Most of the golf courses in Phuket are easily accessible and it rarely takes more than 45 minutes to reach the courses, regardless of where you are staying. Phuket has direct flights from most Asian destinations, so it is easy to reach, whether you are planning a weekend golf getaway from or you are travelling from further afield to enjoy a longer Phuket golf holiday.
Phuket Golf Clubs
The only problem you will encounter is choosing which golf courses in Phuket to play. Thankfully, we have all the information you need to make an informed choice. There are seven top quality golf courses to choose from on Phuket island and another four golf courses close to Phuket in Phang Nga province. Some of the golf courses in Phuket have played host to major professional golf tournaments and Blue Canyon Country Club is a great example.
An amazing course – expensive but worth every penny
This is one of the most amazing golf courses in Phuket and winds its way through the dramatic red rock left gaping from the old mining days. One of the main features of Red Mountain Golf Club is the changes in elevation and you will some dramatic ones during the 18 holes, which play to 6,900 yards.
Perhaps the pick of the holes is the par-3 17th, and this highlights the change in elevation at Red Mountain perfectly. The hole plays to 169 yards from the back tee but the tee box is 150 feet above the green and good club selection is critical.
With water featuring on several holes plus extensive bunkering, Red Mountain is a good test of all abilities, with some interesting strategic options. There are many risk and reward options throughout the round, and you can choose to be attacking or play the safe route.
Located in the centre of Phuket, Red Mountain Golf Club is one of the easiest to reach from wherever you are staying on the island and is a great addition to any Phuket golf holiday.
Best layout in Phuket and undergoing renovation after years of neglect
At the time of writing this course is undergoing a major renovation which is desperately needed after years of mid-management and neglect. Once the refurbishment is complete, we are hopeful we hope it will regain its reputation as one of the top golf courses, not only in Phuket but the whole of Asia. This golf course is just 5 kilometres away from Phuket Airport so you can easily add it to the beginning, end or at any point of a Phuket golf holiday. However, if you include the course at the start of your Phuket golf holiday, keep in mind you are about to have the quality of your golf game seriously examined.
It is easy to be lulled into a false sense of security when arriving at the Canyon Course due to its splendid location. The land was previously used as a rubber plantation and tin mine and you can see elements of the past in the golf course design.
The opening nine holes of the course are played through much of the old rubber plantation. The 18-hole, par-72 course plays to 7,179 yards from the back tees and if you believe you have seen the name of the course before it may be because of the Johnnie Walker Classic. The tournament was first held on the Canyon Course back in 1994 and has seen a victory for Tiger Woods.
The Canyon Course is surrounded by green and blue, with trees and natural water lakes making up much of the scenery. However, the water may look serene when viewing from afar but is not so welcoming when it comes into play during the round. Water enters the fray on the 2nd hole, with lakes emerging from both the right and left side of the fairway.
The 9th, 11th and 14th are the key holes as far as water is concerned, with the latter featuring an island green. The 11th to the 15th is considered one of the best stretches of golf in Asia and you will have a thrilling time playing these holes on the Canyon Course.
Towards the end of the round, you will play ‘one of the best Par 3’s anywhere in the world’ according to Fred Couples. There is no bail out area and you must aim for the green, which is some distance away at 221 yards from the back tee plus it is tucked behind a canyon on the right side.
Having completed one of the best rounds of golf you will have in your life, head to the clubhouse which boasts three restaurants. You will also find locker rooms, massage facilities, spa, showers, and a pro-shop. The Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club is not to be missed.
Excellent course and an easier option to the challenging Canyon Course
Returning to Blue Canyon Golf Club, which we highlighted earlier, you will find another of Phuket’s top golf courses called the Lakes Course. This golf course opened for play in 1999, making it younger than the Canyon Course but equally as impressive. The Lakes Course is one of many in Phuket which makes great use of former mining land and the course is another situated on the site of an old tin mine.
As the name suggests, there is a great deal of water on the Lakes Course. In fact, water comes into play on all but one of the holes, which means you must be on your game if you want to keep your ball dry throughout the round.
The 18-hole, par-72 course plays to 7,179 yards from the back tee and was designed by Yoshikazu Kato. It is close to both Phuket Airport and the popular Patong beach, so can easily be reached from both. With a choice of five tees on each hole, the Lake Course is accessible to everyone, but beginner golfers should be prepared with plenty of balls thanks to the water.
The first hole immediately sets the tone for a round of golf on the Lakes Course, with water down the right side of the hole, all the way to the green. Upon arriving at the green on this par-4, you will be greeted by a putting surface surrounded by water on three sides, making it well-protected to the right, left and back.
In terms of beauty, the 8th hole is considered by many to be the prettiest on the course. You have an elevated tee shot on this par-3, with tremendous views of the green and surrounding area. The green is framed by bunkers and water and the flowering Allamandas complete the idyllic scene.
The 17th hole of the Lakes Course is the only one which does not have any water and the 18th hole is one of the best finishing holes in Thailand. The par-4 is 471 yards from the back tee and having successfully found the fairway with your tee shot you face an approach shot over water to the green, which is protected further by two bunkers to the left.
You will certainly have your game tested by a round of golf on the Lakes Course and Blue Canyon Country Club. However, it is a fantastic round of golf, with many excellent holes and some picturesque tee shots to enjoy. The facilities may not be up to the same standard as the golf course but can be forgiven thanks to the high quality of the course itself.
