The ten best golf holes in Chiang Mai sit on six courses, led by Alpine's 652-yard par-5 4th and Gassan Panorama's 666-yard par 6. Five of the ten need a forced carry over water, and two finish on island or island-style greens. Alpine and Highlands hold five of them between them, so a five-round trip covers every hole on this list.
Which Chiang Mai golf holes belong on a bucket list?
Ten holes across Alpine, Highlands, Summit Green Valley, Royal Chiang Mai, Gassan Panorama and Gassan Khuntan, picked for length, water carries, setting and genuine novelty.
We picked holes, not courses. A course can be well conditioned and still have no single hole you remember a week later. Every hole below earns its place with something specific: a yardage, a hazard, or a green you will not find anywhere else. For the full course-by-course verdict, start with our guide to the best golf courses in Chiang Mai or see how we package them on our Chiang Mai golf holidays page.
| Hole | Course | Par | Yards (back) | Why play it | 2026 green-season rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Course 4th | Alpine | 5 | 652 | One of Thailand's longest par 5s | ฿3,700 all-in |
| A Course 11th | Alpine | 4 | 524 (per Golfasian) | Water down the entire left | ฿3,700 all-in |
| Paddy par 3 (2016 nine) | Alpine | 3 | Confirm locally | Rice paddy green | ฿3,700 all-in |
| 2nd | Highlands | 3 | 184 | Downhill over water, narrow green | ฿3,400 all-in |
| 18th | Highlands | 5 | 558 | River crosses the lay-up zone | ฿3,400 all-in |
| 9th | Summit Green Valley | 4 | Not published | Carry over water, island-style green | Green fee from about ฿2,100 |
| 16th | Summit Green Valley | 3 | Not published | Over a large lake to a shallow green | Green fee from about ฿2,100 |
| 17th | Royal Chiang Mai | 3 | 174 | Over water, four bunkers | About ฿2,800 green fee |
| Par 6 | Gassan Panorama | 6 | 666 | A true par 6 | ฿1,950 all-in |
| 5th | Gassan Khuntan | 3 | 163 | Island green in a lake | ฿2,100 all-in |
Why is Alpine's 4th the longest par 5 you will play here?
At 652 yards from the back tee, the A Course 4th is one of Thailand's longest par 5s, and it snakes through forest the whole way.
Golfasian's Alpine course page (accessed 15 October 2026) lists it as the longest par 5 on the course. It is not a hole you overpower. The fairway bends, so the job is three well-placed shots that leave a full wedge in. Most of our guests play it from the white or yellow tees, where it is still a genuine three-shot hole.
Alpine Golf Resort was designed by Ron Garl and opened in 2008, with a third nine added in 2016. It sits about 30 minutes from central Chiang Mai, and our Alpine Golf Resort review covers the rest of the layout.
What makes Alpine's 11th the hardest par 4 in the valley?
Golfasian lists it at 524 yards, a par 4 that doglegs left with water along the entire left side, and calls it Alpine's most difficult hole.
At that length it plays like a short par 5 for most amateurs. Anything pulled off the tee finds the water, and bailing right leaves a long second into a guarded green. The smart play for a mid handicap is to treat it as a three-shot hole and take bogey as a decent score. Ask your caddie where to aim. On this hole their local line is worth more than any yardage book.
Where is Thailand's only rice paddy green?
On Alpine's newer nine, opened in 2016, where a par 3 sits inside working rice fields. Golfasian describes it as Thailand's only rice paddy green.
The 2016 nine moves through distinct zones: pine parkland, wetland marsh, and paddy. The paddy par 3 is the one guests photograph. The look changes with the rice cycle, bright green in the wet months and gold closer to harvest, so the hole never plays quite the same twice. Hole numbering depends on which nines the course pairs that day, so ask at the starter's desk to make sure your rotation includes it.
How should you play the Highlands 18th?
