THAILAND

Golf in Thailand: Cultural Fairways Bridging Tradition and Tropical Topography

Golf in Thailand: Cultural Fairways Bridging Tradition and Tropical Topography Golf in Thailand traces its roots back to the early twentieth century, when during the reign of King Rama V, Thai elites and British expatriates first embraced the sport at venues like Royal Bangkok Sports Club beginning around 1906 and then the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course in the 1920s, designed by Scottish railway engineer A.O.

Robins—these early courses reflected both royal patronage and Western influence and set in motion gradual growth through the twentieth century, with a remarkable acceleration in the 1990s when over 124 courses were built between 1990 and 1995, propelling Thailand from relative novelty into a vibrant golfing nation.

Today, Thailand hosts approximately 300 golf courses, drawing an estimated 700,000 golf tourism visitors annually, indicating how the sport has become interwoven with leisure culture and economic vitality.

Key regions each express their own golfing character: the mountainous north around Chiang Mai offers crisp air and elevation with courses like Chiang Mai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort, designed by Lee Schmidt, and Alpine Golf Resort by Pirapon Nanatra and Ron M.

Garl, offering lush valley panoramas and hosting Asian Tour events such as the Chiang Mai Classic ; Hua Hin on the Gulf’s western shore blends seaside serenity and championship courses including Banyan Golf Club by Pirapon Nanatra and Black Mountain Golf Club, established in 2005 and host to multiple Asian Tour and European-sanctioned events like the True Thailand Classic and International Series Thailand ; Bangkok and central areas incorporate urban-adjacent experiences including Royal Bangkok Sports Club and high-end facilities like Amata Spring Country Club, which hosted the Thailand Golf Championship and Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, representing modern competitive sophistication ; the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui meld tropical retreat with golf at courses like Blue Canyon’s Lakes Course, carved through tin-mining canyons and rubber plantations, and Santiburi Samui Country Club, offering island ambience as part of resort lifestyle.

Signature courses exemplify diversity: Royal Hua Hin remains a national cultural treasure with its early design, century-old trees, parkland layout, no water hazards but architectural heritage and commanding views of the Gulf ; Black Mountain in Hua Hin swiftly earned regional acclaim, named best in Thailand and Asia-Pacific and voted Tournament of the Year on the Asian Tour in 2024 ; Chiang Mai Highlands commands respect for its mountain panorama and prize-winning design, while Alpine has hosted the Asian Tour; and Amata Spring achieved prominence through hosting notable tournaments; Bangkok courses such as Thai Country Club also contribute, especially through sustainability efforts.

Player development is nourished via formal and informal pathways: the All Thailand Golf Tour, founded in 1999, has become a pivotal domestic professional circuit feeding talent into Asian and international tours and was incorporated into the Official World Golf Ranking system in 2019; it emphasizes charitable contributions and social responsibility with initiatives including educational outreach to hill-tribe children and disaster relief efforts.

On the world stage, Thai golfers have made indelible marks: among them Thongchai Jaidee with multiple Asian PGA victories and European Tour results, and remarkable female players such as Ariya Jutanugarn, who became Thailand’s first major champion and world number one in 2017, winning multiple major titles through 2025 ..