Pattaya Golf Courses Guide 2026
Pattaya is quietly one of the best golf destinations in all of Asia — and most golfers don’t find out until they’re already there, standing on the 1st tee at Siam Country Club, wondering why they spent so many years playing mediocre municipal courses back home.
Within a 40-kilometre radius of Pattaya city centre, there are more than 25 international-standard golf courses. The best of them would hold their own against anything in the UK or Australia. The prices would make a Scottish links player weep with joy. And the caddies — professional, knowledgeable, and often the highlight of the entire trip — are included by default.
This guide covers the 7 best golf courses in Pattaya, with honest reviews, real USD green fees for 2026, what each course suits best, how the caddie system works, the best time of year to play, and everything else you need to plan a golf trip here from scratch.
Why Pattaya Is One of Asia’s Top Golf Destinations
Before we get into course-by-course reviews, it’s worth understanding what makes this stretch of Eastern Thailand so disproportionately good for golf.
Price. A round at Pattaya’s top course — Siam Country Club Old Course — costs around $183 on a weekday, all-in with caddie and cart. The equivalent course experience in Tokyo would run $350–400. In Singapore, more. The mid-tier courses here cost $85–145 for a full round with everything included.
Quality. These aren’t resort courses with forgettable par-3s. Siam Country Club hosts the LPGA Honda Classic. Laem Chabang was designed by Jack Nicklaus. Chee Chan Golf Resort was carved into the hillside above the city and is legitimately stunning. The conditioning at the top courses rivals anything in Asia Pacific.
Density. You can play a genuinely different, world-class course every day for a week without repeating yourself or driving more than 45 minutes. That kind of golf-per-square-kilometre concentration is rare.
Caddies. Every round here includes a caddie. Not optional, not an add-on — it’s part of how golf works in Thailand. They carry your bag, read your putts, track your ball, and tell you the line. Good caddies turn a confusing course into a guided experience. Bad caddies are still better than carrying yourself in 34°C heat.
For getting yourself to the courses from your hotel, or from Bangkok, see our Bangkok to Pattaya Guide and Pattaya Travel Guide for transport options.
Quick Overview: Best Pattaya Golf Courses by Type
| Course | Best For | Weekday Green Fee (USD, incl. caddie + cart) | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siam CC Old Course | Bucket-list round | ~$183 | Hard |
| Siam CC Plantation | Advanced players | ~$162 | Very Hard |
| Chee Chan Golf Resort | Scenery + challenge | ~$151 | Hard |
| Laem Chabang CC | Variety (27 holes) | ~$134 | Medium–Hard |
| Siam CC Waterside | Scenic parkland | ~$162 | Medium |
| Burapha Golf Club | Value, beginners | ~$103 | Medium |
| Phoenix Gold G&CC | Budget round | ~$84 | Easy–Medium |
All prices in USD at approx. $1 = ฿34.5. Prices are per person including green fee, caddie, and golf cart (where applicable) for 18 holes weekday. Weekend rates are 10–20% higher.
The 7 Best Golf Courses in Pattaya (Reviewed)
1. Siam Country Club Old Course — The Bucket-List Round
Location: 25 minutes east of central Pattaya Green Fee (weekday, all-in): ~$183 | Weekend: ~$217 Holes: 18 | Par: 72 | Yardage: 6,797 yards
If you play one course in Pattaya, play this one. Opened in 1970 and renovated in 2007 by Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley, the Old Course is consistently ranked in Asia’s top 20 and regularly appears on Golf Digest’s global top 100. It’s the annual home of the Honda LPGA Thailand, which tells you everything about the quality of the playing surface.
What makes it special isn’t any single spectacular hole — it’s the cumulative experience of pristine fairways lined with mature trees, greens that are genuinely fast and treacherously contoured, water hazards that punish exactly the shots they should punish, and the giant golden Buddha visible from the 9th green watching over proceedings like a gentle warning.
The par-3 8th hole is the signature — a forced carry over water to a well-protected green. Easy to admire, difficult to execute, impossible to forget when you blade it thin into the water.
Who it’s for: Anyone who can handle a difficult course and wants an authentic “I played the best course in Pattaya” experience. Not beginner-friendly — the course will find your weaknesses.
Practical notes: Book at least a week in advance in high season (November to February). The course operates a two-tee start in peak periods, so don’t expect a relaxed early morning slot.
2. Siam Country Club Plantation Course — The Technical Challenge
Location: Same complex as Old Course, east of Pattaya Green Fee (weekday, all-in): ~$162 | Weekend: ~$188 Holes: 27 (played as 18) | Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,200+ yards
The Plantation is longer, higher, and meaner than the Old Course. Designed by the same Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley team, it’s built on the remains of a former pineapple plantation, and the elevation changes from that agricultural past are baked into every hole. At the highest point of the course, you can see the Gulf of Thailand glinting on the horizon, more than 10 kilometres away.
