Laguna Golf Phuket

Phuket’s Best Resort Course Inside the Laguna Complex

3,385 viewsBy Willy Thuan · Living in Phuket since 1994

Laguna Golf Phuket sits inside the Laguna Hotel and Resorts complex near Bang Tao Beach, making it the most convenient course in Phuket for anyone staying at the Laguna resorts. The course was redesigned in 2014 and went from a flat, forgettable layout to a properly challenging resort course with shaped greens, strategic bunkering, and water hazards that keep every level of golfer thinking. It hosts professional tournaments, which says something about the conditioning. It’s not the longest course in Phuket, but the approach play and green complexes give it real teeth.

What Makes Laguna Golf Special

Before the 2014 redesign, Laguna Golf was flat and forgettable. The new layout changed everything. The greens were reshaped with bumps, hollows, and contours that make putting a genuine challenge even on short approaches. Strategic bunkers force you to think about positioning off the tee rather than just hitting driver on every hole. Water hazards from the old tin mine lakes come into play on several holes, adding risk to approach shots.

The front nine runs through lush tropical vegetation, while the back nine features more open fairways with coconut groves and sand. The two halves feel like different courses, which keeps the round interesting. The conditioning is consistently excellent because the club hosts professional tournaments, so the greens, fairways, and bunkers are maintained to a high standard year-round.

At 6,683 yards (par 71), Laguna is not long. Big hitters won’t be reaching for driver on every hole. The challenge comes from the second shot onward. Approach shots need to find the right part of the green, and three-putts are common on the contoured putting surfaces. This is a course that rewards a good short game more than raw power.

The Holes You’ll Remember

Hole 2 (Par 3): One of the most attractive par 3s in Phuket. Water runs all along the right side and wraps around behind the green. The safe play is to aim left of centre. Anything right is wet, and anything long rolls off the back into water. The green slopes from left to right toward the water, so even a good tee shot can leave a tricky putt.

Hole 7 (Par 5): A short par 5 with water on both sides of the fairway. You need to carry water with your second shot to reach the fairway on the far side, and big hitters can go for the green in two. The risk-reward calculation here is honest: the reward is a genuine birdie chance, the risk is a wet ball and a dropped shot. Most mid-handicappers should lay up and chip on.

Hole 10 (Back Nine Opener): The back nine starts with a change of scenery. More open, coconut groves instead of tropical forest, and a different feel. A friendly start to the inward half before the challenges pick up again.

Hole 16 (Par 3): A long downhill par 3 with water all along the right. The green is heavily contoured, and pin positions on the right side make it especially tough because you’re aiming toward the water. Club selection off the elevated tee needs adjustment. One of the holes that separates a good score from a great one.

Hole 18 (Par 4): A very long finishing par 4 with a dogleg. Reaching the green in regulation requires cutting the corner off the tee, but overdoing it means out of bounds. Playing safe leaves you with a very long approach. It’s a great closing hole because it forces one last strategic decision. Walking off the 18th green with par feels like an achievement.

What to Expect on the Day

Getting there: If you’re staying at a Laguna resort (Banyan Tree, Angsana, Dusit Thani, or any of the Laguna hotels), a free shuttle takes you to the clubhouse. From outside the complex, it’s a short drive from Bang Tao or Surin Beach. Check-in: The clubhouse is modern and welcoming, with a well-stocked pro shop. The staff are friendly and relaxed, which sets the tone for the whole experience. Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before your tee time.

On the course: The course is walkable but carts are available. Expect a round of about 4 hours. Conditioning is consistently good. In the weeks before professional tournaments, the rough gets rougher and the fairways narrower, so check the tournament schedule if you want the standard resort experience.

After the round: The clubhouse restaurant is good, and being inside the Laguna complex means you’re a short shuttle ride from multiple five-star hotel restaurants, the beach, and spa facilities. This is the only course in Phuket where your non-golfing partner has genuine options within walking distance while you play.

Who Should Play Here

Laguna is the best choice in Phuket for mixed groups where not everyone is a serious golfer. The resort setting means non-playing partners have the beach, pools, spas, and restaurants of the Laguna complex available while you play. The free shuttle makes it seamless. For golfers, the course works at every level. Higher handicappers benefit from the shorter length and wider fairways. Single-figure players are tested by the green complexes and strategic bunkering.

The course doesn’t punish poor driving as harshly as Red Mountain or Blue Canyon Canyon, but it demands more from your approach play and putting. If you’re staying at a Laguna hotel and want a round without the logistics of arranging transfers across the island, this is the obvious choice. If you’re a single-figure player looking for the toughest test in Phuket, Red Mountain and Blue Canyon Canyon are harder. But Laguna is a quality round that nobody finishes feeling disappointed.

Insider Tips

Laguna Golf is the most enjoyable resort course in Phuket. The combination of quality conditioning, strategic design, and the convenience of the Laguna complex makes it a round that works for almost everyone. Focus on your approach play. The greens are where this course earns its difficulty. The bumps and hollows mean that being on the green doesn’t guarantee two putts. Aim for the fat part of the green rather than chasing pins. Three-putts add up quickly here. If you’re staying at a Laguna hotel, ask about stay-and-play packages. Green fees are often discounted for hotel guests, and the shuttle is free.

Some packages include breakfast at the clubhouse before your round. Check the tournament schedule. In the lead-up to professional events, the course setup changes: rough grows thicker, fairways narrow, and pin positions become more demanding. If you want the standard resort experience, avoid tournament weeks. If you want to see how the pros play it, tournament setup can be a fun challenge. The course drains well compared to some other Phuket courses, so it’s a reliable choice during rainy season. Morning rounds are usually unaffected by the typical afternoon showers.

Laguna Golf Through the Years

Laguna Golf was originally built on a former tin mine site within the Laguna resort complex, one of the first integrated resort developments in Phuket. The original course was flat and uninteresting, typical of early 1990s resort golf design in Thailand. It served its purpose as a convenient round for hotel guests but didn’t attract golfers from outside the complex. The 2014 redesign transformed the course. New green shapes with genuine contours replaced the flat putting surfaces. Strategic bunkering was added throughout, and the layout was reworked to create distinct character on the front and back nines.

The course went from an afterthought to a genuine destination course within the Laguna complex. Since the redesign, Laguna Golf has hosted professional tournaments, which has kept the conditioning at a high level. The club invested in its maintenance program and the results are visible in the consistent quality of the greens and fairways. Today it’s one of the most popular courses in Phuket, particularly among golfers staying at the Laguna resorts and those travelling with non-golfing partners.

Other Golf Courses Around Phuket

Blue Canyon Country Club – Lakes Course

Blue Canyon Country Club – Canyon Course

Laguna Golf Phuket

Loch Palm Golf Club

Phuket Country Club

Katathong Golf Resort

Red Mountain Golf Club

Aquella Golf and Country Club

Mission Hills Phuket Golf Course

FAQs about Laguna Golf Phuket