Lay up short of the river. The 558-yard par 5 drops from a raised tee, and the river crosses exactly where a good second shot lands.
Kimigolf's Highlands course guide (accessed 15 October 2026) describes it as a slight dogleg left, downhill, with a well-bunkered green. Long hitters can try to carry the river in two. Everyone else should pick a lay-up club, leave 100 yards, and finish with a par. It is a fine closing hole because a good score can still fall apart in the last 150 yards.
Chiang Mai Highlands Golf & Spa is consistently among the best-conditioned courses in the region, with paspalum turf and heavy bunkering. The 2026 green-season all-in rate was ฿3,400.
What does the Highlands 2nd demand off the tee?
A 184-yard par 3 played slightly downhill over water, to a narrow green with water left and a bunker right. Club selection decides it.
The downhill drop usually means one less club than the yardage suggests. Miss left and you are wet. Miss right and you face a bunker shot towards water. Early on a cool morning the air is heavier and the ball flies shorter, which we cover in our guide to altitude and ball flight in Chiang Mai. Arriving so early in the round, it is also the hole that tells you whether your swing has woken up. Hit a few full irons on the range before you tee off rather than only wedges.
Why is the 9th at Summit Green Valley its signature hole?
It needs a tee shot over water to a tight landing area, then an approach to an island-style green ringed by bunkers and palms.
Golfbreaks' Summit Green Valley page (accessed 15 October 2026) names the par-4 9th as the signature hole and also singles out the par-3 16th, played over a large lake to a shallow green. Summit Green Valley is a Denis Griffiths design, and water comes into play on most of the round.
The honest downside: Summit is one of the pricier courses in the region, with high-season rates quoted from around ฿3,900 by Golfasian, and we hear recurring complaints about green conditions. Play it for these two holes and the layout, not for putting surfaces.
Which par 3 at Royal Chiang Mai is worth the trip?
The 17th, a 174-yard par 3 played over water to a raised green guarded by four bunkers. It arrives just when your round is on the line.
Kimigolf's Royal Chiang Mai guide (accessed 15 October 2026) calls it a pretty par 3 over water. The raised green means a short shot can roll back down the bank, so take enough club to reach the middle. Royal Chiang Mai is a Peter Thomson design, with pot bunkers and run-offs that give it a British-links feel. The green fee is around ฿2,800, and conditioning varies, so check the latest in our green conditions guide.
Can you really play a 666-yard par 6 at Gassan Panorama?
Yes. Gassan Panorama lists a par 6 of 666 yards from the back tee, on one of the longest layouts in northern Thailand.
Golfasian's Panorama page (accessed 15 October 2026) notes that the course has few par 5s and uses this hole instead. It plays around a large lake about 35 minutes from Chiang Mai. Plan it as four sensible shots, and a five on a par 6 feels like a birdie. Gassan Panorama is the value pick on this list at ฿1,950 all-in for the 2026 green season. The catch is that its condition depends on the season, so do not expect Highlands-grade turf.
Is the Gassan Khuntan island green worth a long transfer?
For keen golfers, yes. The 163-yard par-3 5th plays to an island green in a lake, set among hills with wide mountain views.
Kimigolf's Khuntan guide (accessed 15 October 2026) names it the signature hole: a small target where every miss is wet. Gassan Khuntan costs ฿2,100 all-in, but it is the furthest transfer on this list at 45 minutes or more each way, and its conditioning is less consistent than the premium courses. Skip it on a short trip. Add it on a week-long one, ideally paired with Panorama so you only make the trip south once.
How do you fit all ten holes into one golf trip?
Five rounds covers all ten: Alpine, Highlands, Summit, Royal Chiang Mai and one Gassan course. Six rounds adds the second Gassan.
Courses ring the valley, so grouping by direction saves hours in the van. Pair the two Gassan courses on back-to-back days, and keep Alpine and Highlands apart so your two best rounds are not on consecutive tired legs. Our course pairings itinerary shows how we route it.