This is a three-time winner of Best Maintained Course in Asia Pacific at the Asian Golf Awards. The greens are huge and severely undulating. Bunkers are high-lipped and punishing. Blind tee shots demand course knowledge or a caddie worth listening to. Forced carries are real and unforgiving.
Who it’s for: Serious golfers with a single-figure handicap who want to be genuinely tested. Also excellent for a second round if you’ve already played the Old Course and want something longer.
Practical notes: The elevation means it can feel cooler than the city — nice in summer, occasionally chilly in December/January mornings. Golf carts have GPS on this course.
3. Chee Chan Golf Resort — Best Scenery in Pattaya
Location: 30 minutes north-east of central Pattaya Green Fee (weekday, all-in): ~$151 | Weekend: ~$177 Holes: 18 | Par: 72
Chee Chan is carved into the hills above the Pattaya coastal plain, and the views from the upper holes back down toward the Gulf of Thailand are spectacular in a way that makes you stop mid-round to just look. The course design makes full use of the dramatic terrain — steep elevation changes, natural rock outcroppings, and water features that appear wherever the land allows.
It’s a challenging course, but the challenge comes from the landscape rather than artificial difficulty. Shots that would be straightforward on flat ground become interesting decisions when you’re hitting from a sidehill lie to a green 30 feet above you.
The clubhouse is excellent, and the driving range is one of the best in the region — useful for warming up before a round that will demand precision.
Who it’s for: Intermediate to advanced players who prioritise experience and scenery alongside technical challenge. Also a favourite for photographers — bring a phone with a good camera.
4. Laem Chabang International Country Club — The Nicklaus Course
Location: 40 minutes north of central Pattaya, near the industrial port Green Fee (weekday, all-in): ~$134 | Weekend: ~$146 Holes: 27 (three 9-hole loops: Mountain, Lake, Valley)
Jack Nicklaus designed courses in places worth designing courses. Laem Chabang is one of those places. The 27 holes are divided into three distinct 9-hole loops — Mountain, Lake, and Valley — each with a different character, meaning you genuinely get three different golfing experiences in a single visit if you play them all (most players choose two loops for a full 18).
The Mountain Loop delivers what the name promises: elevation changes, dramatic tee shots, and views that justify the 40-minute drive from Pattaya. The Lake Loop punishes offline shots into water and demands patience and accuracy. The Valley Loop is the most forgiving of the three — wider fairways, more straightforward approaches — and is the best option if you’re playing with mixed ability levels.
Who it’s for: Anyone wanting variety, or golfers who enjoy the prestige of a Nicklaus-designed course. The drive from Pattaya is worth it. Also slightly more affordable than the Siam courses.
Practical notes: It’s located near the Laem Chabang port area, which makes it convenient if you’re combining a Pattaya trip with anything in the industrial north. The clubhouse is well-equipped with a good restaurant.
5. Burapha Golf Club — Best Value for Money
Location: 50 km north of Pattaya, near Si Racha Green Fee (weekday, all-in): ~$103 | Weekend: ~$115 Holes: 36 (two 18-hole courses)
Burapha sits at a slightly awkward distance — far enough from Pattaya that it requires a committed drive, close enough that it’s absolutely on the golf itinerary for longer stays. The reward for the travel is 36 holes of well-maintained parkland golf at prices well below the Siam complex, with a large clubhouse that handles group outings well.
The two courses (A and B) have wide, forgiving fairways that welcome all skill levels, while the greens still have enough character to require proper reading. It’s not the most dramatic course in the region, but it’s consistently good fun, good value, and rarely frustrating.
Who it’s for: Groups, beginners, mid-handicappers who want to play a lot of golf without spending top-course money every day. Also popular with expats from Si Racha and the industrial corridor.
6. Phoenix Gold Golf & Country Club — Budget Champion
Location: 20 minutes east of central Pattaya Green Fee (weekday, caddie only — no cart included): ~$84 | Weekend: ~$93 Holes: 27
Phoenix Gold is Pattaya’s go-to value course — the place where expats play their regular weekend rounds, where beginners learn not to embarrass themselves before moving to the bigger courses, and where the price point makes a spontaneous round an easy decision.
The course has been around for decades and shows it in the best possible way: mature trees, established rough, greens that have developed real character. There are no dramatic views or Nicklaus signatures, but the course is genuinely enjoyable and its proximity to the city makes it easy to fit into any Pattaya itinerary.
