Khao Yai Golf Club
Weekday green fee
1,900THB
Weekend: 1,900 THB
Khao Yai Golf Club — also operated as Khao Yai Country Club under the BRC group — is the longer-established of the two Jack Nicklaus designs in Thailand's Khao Yai region, having opened in 2002, two years before the nearby Kirimaya course. At 7,058 yards from the championship tees and par 72, it is a full-length Nicklaus layout with the strategic fingerprints the designer is known for: generous landing zones off the tee that narrow aggressively into approaches, subtle green complexes that reward precise ball-striking, and consistent elevation changes throughout the routing. The club's position in Tambon Mu Si, Pak Chong, places it at the gateway to Khao Yai National Park, and the surrounding landscape — forested hills, open meadows, and the distant blue profile of the Dongrak mountain range — provides a scenic backdrop that distinguishes the course from Thailand's coastal or plains-based layouts. As an independent country club rather than a luxury resort attachment, Khao Yai Golf Club offers a more local, unpretentious atmosphere alongside a course that more than holds its own against Thailand's better-known championship venues.
18
Holes
72
Par
180 km
From Bangkok
~2h
Drive time
Layout & playing experience
Nicklaus's routing at Khao Yai Golf Club takes full advantage of the site's natural topography, with fairways that rise and fall across the hillside terrain rather than being flattened into a uniform plane. Water is a recurring theme — present on the majority of holes and a genuine strategic factor rather than cosmetic decoration — and the bunkering scheme is among the more complex of the designer's Southeast Asia portfolio. The course plays differently depending on the season: during the rainy months (May to October) it presents softer, receptive greens and lush rough; during the dry cool season (November to February) the fairways firm up, distances increase, and the course shows a more demanding face. The par-5s are legitimate scoring opportunities for long hitters but all carry water or bunker risk on the second shot, keeping the scoring window narrow. The par-3s are consistently testing, varying in length from short iron to mid-iron and requiring accurate club selection. Caddies at this club are knowledgeable and local, with familiarity that extends to reading the subtle borrows on the greens — an advantage worth leaning on, particularly on a first visit.
Tips & what to know before you go
The Khao Yai region is noticeably cooler than Bangkok and the Gulf coast destinations, particularly in the dry season (November through February), when daytime temperatures sit in the low-to-mid 20s Celsius. This makes morning tee times genuinely pleasant rather than a necessity for temperature management — though early starts are still recommended during peak tourist season to avoid slower groups. The course is a reasonable drive-to destination for a Bangkok day trip; departing by 6:00 am allows a comfortable arrival for an 8:30 tee time and a return to the city by early evening. Golfers combining Khao Yai Golf Club with a visit to the national park — wildlife watching, the famous Haew Narok waterfall — should plan a two-day trip to avoid rushing either experience. Bring layers for the cool season; temperatures can drop to 15°C on December evenings.
Location & getting there
Khao Yai Golf Club is located at 151 Moo 5, Tambon Mu Si, Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima, approximately 180 kilometres northeast of Bangkok. The drive via Highway 2 (Mittraphap Road / the Friendship Highway) takes around 2 hours from central Bangkok in normal traffic. Pak Chong town is the nearest service hub for fuel, food, and accommodation — the club is approximately 20 minutes south of town along the road into the national park. Public transport options include trains to Pak Chong (from Hua Lamphong) and buses from Mo Chit, from where a taxi or hired songthaew completes the journey. Golf tour operators in Bangkok frequently include this course in Khao Yai day-trip or overnight packages.
No clubs? No problem.
Making the two-hour drive to Khao Yai from Bangkok? LENGOLF can have a premium rental set ready at your hotel so you travel light and arrive ready to play this Jack Nicklaus layout in full.