Attractive and relatively easy resort course but will challenge your short game
Moving on to another tremendous Phuket golf course and the 2009 Thailand Open was held at Laguna Golf Phuket, one of the best resort courses in Thailand. Having opened for play in 1993, this golf course has seen a major renovation in recent years and was re-designed in 2014 to keep up with the growing number of top-quality golf courses in Phuket.
Laguna Golf Phuket has been named ‘Thailand’s Best Golf Course’ for two consecutive years and ‘Asia’s Best Golf Course’ by the World Golf Awards, which is high praise indeed. The 18 hole, par-71 course measures 6,756 yards from the back tees and although it is not the longest golf course in Phuket, Laguna Golf Phuket provides a fantastic strategic challenge.
The well-placed bunkers and water hazards mean you must consider each shot carefully and think ahead in terms of ball position. The greens have been designed with plenty of contouring and run-off areas and this presents many appealing shot opportunities for creative golfers. Many of the undulating fairways meander through the lagoons and with lush tropical foliage on the front nine plus coconut groves and sand bunkers on the back nine, Laguna Golf Phuket provides a memorable golfing experience.
Laguna Golf Phuket is also home to southeast Asia’s first PGA-branded golf academy, a pro-shop, club repair workshop, public hitting spaces, short-game area and a purpose-built fitness studio. You can spend a lot of time here playing and perfecting your golf game.
Beautiful views over the ocean but maintenance is inconsistent
However, there are many golf courses in Phuket to play and you will want to try and fit in as many as possible without over doing it during your stay. Some of the top names in golf have been in Phuket to create golf courses and at Mission Hills Golf Resort you will find an 18-hole golf course designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
Mission Hills Golf Resort was established in 2014 and is an 18-hole, par-72 course playing to 7,015 yards from the championship tees. In many ways, Mission Hills meets the expectations of a resort golf course, with fantastic views of the ocean from almost every hole. Sitting among mangrove forests on the north-east coast of Phuket, you will be playing several shots over the Andaman Sea during a round at Mission Hills.
This may sound daunting, but it is a great experience and you will find some cracking greens on this golf course. The first is on the second hole, which is a par-5 and the green is an island surrounded by water, while the second is on the fourth hole and this is the first hole you will play alongside the ocean. The green on the fourth hole is also an island but instead of being protected by water it is encircled by bright white sand.
Mission Hills Golf Resort is flat throughout, with no major changes in elevation and if played well, can offer a relaxing yet rewarding round of golf. The off-course facilities are superb, and you can order drinks and snacks to be delivered to you while you play. You can also eat at the end of the round in the clubhouse restaurant to finish off a wonderful day of golf at Mission Hills Golf Resort.
Very convenient location in centre of island and good choice for golfers of al standards
The golfing action in Phuket does not stop there and just 15 minutes from Patong and Karon beaches you will find Loch Palm Golf Club. This is one of the shorter golf courses in Phuket, playing to 6,422 yards from the blue tees but you also have a choice of white and red tees which are shorter again.
This is another Phuket golf course which features water on several holes and you are introduced to it on the first hole, which has water along the right side of the fairway and green. There are only five holes at Loch Palm Golf Club which do not have water but these feature greens which are well-protected by bunkers.
Strategy is the aim of the game at Loch Palm Golf Club. Distance will not be an issue to most players, but you cannot afford to simply hit the ball long, careful consideration is required to score low. The clubhouse at Loch Palm Golf Club was renovated in 2008 to bring it up to the standards set by the more recently developed golf courses and it remains a favourite with locals and visitors alike.
First course to open in Phuket – not too long but good fun and ideal for beginners
This was the first golf course to open in Phuket and whilst it is not up to the standards of some of the other golf courses on the island it remains a firm favourite with locals. It is not a long course but there are some challenging holes and enough to keep most golfers interested. It used to be a walking course which put off a lot of people, but they have now installed buggy tracks and you now have the option of hiring a golf cart.
The terrain is quite varied and consist of wide open and forgiving fairways and more narrow sections as you skirt the jungle. The greens are usually in good condition and the speed reasonably consistent.
The most talked about and memorable hole on the course is the opening hole to the inward nine which skirts around a huge lake which dominates this part of the course. Most golfers will play around the lake and it’s not too difficult to get up in regulation. However better golfers and longer hitters who can carry 200 yards across the water can play straight for the green and if you can make it then it sets up an excellent birdie chance.
When booking a golf holiday in Phuket you have many options, with Katathong Golf Resort and Spa, Phuket Country Club and Hula Hula Golf Club, which is located on the Thai mainland, opposite Phuket.
How you fit all these wonderful courses in Phuket to make a single golf holiday is tough but why rush when you could always come back and enjoy old favourites and discover new gems? Phuket is a splendid place to enjoy a golf holiday, with some of Asia’s most highly rated courses.
Book Golf Tee Times in Phuket
As with the majority of courses in Thailand, tee times in Phuket are available from early in the morning and this is because it can become very hot during the middle of the day. Golfsavers can help you to book the best tee times using our discounted green fees and all you have to do is to access our very simple booking engine and book a tee time with a few clicks.
+66 (0) 88 867 2867
+66 (0) 88 867 2867
