlands, a Schmidt and Curley layout, is its closest rival.
November to February, the cool, dry season, is the prime window, with comfortable temperatures and clear skies. March to May is hot, and the rainy season runs roughly June to October, though play is possible around the showers.
Indicative 2026 green fees run from around $40 to $120 per round depending on the course and season, with caddies and carts on top, making Chiang Mai one of the best value quality golf destinations in Asia. Always confirm directly before booking.
Chiang Mai has roughly a dozen golf courses within easy reach of the city, including several by recognized international architects. A group can comfortably play four to six quality courses in a week without long transfers.
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