Practical notes: Cart is not included in the base package here — you’ll pay extra for one. In the Thai heat, a cart is worth the extra $20–25. The course is one of the few in the area with a driving range that’s open late.
7. Siam Country Club Waterside — The Scenic Option
Location: East of central Pattaya, within the Siam CC complex Green Fee (weekday, all-in): ~$162 | Weekend: ~$188 Holes: 18 | Par: 72
The newest of the Siam Country Club family of courses, Waterside lives up to its name: water is omnipresent, cutting through the layout in a way that makes approach shots at least slightly aquatic in nature. The course is more visually striking than technically brutal — sweeping views across lakes and valleys, dramatic elevation changes, and a design that prioritises the sense of occasion over pure difficulty.
It’s the most accessible of the Siam trio for mid-handicappers who want the prestige of saying they played a Siam course without necessarily being tournament-ready.
Watch: Pattaya Golf in Action
If you want a feel for what a round at Laem Chabang actually looks like before you book — this vlog covers it well:
A complete 18-hole vlog at Laem Chabang International Country Club — designed by Jack Nicklaus, 27 holes, $134 weekday all-in
How the Caddie System Works in Pattaya
Thai golf is caddie golf. Every course in the region assigns you a caddie — this isn’t optional and it’s not tipping culture in the Western sense. It’s simply how golf works here, and once you understand the system, it makes everything better.
What’s included: Caddies carry your bag, rake bunkers, repair divots, read greens, track your ball, clean your clubs, and manage the logistics of moving through the course efficiently.
What to pay: Caddie fees are usually built into the all-in green fee packages (as shown in the pricing table above). On top of that, it’s customary to tip your caddie at the end of the round. Standard tip: $10–15 USD for an average round, $15–20 if they were excellent. Good caddies make a real difference to your score — a strong green-reading caddie on an unfamiliar course is genuinely valuable.
Language: Most caddies speak enough golf English to communicate clearly — distances, club suggestions, line. A few speak fluent English. Don’t worry about the language barrier.
Caddie assignment: Caddies are assigned by the course on arrival. You can request a specific caddie if you’ve played with them before (most regulars do). Otherwise you get whoever’s up in the rotation — they’re almost universally competent.
Best Time to Play Golf in Pattaya
Pattaya has golf weather year-round, but some months are considerably better than others.
Peak Season: November – February ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Conditions: Dry, warm (28–32°C), low humidity, almost no rain. These are the best months for golf. Courses are in peak condition, mornings are cool enough to be genuinely pleasant, and afternoon rounds don’t require three shirt changes. Downside: It’s also the busiest tourist season — book courses at least a week in advance.
Shoulder Season: March – May ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Conditions: Warming up, still mostly dry with occasional afternoon storms. Good golf, less crowded, cheaper rates at some courses. March and April can be very hot (35–37°C) — early morning tee times only.
Rainy Season: June – October ⭐⭐⭐
Conditions: Wet, humid, afternoon storms common. Courses rarely flood badly (drainage is good) and mornings are often clear. Green fees drop noticeably at some courses. If you’re a dedicated golfer who doesn’t mind some rain, the value in this period is exceptional.
For a full breakdown of seasonal considerations for your entire Pattaya trip, see our Best Time to Visit Pattaya guide.
Pattaya Golf Logistics: Practical Information
Getting to the Courses
Most Pattaya golf courses are 20–40 minutes from the city by road. Options:
- Golf resort hotel transfers: If you’re staying at a golf-oriented hotel, transfers to popular courses are often included or bookable through the front desk.
- Private taxi / Grab: The most flexible option. Grab (Thailand’s Uber equivalent) works well to the courses closer to the city. For Burapha or Laem Chabang, a private taxi is more practical.
- Golf tour operator: Companies like Thaiger Line Golf Tours, Golf Pattaya, and GolfSavers can organise transport packages alongside tee time booking — useful if you want everything sorted without thinking about it.
Booking Tee Times
All major courses accept online bookings. For the Siam Country Club complex especially, booking directly through their website gives you access to the full schedule. Third-party booking platforms (GolfNow, GolfSavers, GolfAsian) sometimes offer discounted packages, particularly for multi-round packages.
Advance booking recommendations:
- November–February: 7–14 days ahead for Siam courses
- March–May: 3–5 days ahead
- June–October: Day-before or same-day is often possible
What to Bring
- Sun protection: Hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+), UV sleeve. The UV index in Thailand regularly hits 11–12.
- Hydration: Drinks are available at the turn and from caddie carts, but carry water. The heat is real.
- Golf gloves: Humidity makes grip unpredictable. Bring more than one.
