Eastern Star Country Club & Resort
Weekday green fee
2,550THB
Weekend: 2,750 THB
Eastern Star Country Club & Resort is an 18-hole, par-72 championship course in Ban Chang, Rayong, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1992. It is one of only five courses in Thailand bearing a Jones Jr. design, placing it in rare company on the country's golfing landscape. The course was carved from a former coconut plantation and retains the palm trees as a defining visual feature — more than 2,200 coconut palms line the fairways. The layout stretches to 7,134 yards (6,523 metres) and features 65 sand bunkers and 11 lakes, creating a strategic challenge across its gently undulating terrain. Eastern Star is consistently described as offering good value for the quality of design and conditioning, and it draws a mix of serious golfers and resort visitors from the wider Pattaya–Rayong area.
18
Holes
72
Par
185 km
From Bangkok
~2h
Drive time
Layout & playing experience
The Jones Jr. design makes intelligent use of the former plantation's flat terrain by introducing water in the form of 11 lakes and precise bunkering at 65 locations. The fairways are wide enough to give mid-handicappers room to work with, but the green complexes demand accurate approaches — the bunkers are positioned to protect angles rather than just penalise wayward shots. The coconut palms that line many holes create both a visual identity and a practical challenge when drives stray from the fairway centre. Water comes into play on a majority of holes, and the course rewards a patient game plan over aggression. The greens are reported to be consistent and true. The layout is links-influenced in its openness and wind exposure, though the palm-filled setting gives it a distinctly Thai tropical character.
Tips & what to know before you go
Eastern Star is approximately 130 minutes from central Bangkok — further than most Pattaya-area courses, as it sits in Rayong province beyond Pattaya city. This makes it best suited to golfers already staying in or around Pattaya or Rayong rather than as a Bangkok day trip. Book early during the November–March high season when demand from visiting golfers peaks. The course is well-known among regular Pattaya golfers for its combination of a world-class designer and approachable pricing. The 2,200 coconut palms provide some shade on sun-exposed holes, but bring a hat and sunscreen — much of the course is open. Caddie service is standard and helpful for managing the strategic bunkering.
Location & getting there
Eastern Star Country Club & Resort is located approximately 185km southeast of central Bangkok in Phla, Ban Chang, Rayong 21130. The drive from Bangkok takes around 130 minutes via the Bang Na–Trat Expressway (Highway 7) past Pattaya. The course is roughly 60 minutes by car from central Pattaya. Pre-arranged golf transfers from Pattaya or Bangkok hotels are the practical transport option; there is no public transport connection.
No clubs? No problem.
Travelling to Eastern Star Country Club for a Rayong golf trip? Rent clubs delivered to your Pattaya hotel and avoid checking bags for the journey.