Chiang Mai golf high season prices apply from 1 November to 31 March and usually run 6% to 25% above green season rates, depending on the course and group size. Premium courses climb hardest. A four-ball at Chiang Mai Highlands goes from ฿4,600 to ฿5,700 per person on one published 2026-27 agent rate card. Value courses move far less.
When do Chiang Mai high season golf prices start?
High season pricing starts on 1 November and ends on 31 March. Green season rates apply from 1 April to 31 October every year.
The switch is a hard date, not a gradual slide. Courses and agents change rate cards overnight, so a round on 31 October and a round on 1 November can cost different amounts at the same club. The dates follow the weather. November to February is the cool, dry window that golfers fly in for, and demand peaks between mid-December and mid-January.
Most courses publish their peak rates late. In early October 2026, one Chiang Mai agent still listed Alpine's 2026-27 high season rate as "TBA", and its Highlands rates had only just appeared (Olsen Tours Golf, accessed 2026-10-07). That is normal. If you are pricing a trip now, treat any green season quote as a floor, not a final number. Our best time for golf in Chiang Mai guide covers the month-by-month weather in detail.
How much do green fees rise in high season?
Expect roughly ฿300 to ฿1,100 more per golfer per round at premium courses. Group size and course status set how big the jump is.
Here is what published agent rate cards show. These are per-person, all-in rounds covering green fee, caddie fee, one cart per golfer and return transport. The caddie tip is not included.
| Course | Group | Green season | High season | Rise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiangmai Highlands | 2 golfers | ฿5,700 | ฿6,600 | +฿900 (about 16%) |
| Chiangmai Highlands | 4 golfers | ฿4,600 | ฿5,700 | +฿1,100 (about 24%) |
| Chiangmai Highlands | 5+ golfers | ฿4,400 | ฿5,250 | +฿850 (about 19%) |
| Royal Chiang Mai | 2 golfers | ฿4,900 | ฿5,200 | +฿300 (about 6%) |
| Royal Chiang Mai | 4 golfers | ฿3,800 | ฿4,100 | +฿300 (about 8%) |
| Alpine Golf Resort | 2 golfers | ฿6,700 | TBA at time of writing | Confirm at booking |
The pattern matters more than any single figure. Chiangmai Highlands Golf & Spa, in our view the best-conditioned course in the region, adds the most. Royal Chiang Mai, whose condition is more variable, adds only ฿300. The Highlands figures come from Olsen Tours' Highlands rate card and the Royal figures from its Royal Chiang Mai rate card, both accessed 2026-10-07.
Why do Chiang Mai golf courses charge more from November?
Demand rises sharply in the cool months, tee sheets fill, and courses price for the weather, not for the cost of running the course.
Three things drive the surcharge:
- Weather. Early tee times on the highland courses in December and January are cool and dry, with low humidity and clear views toward Doi Suthep. That is the product.
- Fixed capacity. A course can only fit so many four-balls between first tee and midday. When European, Korean and Japanese golf groups all arrive in the same few months, the price rises to match.
- Course conditioning. Dry-season greens run firmer and faster, and the best courses price that in.
Running costs barely change between seasons. Caddie fees stay at ฿300 to ฿400 at most Chiang Mai clubs year-round (CMGT Golf, 2026). The surcharge is pricing power.
Which courses rise least in high season?
Value and mid-tier courses move least. The Gassan trio, Lanna and Inthanon stay far below premium rates, even at peak.
At the green season rates CMGT Golf works with in 2026, Gassan Legacy runs ฿1,950 by day and ฿1,650 under floodlights. Gassan Panorama runs ฿1,950 and Gassan Khuntan ฿2,100. These are course rates without transport. Even with a peak uplift, they stay well below what a Highlands round costs.
Lanna Golf Club, about 10 minutes from the Old City, charges a green fee of about ฿1,350. Chiangmai Inthanon lists around ฿1,400. The trade-off is real. Inthanon's conditioning has reportedly declined, Khuntan is the weakest-conditioned Gassan, and Lanna feels like a local club, not a resort. You save money and you play a lesser course.
North Hill is the exception worth knowing. It sits close to the airport and plays with private-club conditioning. Its rates are not published, so ask for a quote on your dates before you budget. Our best value golf course in Chiang Mai breakdown compares these in more depth.
Which courses carry the biggest high season premium?
Highlands, Alpine and Summit Green Valley carry the highest peak prices. Budget around ฿4,000 or more per round at the course before transport.
Alpine Golf Resort already runs ฿3,700 all-in in green season (green fee ฿2,500, caddie ฿400, cart ฿800, CMGT Golf, 2026). With transport for two, that is ฿6,700 per person on the Olsen card. Its 2026-27 peak rate had not been published at the time of writing. Summit Green Valley sits in the premium bracket too. It does draw recurring complaints about the greens, which is worth weighing against the price.
Our honest view: Highlands earns its premium on conditioning. Summit is the one we question at peak rates, unless you want its floodlit night golf.
What does the high season surcharge look like on a full trip?
On a four-round trip at premium courses, the surcharge alone typically adds about ฿1,200 to ฿4,400 per golfer, before any hotel rate rises.
