Springfield Royal Country Club

The verdict

Springfield Royal is a Jack Nicklaus resort course built for the holiday golfer who still wants a real test. The Golden Bear routed the first two nines in 1993 across gently rolling, well watered parkland north of Hua Hin, and the design carries his signature traits: generous fairways that pinch in near the landing zones, heavily contoured greens guarded by deep, sculpted bunkers, and water that asks a clear question on the par 5s. A third nine, added in 2005, completed the 27 hole layout that plays today as three interchangeable par 36 loops.

It will not punish a sensible round the way a links does, but it rewards thought. The championship A and B combination stretches to about 7,043 yards from the back, with five sets of tees that bring the course back to a friendly 4,964 yards forward. Conditioning is consistently good, the resort backdrop is comfortable rather than dramatic, and access is straightforward, which makes Springfield Royal one of the most reliable rounds to anchor a Cha-am or Hua Hin golf week.

The holes worth the trip

Because Springfield plays as three nines, your card depends on the loops the starter sends you out on, but the Nicklaus character is constant. The East nine sets the tone with a muscular run through the turn: the par 5 second stretches to 533 yards from the Gold and the long par 4 third at 451 demands a committed second over staggered bunkering. The two short holes on that loop, at 167 and 209 yards, frame the routing nicely and are a fair read of how the greens will behave all day.

The North nine is the strongest test of driving, headlined by the 422 yard fourth that ranks as the hardest hole on the loop, with water and bunkering tightening the line off the tee. The West nine, the 2005 addition, is the longest and most open of the three, opening with a 440 yard par 4 and serving up a reachable but heavily defended par 5 at the fifth. Across all 27 holes the premium is on flighting your irons into firm, tilted greens, and on respecting the bunkers that Nicklaus uses to frame and to threaten in equal measure.

None of it is tricked up. The fairways are wide enough to swing freely, the trouble is visible, and the strategy is honest, which is exactly why Springfield Royal works so well as the centerpiece of a relaxed Hua Hin itinerary rather than a white knuckle one.

Where to stay nearby

Most golfers base themselves in Hua Hin or Cha-am, the twin beach towns that put the whole cluster within a short drive. Hua Hin offers everything from the grand colonial era seafront hotels to modern resorts and a lively night market, while Cha-am is quieter and closer to Springfield itself. The on site Springfield Sea Resort suits those who want to roll out of bed and onto the first tee.

From a Hua Hin or Cha-am base you can easily pair Springfield Royal with the area's heavyweights. Build the week around the much praised Black Mountain, the Pirapon Namatra design at Banyan, and the historic Royal Hua Hin, the country's oldest course, for a varied four or five round trip.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Springfield Royal.