The three golf courses closest to Chiang Mai airport are North Hill Golf Club (about 15 minutes), Lanna Golf Club (about 10 minutes from the Old City) and Mae Jo Golf Club (about 20 minutes north). All three are 18-hole par-72 layouts you can play on a short stay or a long layover, with green fees among the cheapest in the region.
Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) sits roughly 4 km from the Old City, a 10 to 15 minute drive in normal traffic per Gecko Routes' 2026 transfer guide (accessed 2026-08-27). That short hop is the whole reason a round of golf fits into a layover here when it would not in most cities. This guide ranks the near-airport and near-city courses by drive time, gives the fees to expect, and shows how to squeeze a round around a flight. For the full picture across the valley, see our golf in Chiang Mai pillar guide.
Which golf course is closest to Chiang Mai airport?
North Hill Golf Club is the closest 18-hole course to CNX, roughly 15 minutes away in Hang Dong, with private-club conditioning and the best value of the near-airport set.
North Hill is a par-72 layout of about 6,000 yards and it opened its full 18 in 2014 per Golfasian's course listing (accessed 2026-08-27). The clubhouse carries a bar, restaurant, spa, driving range and pro shop, so you can warm up and shower without a detour back to town. Agent packages run about 2,800 to 3,400 THB all-in including caddie and cart, though North Hill does not publish a fixed rack green fee, so confirm the exact figure at booking. Book one to two days ahead: the course sells out its best weekend slots. Link its full detail on our North Hill Golf Club directory page.
The honest downside: North Hill's tee sheet is tight, and a walk-up on a Saturday morning in high season is unlikely to get on.
What is the closest course to the Old City?
Lanna Golf Club, about 10 minutes from the Old City on Chotana Road, is the closest course to a downtown hotel and one of the cheapest rounds in Thailand.
Lanna is a 27-hole club run by the Royal Thai Army inside the Lanna Sports Center, built in 1974 per Golfasian (accessed 2026-08-27). Green fees sit near 1,350 THB with a cart on a 2022 rate, so confirm current pricing directly at booking. Two things make Lanna unusual: walking is permitted, which is rare in Thailand, and the flat parkland layout is forgiving for a jet-lagged first round. See the Lanna Golf Club page for the current scorecard.
The trade-off is character over challenge. Lanna is a functional city course, not a resort showpiece. Cart-fee figures also vary by source (400 vs 600 THB reported), so check what is bundled before you tee off.
What about Mae Jo, the closest resort course?
Mae Jo Golf Club sits about 20 minutes north of the city, roughly 20 km out, and is the nearest full resort course with an orchard setting and Doi Suthep views.
Mae Jo opened in 2004 to a Seni Thirawat design, an 18-hole par-72, per LENGOLF's course guide (accessed 2026-08-27). Rack pricing lists a 3,200 THB green fee plus 350 THB caddie and 750 THB cart, near 4,300 THB all-in, but agent and promotional rates drop to roughly 1,800 to 2,850 THB. It is the most authentically Thai round near the city, with all-female local four-balls a common sight. See the Mae Jo Golf Club page for booking detail.
Be honest with yourself on pace and conditioning: Mae Jo has the weakest conditioning of the premium set and a five-hour round is normal on a busy weekend. If you want the near-city convenience without the pace, North Hill or Lanna finish faster.
How do the near-airport courses compare?
All three are par-72 and cheap by regional standards. North Hill wins on conditioning, Lanna on price and city access, Mae Jo on resort feel. Pick by your transfer window.
| Course | Drive time | Holes / par | All-in fee (agent/est.) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Hill | ~15 min from CNX | 18 / 72 | ~฿2,800-3,400 | Layover round, best value |
| Lanna | ~10 min from Old City | 27 / 72 | ~฿1,350 + cart | Downtown hotel, walking round |
| Mae Jo | ~20 min north | 18 / 72 | ~฿1,800-2,850 | Resort feel, local vibe |
For a course this close to the airport, tee-time security matters more than price. A round you cannot get onto is worthless when your flight leaves at 6pm.
Can I play a round on a layover?
Yes, if your gap is at least seven hours and the tee time is booked ahead. A round runs about four and a half hours, plus transfers and a check-in buffer.
The math: 30 to 40 minutes to North Hill, four to four and a half hours to play, 30 to 40 minutes back, then international check-in two to three hours before departure. An eight to nine hour layover is comfortable, six hours is too tight to risk with a connecting flight on the line. Book the earliest tee time your arrival allows so weather or slow play does not eat your buffer.
What will a near-city golf trip cost?
