Royal Hua Hin Golf Course
Thai golf began here. Laid out by a Scottish railway engineer at the end of the southern line, Royal Hua Hin opened its first nine in 1922, was royally inaugurated under King Rama VI in 1924 and completed its second nine in 1928. A century later this 6,678 yard par 72, famously without a single water hazard, remains the most atmospheric round in the kingdom, steps from the most photographed railway station in Thailand. Here is the verdict, the facts, the holes and how to get on.
Photograph: Pierre Noguer, via Google.
The verdict
Royal Hua Hin is not the hardest course in Thailand, nor the best conditioned, and it does not matter in the slightest. This is the country's founding document: a traditional British layout drawn over natural terrain a hundred years ago, threading between rocky outcrops and stands of mature trees with views to the temple topped hill of Khao Takiab. The bones are entirely of their era, small greens, cross bunkers, doglegs shaped by trees rather than water, and the complete absence of a water hazard is a genuine curiosity in a country that built its modern golf on lakes.
Modern Hua Hin offers sterner tests, led by Black Mountain and Pineapple Valley, and a serious golf week here plays them all. But skip Royal Hua Hin and you miss the point of the town. Walk off the morning train, cross the road, and play golf the way the court of Siam did in 1924. Few rounds anywhere deliver more history per baht.
Royal Hua Hin at a glance
- Opened
- 1924
- Designer
- Railway engineer
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,678 yds
- Type
- Classic parkland
- Green fee
- ~THB 1,600
History, opening and layout verified June 2026. Royal Hua Hin was Thailand's first golf course: the first nine opened in 1922 under King Rama VI, the royal inauguration came in 1924, and the second nine was completed in 1928 under King Rama VII, all to a design by a Scottish engineer of the Royal State Railways. It plays as a par 72 of 6,678 yards. Indicative 2025 to 2026 green fees start around 1,600 baht with a mandatory caddie; fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The opening holes set the tone immediately: tee shots between old trees, modest greens defended by neat cross bunkers, and the constant feeling of playing through a botanical garden that happens to keep score. The terrain does the architectural work. The course rises and falls over natural ridges, and the best holes climb toward the rocky hills that frame the property, where monkeys watch from the outcrops and the views open back across the town to the Gulf of Thailand.
The par 3s are pure period charm, short by modern standards and entirely about precision into small, firm surfaces. The strongest stretch comes where the routing works along the higher ground, with sidehill lies testing your patience and the temple of Khao Takiab floating above the treeline as the backdrop. With no water anywhere, the card stays in your hands all day: the course only punishes the crooked and the greedy, exactly as its era intended.
Take a caddie's advice on the older greens, play from the tees that match the heat, and leave time for a cold drink on the wooden clubhouse terrace, one of the great unhurried places in Asian golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Fully public; visitors welcome daily, with tee times bookable directly or through any Hua Hin golf agent or hotel desk |
| Green fee | Indicative 2025 to 2026 fees from around 1,600 baht for 18 holes, among the best value historic rounds in Asia; package deals with other Hua Hin courses are common |
| Caddies | Mandatory and part of the experience; budget a customary tip of around 400 to 500 baht per round |
| On the day | Carts available but the course walks easily; classic wooden clubhouse, simple practice facilities, relaxed dress code by championship standards |
| Getting there | In the center of Hua Hin beside the railway station, around 2.5 to 3 hours south of Bangkok by road or rail |
| Best months | November to March for dry season weather; early tee times beat the heat year round |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; 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
Hua Hin was built as a royal seaside resort and still does the genre beautifully. The Centara Grand, the former Railway Hotel of 1923, is the period correct base, a colonial landmark on the beach ten minutes from the first tee. The Hyatt Regency, Anantara and a string of beachfront resorts south of town cover modern luxury, and the night market keeps evenings cheerful for groups.
For the golf week, our Hua Hin destination guide and best courses in Hua Hin ranking lay out the rotation, and our best courses in Thailand list places the town in the national picture.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts across Hua Hin.
Build a Hua Hin golf week
We arrange tee times at Royal Hua Hin and the modern Hua Hin courses and build them into a full Thailand trip, beach resort base, transfers and every detail, costed to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge does the rest, with no obligation.
Royal Hua Hin questions
Is Royal Hua Hin really Thailand's oldest golf course?
Yes. Royal Hua Hin was the first golf course built in Thailand. The first nine holes were constructed from 1919 and opened in 1922 during the reign of King Rama VI, the course was royally inaugurated in 1924, and the second nine was completed in 1928 under King Rama VII.
Who designed Royal Hua Hin?
The course was laid out by a Scottish railway engineer working for the Royal State Railways of Siam, which built Hua Hin as a seaside escape at the end of the southern line. The course still sits a short walk from the town's famous railway station, and the layout keeps its traditional British design character.
What par and length is Royal Hua Hin?
Royal Hua Hin plays as a par 72 of 6,678 yards for men and 5,713 yards from the forward tees. Unusually for Thailand, there is not a single water hazard on the course; the defense is trees, bunkers, undulation and the rocky hills the routing weaves beneath.
How much does it cost to play Royal Hua Hin?
Royal Hua Hin is one of the best value historic rounds in Asia, with indicative green fees from around 1,600 baht in the 2025 to 2026 season. Caddies are mandatory and inexpensive, with a tip of around 400 to 500 baht customary. Always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Hua Hin?
November to March is the dry, cooler high season and the best golf weather. April and May run hot, and the light rains from June to October usually pass in the afternoon, making early tee times perfectly playable and noticeably cheaper.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. History, opening dates and layout verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.