Golf in Hua Hin
Thailand's original royal beach resort, and one of Asia's most relaxed golf bases: an Asian Tour host in the hills at Black Mountain, a pineapple plantation turned championship course at Banyan, and the oldest links in the kingdom by the railway station. The courses that matter, the setting, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: Black Mountain Golf Club, CHARLES ARNESTAD, via Google
Why golf in Hua Hin
Hua Hin has been a royal retreat since the 1920s, when the Thai court built summer palaces along this stretch of the Gulf coast and laid out the country's first golf course beside the railway station. A century on it has grown into one of Asia's most appealing golf bases, less frantic than Bangkok or Phuket, with a cluster of excellent courses set against the hills behind a long, gentle beach. The headline act is Black Mountain, a Phil Ryan design opened in 2007 that has hosted Asian Tour events and sits near the top of every ranking of Thai golf, with Banyan, built across an old pineapple plantation, close behind.
The appeal is the balance. The golf is genuinely good and excellent value, the caddies and the conditioning are a cut above, and the town keeps a low rise, easygoing charm with night markets, seafood and beach hotels rather than high rise sprawl. It is an easy drive south from Bangkok, which makes it a natural pairing with a city stopover, and the courses are spread across a compact area so a week of golf rarely involves more than a half hour transfer. For a travelling golfer who wants quality, value and a proper holiday around the rounds, Hua Hin is one of Asia's smartest choices.
The setting
The hills inland
The best of the modern golf sits in the foothills a short drive behind the town, led by Black Mountain, the Asian Tour host carved from old quarry and orchard land, where the elevation and the mountain backdrop give the course its drama.
Banyan and the valley
Banyan Golf Club, laid out across a former pineapple plantation and once known as Pineapple Valley, with rolling fairways framed by the hills. The closest challenger to Black Mountain and a fine, scenic round in its own right.
The royal town and beach
The historic heart, where Royal Hua Hin sits beside the colonial railway station and the seaside courses cluster near the long beach, the palaces and the night markets, the easygoing centre of any Hua Hin trip.
Cha-am to the north
The quieter beaches and resorts just north of town, home to the Jack Nicklaus designed Springfield Royal Country Club and a string of comfortable hotels, an easy add on to a Hua Hin base.
The courses that matter
Black Mountain Golf Club
Widely rated the best course in Hua Hin and among the finest in Thailand, a Phil Ryan design routed through old quarry, orchard and jungle in the hills behind the town. It has hosted Asian Tour and Royal Trophy events, and its bold, varied holes and superb conditioning back up the reputation. The benchmark round of any trip here.
Banyan Golf Club
Laid out across a former pineapple plantation and once called Pineapple Valley, a design by Thailand's leading architect Pirapon Namatra that climbs and falls with the rolling land. Generous yet strategic, with the hills as a backdrop, it is the closest challenger to Black Mountain and a perennial top course.
Springfield Royal Country Club
A Jack Nicklaus signature design just north of Hua Hin at Cha-am, opened in 1993, with water in play across a classic resort layout and a polished, well run operation. A long standing favourite and an easy, enjoyable complement to the mountain courses inland.
Royal Hua Hin Golf Course
The oldest golf course in Thailand, laid out in 1924 beside the historic Hua Hin railway station for the Thai court and the British railway engineers. A short, characterful parkland of huge nostalgic value, walked with a caddie in the shadow of the hills, and a piece of living golf history.
Sea Pines Golf Course
A mature, relaxed course set among casuarina pines near the coast just south of town, a gentle, walkable round popular for an easy afternoon or a warm up day. Not the toughest test in the area but a pleasant, good value addition to a longer itinerary.
Designers, opening years and host history verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| November to February | Cool and dry, comfortable temperatures, the lowest rain | Prime season, book the marquee tee times early |
| March to May | Hot and humid, building toward the rains | Play early, with quieter fairways and keener rates |
| June to October | Green season, warm with afternoon showers | Best value, and the Gulf coast stays drier than much of Thailand |
The cool, dry months from November to February are the peak for a reason, but Hua Hin sits on the drier Gulf side of the peninsula and plays well for much of the year. Morning tee times are the rule whenever the heat builds.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquee green fee | Around THB 2,500 to 4,500 | Roughly US$70 to 130, Black Mountain and Banyan in season |
| Caddie and cart | Around THB 400 to 1,000 each | A caddie is customary and inexpensive, a cart is optional |
| A golf week, all in | Around US$1,200 to 2,500 per person | 4 to 5 rounds, beach hotel, transfers, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. Green season rates are lower again. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Most golfers reach Hua Hin overland from Bangkok, a drive of around two and a half to three hours south on a good road, which makes a city stopover an easy pairing at the start or end of a trip. A private transfer or a hire car is the simplest option, and the scenic State Railway service from Bangkok pulls in at the famous Hua Hin station beside the royal course. The small Hua Hin airport handles a limited schedule. Once you are based in town the courses are close together, rarely more than a half hour apart, so a driver for the week keeps the golf relaxed.
Where to stay
Hua Hin keeps a low rise, resort feel, so the choice runs from grand seafront hotels in the style of the original railway hotel to boutique beach properties and golf focused resorts. A base in or near the town centre puts the beach, the night markets and the seafood within walking distance and keeps the courses a short drive away, while the quieter sands toward Cha-am suit those who want Springfield and a calmer setting. For a golf first group, the on site lodging at Black Mountain shortens the morning to nothing. Let one planner match the base to your group.
Plan your Hua Hin golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Hua Hin golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Hua Hin?
November to February is the prime season, the cool, dry months with comfortable temperatures and the lowest chance of rain. March to May is hot and humid, best played early, while the green season from June to October brings afternoon showers, though the Gulf coast around Hua Hin stays drier than much of Thailand and offers the best value of the year.
Which is the best golf course in Hua Hin?
Black Mountain Golf Club, a Phil Ryan design from 2007 that has hosted Asian Tour events, is widely rated the best course in Hua Hin and one of the finest in Thailand. Banyan Golf Club, laid out by Pirapon Namatra across a former pineapple plantation, is its closest rival, with Springfield and the historic Royal Hua Hin completing the lineup.
How much does it cost to play golf in Hua Hin in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees at the marquee courses run from roughly THB 2,500 to 4,500, around US$70 to 130, with a caddie and a cart added on top at modest rates. A week with a beach hotel and four or five rounds typically lands around US$1,200 to 2,500 per head excluding flights. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
New course openings across Thailand, Asian Tour build up and the cool season booking windows worth moving on first. Every other week.