Golf in Koh Samui — Santiburi Green Fees, Football Golf & Mini Golf

Overview

Golf in Koh Samui centers on one serious course: Santiburi Samui Country Club, an 18-hole, par-72 layout built into the hills above Maenam on the island’s north coast. It is the only full 18-hole golf course on Samui, with green fees running 3,550–5,800 THB (~101–166 USD) as of Sep 2026, depending on tee time. For a shorter, cheaper outing, Samui Football Golf near Big Buddha swaps clubs for a football and costs 750 THB (~21 USD) for about 90 minutes. This guide covers both venues in detail, plus what could — and couldn’t — be confirmed about mini golf and driving ranges elsewhere on the island.

Key takeaways

• Santiburi Samui Country Club is Koh Samui’s only 18-hole golf course — a hillside, par-72 layout above Maenam with Gulf of Thailand and Koh Phangan views.
• Green fees run 3,550–5,800 THB (~101–166 USD) as of Sep 2026, depending on tee time; a cart (750 THB), club rental (1,500 THB), and shoe rental (200 THB) come on top.
• Samui Football Golf, near Big Buddha, is the island’s confirmed footgolf course: 750 THB (~21 USD) for adults, 350 THB (~10 USD) for kids aged 5-11, about 90 minutes.
• No standalone mini golf course or independent driving range on Koh Samui could be confirmed as operating in 2026 — Santiburi’s own practice range is the only verified place to hit balls.
• Book the earliest tee time you can get; heat builds fast on Santiburi’s exposed, sloped fairways.

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Santiburi Samui Country Club — Koh Samui’s Only 18-Hole Course

Santiburi Samui Country Club is Koh Samui’s only full 18-hole golf course, laid out across the hillside directly behind Maenam Beach on the island’s north coast. The par-72 course plays to roughly 6,824 yards from the back tees, climbing and dropping through the hills with the Gulf of Thailand and Koh Phangan visible from several holes on the back nine. It sits alongside the wider Santiburi Koh Samui resort, and the pairing is usually cited as the best golf on any Thai island. The course keeps Tifeagle greens and Sea Isle Paspalum fairways and tees — grass varieties chosen to hold their condition through Samui’s heat and humidity year-round.

Tee times for both resort guests and outside visitors are typically arranged through golf tour operators such as Golfasian, which lists the course’s rental fees and confirms non-members can book — Santiburi does not appear to run a simple walk-in booking desk of its own. Groups are capped at four players per tee time.

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Green Fees, Caddies and Rentals

Green fees at Santiburi run 3,550–5,800 THB (~101–166 USD) per round as of Sep 2026, published on the club’s own site: an early-bird rate of 3,550 THB (~101 USD) for 06:00–07:00 tee times, a general daytime rate of 5,800 THB (~166 USD), and a shorter twilight 9-hole rate of 1,675 THB (~48 USD) from 15:30. On top of the green fee, rental costs are confirmed via Golfasian’s current listing: a golf cart runs 750 THB (~21 USD) — effectively mandatory given the hillside terrain — a full club rental set is 1,500 THB (~43 USD), golf shoes rent for 200 THB (~5.50 USD), and an umbrella for 100 THB (~3 USD).

Caddie fees are standard practice at Thai golf clubs, but the current rate at Santiburi could not be confirmed and is dropped from this guide rather than guessed — ask when you book. Dress code follows the standard Thai country-club rules: collared shirts, tailored shorts or trousers, and soft (non-metal) spikes; flip-flops, vests, and jeans are not allowed on the course.

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The Hillside Course — Elevation, Views and Heat

Santiburi’s hillside setting is what separates it from a flat resort course: several fairways run steeply up or down the slope above Maenam, and elevated tees on the back nine open onto views across the bay to Koh Phangan on a clear day. The elevation change also means the cart is doing real work between holes, not just carrying bags — one more reason the buggy fee is close to unavoidable here.

Heat is the main obstacle to a good round. Koh Samui sits only a few degrees north of the equator, and by mid-morning the exposed, sloped fairways heat up fast with little shade between holes. The standard advice for any Samui golf course applies doubly on a hillside layout: book the earliest tee time available, ideally before 8am, to finish the front nine before the sun is directly overhead.

