Black Mountain
Black Mountain is the course that put Thai golf on the world map. Phil Ryan of Pacific Coast Design built it among the hills behind Hua Hin in 2007, and within a decade it had been ranked the best course in Thailand and welcomed both the Asian Tour and a European Tour event. The championship eighteen stretches to about 7,202 yards of muscular, mountain framed golf that plays as good as it looks.
Photo: Charles Arnestad via Google.
The verdict
Hua Hin has been a royal resort town for a century, but it was Black Mountain that gave it a genuinely world class course. Designed by the Australian architect Phil Ryan for Pacific Coast Design and opened in 2007, it was routed through former pineapple plantations against a dramatic backdrop of dark hills, the black mountain that gives the club its name. It has since added a third nine and is regularly ranked the number one course in the country.
The tournament record backs up the rankings. Black Mountain has hosted the Asian Tour, co sanctioned European Tour golf and the Thailand stop on the developmental tours, a level of championship pedigree that few courses in the region can match. The championship eighteen, drawn from the East and West nines, plays to a par 72 of up to about 7,202 yards, with generous landing areas off the tee giving way to well defended greens that demand a precise approach.
Black Mountain at a glance
- Opened
- 2007
- Designer
- Phil Ryan
- Type
- Mountain resort, 27 holes
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- To 7,202 yds
- Green fee
- About 3,500 THB
The 2007 opening, the Phil Ryan design for Pacific Coast Design, the twenty seven hole layout across the East, North and West nines, the championship par 72 of up to about 7,202 yards and the Asian Tour and European Tour hosting history were verified June 2026 from Black Mountain Golf Club and tournament records. Green fees are indicative, with a 2026 rate around 3,500 baht for eighteen holes plus a compulsory cart of about 750 baht and a caddie of about 350 baht; figures change by season and year. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Black Mountain rewards the bold driver and the accurate iron player in equal measure. Ryan gave the course width off the tee, so there is room to open the shoulders, but he defended the greens with water, deep bunkering and run offs that punish a careless approach. The putting surfaces are large and quick by Thai standards, and reading the subtle break against the mountain backdrop is part of the challenge.
The closing holes have decided tournaments. The finish runs hard along the lakes, with water gathering anything pushed or pulled on the approach, and the par 5 closing hole tempts the long hitter to go for the green in two over the hazard. It is a true risk and reward conclusion that has produced plenty of drama in the professional events the club has staged, and it gives the visiting golfer the same gamble on an ordinary day.
What lifts Black Mountain above its peers is the conditioning and the setting. The turf is among the best in Thailand, the mountain scenery is genuinely striking, and the on course service in the Thai style, with a caddie for every player, makes the round feel like an event. Played as the highlight of a Hua Hin trip alongside the town's other strong courses, it is comfortably one of the finest rounds in Southeast Asia.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A daily fee resort course open to the public; tee times are booked directly with the club or through a Hua Hin golf operator |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 rate around 3,500 baht for eighteen holes, with a compulsory cart of about 750 baht and a caddie of about 350 baht added; club rental is available |
| Booking | Book ahead in the cool November to February high season; weekday mornings are quietest and the on site resort offers golf packages |
| On the day | Cart and caddie are standard; a clubhouse, water park and academy are on site, and the West nine extends the day to twenty seven holes |
| Getting there | In the hills behind Hua Hin, about twenty minutes inland from the town and roughly two and a half to three hours south of Bangkok |
| Best months | November to February for the cool, dry season; March to May is hot and the green season from June brings afternoon rain |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from Black Mountain Golf Club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Black Mountain has its own on site accommodation and golf packages, the easiest option for an early tee time and a day at the adjoining water park. Staying at the resort puts you minutes from the first tee and bundles the golf with the room, which suits a dedicated golf group.
Most visitors, though, base themselves in Hua Hin itself, a relaxed royal resort town twenty minutes away with beachfront hotels at every level, from grand colonial properties to modern resorts. Hua Hin makes an excellent hub for a Thai golf trip, with Black Mountain and several other strong courses within easy reach and Bangkok under three hours up the road.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts at Black Mountain and across Hua Hin.
Play Black Mountain and Hua Hin
We build Hua Hin golf trips around Black Mountain, arranging the tee times, the caddies and a base on the beach or at the resort with the transfers from Bangkok. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Black Mountain questions
Who designed Black Mountain Golf Club?
Black Mountain was designed by the Australian architect Phil Ryan of Pacific Coast Design and opened in 2007. It was built among the hills behind Hua Hin on former pineapple plantation land and has since expanded to twenty seven holes.
Why is Black Mountain so highly rated?
Black Mountain has repeatedly been ranked the best course in Thailand, thanks to its conditioning, its strong Phil Ryan design and its dramatic mountain setting. It has also hosted Asian Tour and European Tour golf, rare championship pedigree for the region.
What is the par and length of Black Mountain?
The championship eighteen, drawn from the East and West nines, plays to a par 72 of up to about 7,202 yards. The course offers width off the tee but defends its large, quick greens with water and deep bunkering.
How much does it cost to play Black Mountain?
An indicative 2026 green fee is around 3,500 baht for eighteen holes, with a compulsory cart of about 750 baht and a caddie of about 350 baht added. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
When is the best time to play Black Mountain?
The cool, dry season from November to February is the best time, with comfortable temperatures and firm turf. March to May is hot, and the green season from June brings afternoon rain but lower rates and quieter fairways.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Opening year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.