Expect roughly 1,350 to 3,400 THB per round all-in at these three courses, plus a caddie tip and transfer. The closest courses are also the cheapest.
Caddies are mandatory at every Thai course, one per golfer, and the tip is separate from the caddie fee bundled into the green fee. Hand it over in cash at the bag drop after the round, 400 to 600 THB for a standard round. For the full custom, read our caddie culture and tipping guide.
Should I take a Grab or a private transfer?
Grab is fine for the in-city hop to Lanna. For an early tee time or a course with clubs to carry, a pre-booked private round trip is the safer call.
Grab from CNX to the Old City costs just 80 to 140 THB and runs 24/7. But for golf the picture changes: cars are scarce at 6am, a driver may decline a large golf bag, and there is rarely a ride waiting at a rural clubhouse for the return leg. A pre-booked private round trip to a course runs about 1,400 to 2,500 THB depending on distance. A package operator folds that transfer into the price, so a private driver meets your flight, holds your clubs, and gets you back to CNX on time. Compare that against our airport transfer guide for the non-golf options.
Does a package beat booking each round direct?
For a single near-city round, book direct: it is cheaper. For a short golf-focused stay with transfers and a hotel, a package usually wins on price and hassle.
If you are playing one round of Lanna on a free afternoon, direct booking beats any package. Where the package pays off is a compressed layover or a two to three night stay: block-booked tee times you would otherwise miss, a private driver tracking your flight, and a single point of contact if weather shifts your schedule. CMGT Golf is enquiry-driven, so we send a quote and confirm with a deposit rather than an instant online checkout. Our Layover package is built for exactly this, two nights and two rounds around a flight. Get a quote at our golf hub with your dates and connection times.
For where these courses sit against the harder and prettier options across the valley, see our guides to the hardest golf courses in Chiang Mai and the most scenic golf courses in Chiang Mai. And if you are travelling between mid-January and mid-April, read burning season and golf in Chiang Mai first, because air quality near the airport can spike past AQI 150 and change the whole plan. Browse every course on our golf courses directory.
Plan a Chiang Mai layover or short-stay golf roundSend your flight times and we will quote a course, tee time and private transferFrequently asked questions
Which golf course is closest to Chiang Mai airport?
North Hill Golf Club is the closest 18-hole course to Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX), roughly 15 minutes by car through Hang Dong. Lanna Golf Club sits about 10 minutes from the Old City on Chotana Road, so it is closer to a downtown hotel than to the terminal. For a golfer arriving on a morning flight and wanting to play the same day, North Hill is the practical first choice: short transfer, private-club conditioning, and a par-72 layout you can finish inside four and a half hours.
Can I play a round of golf on a layover in Chiang Mai?
Yes, if the layover is at least seven hours and you book the tee time ahead. A round at North Hill or Lanna runs about four to four and a half hours, plus 30 to 40 minutes of transfer each way and check-in buffer. So an eight to nine hour gap is comfortable, six hours is tight and risky. CMGT Golf runs a Layover package with a private driver who tracks your flight, holds your bag, and returns you to CNX with time to spare. Enquire at /golf for timing that fits your specific connection.
How much does golf near Chiang Mai city cost?
The closest courses are also the cheapest. Lanna Golf Club green fees sit near 1,350 THB with a cart (2022 rate, confirm current pricing at booking). North Hill agent packages run about 2,800 to 3,400 THB all-in including caddie and cart. Mae Jo lists a 3,200 THB green fee plus 350 THB caddie and 750 THB cart at rack, though agent and promotional rates fall to roughly 1,800 to 2,850 THB all-in. Add a caddie tip of 400 to 600 THB per round in cash, paid directly at the end.
Is Grab reliable for getting to a Chiang Mai golf course?
For the in-city courses like Lanna, Grab works fine and costs little. For an early tee time, a remote pickup, or when you are carrying clubs, Grab is less reliable: cars are scarce at 6am, drivers may decline a large golf bag, and there is rarely a ride waiting at a rural clubhouse for the trip back. A pre-booked private round trip is the safer call for golf. Package operators fold that transfer into the price so you are not stranded at the turn.
How far is Chiang Mai airport from the Old City?
Chiang Mai International Airport is only about 4 km from the Old City, a 10 to 15 minute drive in normal traffic. Grab runs 80 to 140 THB and a metered taxi 120 to 180 THB including the airport surcharge. During peak hours, 7:30 to 9:00am and 4:30 to 7:00pm on weekdays, allow 20 to 30 minutes. That short airport-to-city hop is why a layover round is realistic in Chiang Mai when it would not be in most golf cities.
