Santiburi Chiang Rai Country Club

A cool, laid-back mountain course in the north, with fairways winding through valleys and lush forest. A genuinely enjoyable round at great value.

Overview

Santiburi Chiang Rai Country Club opened in the early 1990s and is regarded as the first standard-setting golf course in Chiang Rai province. It was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the world-renowned architect who laid out the course to blend seamlessly with the natural valley. The course is tucked away among towering trees, streams, lakes, and green rolling hills, with the mountains of Chiang Rai as a backdrop. With elevation that shifts throughout the routing, both the views and the strategy take on an appealing extra dimension.

Highlights & Signature Holes

• A par-72 layout famous for its outstanding conditioning, ranked among the best-conditioned courses in Thailand.
• The front nine plays up and down the hills, while the back nine runs through a steeper valley alongside three lakes set one after another.
• The 17th, a short do-or-die par 3, is the signature hole, with water flanking the entire right side and a green perched at the lake’s edge, before the round closes on the 18th, a winding par 5 ringed with bunkers.

Who it suits

Ideal for golfers looking for a serious round on a championship-caliber course, and for golf travelers seeking a quality trip in a northern-Thailand setting. That said, with challenging elevation and water hazards, beginners should be prepared for the difficulty.

Before you go

The course is not far from Chiang Rai city and is easy to reach. The cool season (roughly November to February) offers the most pleasant weather for a round. Book your tee times in advance, especially during high season.