- Rain gear: Even in dry season, afternoon storms appear quickly. A light waterproof top takes up no bag space.
- Collar and appropriate attire: All major courses enforce a dress code. Collared shirts, tailored shorts or trousers. Denim and sleeveless tops are out.
Golf Package Hotels in Pattaya
If golf is your primary reason for visiting, staying at a hotel with golf coordination services makes everything easier. Several hotels in the area have direct relationships with the major courses and can book tee times, arrange transfers, and organise multi-round packages.
Look for properties in the north Pattaya / Naklua area if you’re focused on the Siam Country Club complex — they’re geographically closest. East Pattaya hotels are convenient for Phoenix Gold and access to the Mabprachan Lake area.
Many Pattaya golf operators also offer full golf holiday packages — accommodation + green fees + transfers — which work out meaningfully cheaper than booking each element separately, particularly for stays of 5+ nights.
For a general overview of where to stay in Pattaya and what the different areas offer, see our Pattaya Travel Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions: Pattaya Golf Courses
How much does golf cost in Pattaya?
The complete answer (2026): Expect to pay $84–$217 per person for a full 18-hole round, including green fee, caddie, and golf cart. Budget courses like Phoenix Gold come in around $84–93. Mid-range options like Laem Chabang and Burapha are $103–146. Premium courses (Siam Country Club, Chee Chan) run $151–217 depending on the specific course and whether it’s a weekday or weekend. Add $10–20 for a caddie tip at the end of your round.
Do I need to be a good golfer to play in Pattaya?
Not at all. Pattaya has courses for all levels. Phoenix Gold and Burapha are welcoming to beginners and high-handicappers. Crystal Bay and Pattana Golf Resort are also known for beginner-friendliness. The Siam Country Club courses and Chee Chan are genuinely difficult — they’ll expose weaknesses in experienced golfers’ games, so beginners would find them frustrating rather than fun.
How far are the golf courses from Pattaya city?
The closest major courses (Phoenix Gold, Pattaya Country Club) are 15–20 minutes from Beach Road. Siam Country Club and Chee Chan are 25–30 minutes. Laem Chabang is 35–40 minutes north. Burapha is the furthest at around 50 minutes. All are accessible by taxi.
Is there a dress code at Pattaya golf courses?
Yes, at all reputable courses. You need a collared shirt, and trousers or tailored shorts. No denim, no sleeveless shirts, and proper golf shoes (or soft-spike alternatives). Most pro shops sell appropriate attire if you arrive without the right gear.
Can I hire clubs in Pattaya?
Yes. Every major course has a pro shop with rental clubs available. Quality varies — premium courses have good-quality rental sets, budget courses less so. If you’re a serious golfer, bringing your own is worth it for the swing consistency. For casual rounds, course rentals are perfectly adequate.
What’s the weather like for golf in Pattaya?
The best months are November through February — dry, warm, relatively low humidity. March to May is hot but playable. The rainy season (June to October) brings afternoon thunderstorms that can suspend play for 30–60 minutes, but mornings are often clear and courses in this period offer better value. See our Best Time to Visit Pattaya guide for full seasonal detail.
How many golf courses are in Pattaya?
There are more than 25 golf courses within 40–50km of Pattaya city centre. This guide covers the 7 most popular, but notable others include Crystal Bay Golf Club, Pattana Golf Resort, St. Andrews 2000, and Greenwood Golf Club. You could play a full week of golf without repeating a course.
Should I book tee times in advance?
For the Siam Country Club courses between November and February, yes — book at least a week ahead. For other courses, and for all courses in the shoulder/rainy season, advance booking of 2–3 days is usually sufficient. Same-day bookings are often possible outside peak season at mid-range courses.
Final Verdict: Planning Your Pattaya Golf Trip
Pattaya rewards golfers who do the work before they arrive. The combination of course quality, price, caddie culture, and sheer density of options makes it genuinely hard to have a bad golf day here — but knowing which courses match your skill level and what to budget saves time and frustration.
If you want the best: Siam Country Club Old Course, full stop. Then Plantation. Then Chee Chan for scenery.
If you want value: Burapha for groups, Phoenix Gold for casual rounds. Both punch well above their price points.
If you want variety: Start at Laem Chabang — 27 holes, three different nines, Nicklaus design, and a price point that makes three-course days genuinely affordable.
Whatever your handicap, this city will give you a round worth talking about.
Green fees listed are approximate conversions from Thai Baht (฿) at 1 USD ≈ ฿34.5, valid for early 2026. All prices are per person for 18 holes including caddie fee and golf cart unless noted. Prices fluctuate seasonally — check directly with courses or booking platforms before your trip.