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Wet Season Golf at Santiburi

Santiburi’s greens and fairways stay playable through Koh Samui’s wetter months, roughly October to December, though a heavy downpour can push carts to paths-only for part of a round on the hillside holes. Mornings are the safer bet during the rainy season, since Samui’s rain typically builds through the afternoon rather than starting the day. See our rainy season guide for what to expect month to month if you’re planning a golf trip outside the dry season.

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Football Golf Near Big Buddha

Samui Football Golf, on the beach road a few minutes from Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai) and close to Choeng Mon, is Koh Samui’s confirmed footgolf course — an 18-hole, 1.2 km layout played by kicking a football into golf-style holes, set inside a botanical garden with more than 300 tropical plant species. A round takes about 90 minutes. Walk-in prices are 750 THB (~21 USD) for adults and 350 THB (~10 USD) for children aged 5-11, rising to 850-1,050 THB (~24-30 USD) with hotel transfer depending on distance from the course. The price includes a soft drink, a ball, and shoe rental if needed, with smaller futsal balls available for younger kids.

It needs no golf experience or equipment, which makes it the easier of the two venues in this guide for a family afternoon. See our guide to Koh Samui with kids for more low-key family activities, and the full zipline, ATV and adventure guide for how it compares to the island’s other adrenaline options.

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Mini Golf and Driving Ranges

No standalone mini golf course on Koh Samui could be confirmed as currently operating in 2026 — none turned up across attraction listings, booking platforms, or search results, and it is dropped from this guide rather than listed on outdated or unverifiable information. The same is true of an independent driving range: Santiburi Samui Country Club has its own practice range for players using the course, but no separate, public driving range elsewhere on the island could be verified. If you see one advertised locally, check recent reviews before paying, the same way you would for any small attraction that isn’t well documented online.

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Comparing Koh Samui’s Golf Options

The table below lines up what’s confirmed for 2026 across Koh Samui’s two verified golf-style venues.

For more ways to fill a day on the island, see our full things to do in Koh Samui guide, or check getting around Koh Samui for transport options to Maenam and Big Buddha.

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FAQ

Is Santiburi Samui Country Club the only golf course on Koh Samui?

Santiburi Samui Country Club is the only full 18-hole golf course on Koh Samui. Samui Football Golf near Big Buddha offers 18 holes of footgolf rather than traditional golf, and it is far cheaper and faster to play. No other 18-hole golf course could be verified as operating on Koh Samui in 2026.

How much does it cost to play golf at Santiburi?

Green fees run 3,550–5,800 THB (~101–166 USD) as of Sep 2026, depending on tee time — cheapest at early-bird 06:00–07:00 slots, highest at the general daytime rate — plus 750 THB (~21 USD) for a cart and 1,500 THB (~43 USD) if you need a full club rental set. Confirm the exact current rate with a golf tour operator when booking, since Thai course pricing can vary by season and day of the week.

Can non-members book a round at Santiburi?

Yes — non-members typically book through golf tour operators such as Golfasian rather than contacting the club directly, since Santiburi’s own booking channel could not be reached at the time of writing. Book a few days ahead, especially for an early tee time in peak season.

What is Football Golf and where is it on Koh Samui?

Samui Football Golf is an 18-hole footgolf course on the beach road near Big Buddha, close to Choeng Mon, where players kick a football into golf-style holes through a botanical garden. A round takes about 90 minutes and costs 750 THB (~21 USD) for adults and 350 THB (~10 USD) for children aged 5-11.

Is there a mini golf course on Koh Samui?

No mini golf course on Koh Samui could be confirmed as operating in 2026. Samui Football Golf near Big Buddha is the closest equivalent for a casual, low-cost outing that doesn’t require real golf skill or equipment, and it is family-friendly with discounted child pricing.

Is golf in Koh Samui good for families with kids?

Santiburi suits older kids or teens who already play golf, but the course isn’t built around young children and a round takes 4-5 hours. Samui Football Golf is the better family pick — it costs less, takes about 90 minutes, and offers discounted pricing for children aged 5-11.