Hotels add their own peak uplift on top. Chiang Mai rooms are usually priced highest from mid-December through New Year. Package bundles like Golfasian's 3-day Chiang Mai golf break (from ฿8,500, accessed 2026-10-07) quote "from" prices. Expect peak dates to price above the headline. For the full trip budget, see our Chiang Mai golf holiday cost guide.
Is high season golf worth paying more for?
For November to January, yes. From late February into March, often not, because you pay peak rates during the burning season.
This is the downside most rate cards will not tell you. High season pricing runs to 31 March, but the burning season usually builds from February and peaks in March. On bad days the AQI passes 150, and the worst days run far higher. Chiang Mai regularly ranks among the most polluted cities in the world at that time of year.
How far ahead should you book high season golf?
Book premium courses for December and January weekends several weeks out. Weekday and value-course rounds need far less lead time.
Exact lead times vary by course and are not published, so treat these as guidance from our own bookings. Holiday-week tee times at Highlands and Alpine go first. Gassan and Lanna rounds rarely sell out, even at peak. North Hill usually needs only a day or two of notice. Booking early also locks the rate before any late price change. Our booking lead time by season guide breaks this down month by month.
Do packages save money in high season?
Over three or more rounds, usually yes. The saving comes mostly from bundled transfers and held tee times, not discounted green fees.
A private return transfer to a course costs about ฿1,400 to ฿2,500 if you book it yourself, and Grab is unreliable for an early pickup with a golf bag. Most courses sit somewhere between 15 minutes and an hour from the Old City, so a driver who waits through the round matters. A package folds green fees, caddies, carts, hotel, private driver, airport transfers and on-the-ground support into one quote. Be clear on when it does not pay off. If you play a single round at a value course, booking direct is often cheaper. Our booking direct vs agent comparison runs the numbers.
For a short peak-season trip, the Weekend Warrior (3 nights, 3 rounds) and Northern Value (4 nights, 3 rounds) packages are the common starting points. Golfers who want Highlands at its best usually choose the Highlands Classic (5 nights, 4 rounds). CMGT Golf is enquiry-driven. Tell us your dates and group size on the Chiang Mai golf packages page, and we send a quote with the current season's rates, then confirm with a deposit.
How can you cut the cost of a high season golf trip?
Travel in early November or late January, play in a group of four, and mix one premium course with two value rounds.
- Avoid the holiday spike. The weeks around Christmas and New Year are the dearest and hardest to book.
- Fill the four-ball. On the Highlands card, a four-ball pays ฿900 less per person than a pair.
- Mix tiers. Pair one round at Highlands or Alpine with Gassan Legacy or North Hill rounds to keep the average down.
- Try night golf. Gassan Legacy's floodlit rate is ฿300 below its day rate, and evening rounds dodge the midday heat.
- Tip properly anyway. The ฿400 to ฿600 caddie tip is not where to save. See our caddie culture and tipping guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much more does golf cost in Chiang Mai in high season?
Expect roughly 6% to 25% more per round from November to March than in the April to October green season. The size of the jump depends on the course and your group. One published agent rate card puts a Chiang Mai Highlands round for a four-ball (green fee, caddie, cart and transport) at ฿4,600 per person in green season and ฿5,700 in the 2026-27 high season, a ฿1,100 rise. Royal Chiang Mai rose only ฿300 per person between seasons in the 2025-26 cycle. Premium courses climb hardest, while value courses move less. Confirm live rates at booking, because most courses publish high season prices late.
When does high season golf pricing start and end in Chiang Mai?
High season runs from 1 November to 31 March. Green season pricing runs from 1 April to 31 October. Courses and agents switch rate cards on those dates, so a round on 31 October and a round on 1 November can be priced differently at the same course. Some operators had still not published 2026-27 high season rates for every course in early October 2026. If you plan to play in early November, ask for the rate on your exact date rather than trusting a green season quote. That is the most common pricing surprise we see with peak trips.
Is high season golf in Chiang Mai worth the extra cost?
For most visiting golfers in November, December and January, yes. You get cool, dry mornings on the highland courses, firm greens and clear mountain views. That is the weather the surcharge pays for. The case gets weaker from late February into March. The burning season overlaps the end of high season, and on bad days air quality falls into the unhealthy range, so you can pay peak rates for hazy, smoky air. If your dates are flexible, book November to January and avoid March. Check IQAir daily if you must play late in the season.
Do caddie fees and tips go up in high season?
Caddie fees usually stay flat across the year. Chiang Mai courses cluster at ฿300 to ฿400 per caddie, and every golfer must take one. The tip is separate and the norm is ฿400 to ฿600 per 18 holes, paid in cash to your caddie at the end of the round. Some golfers tip more after an excellent round. That norm does not change with the season either. The seasonal rise sits mostly in the green fee, and sometimes the cart fee. Caddies do work longer and busier days in peak months, which is one reason many regulars tip at the top of the range.
Are golf packages cheaper than booking rounds yourself in high season?
For a trip of three or more rounds, a package usually wins in high season. That is mostly for logistics, not a headline discount. Agents hold tee times at premium courses, and they fold private transfers, which cost about ฿1,400 to ฿2,500 per round trip if you book them alone, into one price. For a single round, booking direct can be cheaper. CMGT Golf works by enquiry. We send a quote for your dates and group size, then confirm with a deposit. There is no instant booking, because peak tee times have to be checked with each course first.