The Lanna Signature package runs 7 nights and 5 rounds, the closest fit for the full list. The Highlands Classic gives 4 rounds over 5 nights if you drop Khuntan and Royal. A package covers green fees, caddies, carts, hotel, private driver and airport transfers, plus our team on the ground if a tee time moves. Booking is simple: send us your dates, group size and the holes you care about, we check tee times with each course, then send a routed quote to confirm. If you only want one round at Panorama, booking direct can be cheaper, and we will tell you so. Tell us which holes you want to play and we will send a quote.
When do these holes play at their best?
November to February, when mornings are cool and dry and the mountain views are clear. Avoid March, when burning-season haze hides the scenery.
High season runs roughly November to March, so tee times at Alpine and Highlands get harder to secure from next month. The green season (April to October) is cheaper, and mornings are usually playable before afternoon storms. Burning season peaks around March, when air quality can reach unhealthy levels, and the views that make Khuntan and Highlands special can disappear. Our best time for golf in Chiang Mai guide breaks it down month by month.
Build a trip around Chiang Mai's best holesTell us your dates and wish list, and we will send a routed quote with tee times, transfers and hotelFrequently asked questions
What is the best golf hole in Chiang Mai?
For pure length and memory, the 4th on Alpine Golf Resort's A Course. It is a 652-yard par 5 that snakes through forest, and course guides list it as one of the longest par 5s in Thailand. For drama on a short hole, the 163-yard par-3 5th at Gassan Khuntan plays to an island green in a lake, and any miss is wet. If you want a hole that tests nerve rather than distance, the par-4 9th at Summit Green Valley asks for a tee shot over water and then an approach to an island-style green. We usually build a trip around Alpine and add the others to suit the group.
Which Chiang Mai course has the most signature holes?
Alpine Golf Resort. Its 27 holes give you three of the ten on our list: the 652-yard par-5 4th, the long par-4 11th with water down the entire left side, and the rice paddy par 3 on the nine that opened in 2016, which Golfasian describes as Thailand's only rice paddy green. Ron Garl designed the original 18, which opened in 2008. The green-season all-in rate was ฿3,700 in 2026, covering green fee, caddie and cart. If you can only fit one premium course into a trip, Alpine gives you the most memorable holes for the money.
Is Gassan Panorama's par 6 worth playing?
Yes, if you enjoy something you cannot play at home. Course guides list the par 6 at 666 yards from the back tee, on a long course that plays around a large lake about 35 minutes from Chiang Mai. It is also one of the cheaper rounds on this list at ฿1,950 all-in during the 2026 green season. The honest trade-off is condition: Panorama's fairways and greens vary with the season, so it is not the course to pick for perfect turf. Play it for the novelty, the length and the value, and save your best-conditioned round for Highlands.
Can a high handicapper play these signature holes?
Most of them, yes, from the forward tees. Five of our ten holes need a forced carry over water, so bring extra balls and take the tee box that matches your game. Alpine's par-5 4th and Panorama's par 6 are long but forgiving, because they reward three or four solid shots rather than one heroic one. The island green at Gassan Khuntan's 5th is the hardest for a higher handicap, since the target is small and every miss finds the lake. Your caddie will point out bailout areas. Caddies are mandatory, and the caddie fee is typically ฿300-400 per round in Chiang Mai.
How many days do I need to play all ten holes?
Five rounds covers all ten holes: Alpine, Highlands, Summit Green Valley, Royal Chiang Mai, and one Gassan day at either Panorama or Khuntan. Six rounds lets you play both Gassan courses. Realistically that means a week, with a rest day in the middle, because these courses ring the valley and transfers add up. Our Lanna Signature package runs 7 nights with 5 rounds and is the closest fit. If you only have a long weekend, prioritise Alpine and Highlands, which hold five of the ten holes between them. Send us your dates through our golf page and we will quote a routing.
