Nikanti Golf Club – Quality Golf Half Way To Hua Hin

Gunnar Kobin
Feb 1
4 min read

Updated: Feb 7

Nikanti Golf Club: A Genuinely Different Thai Golf Experience

Thailand has no shortage of quality golf courses, but finding one that actually feels unique? That's harder than you'd think. Nikanti Golf Club, tucked away in Nakhon Pathom west of Bangkok, is properly different—not just another manicured parkland layout pretending to be something special.

The first thing that hits you is how deliberate everything feels. This isn't some cookie-cutter resort course thrown together to tick boxes. There's real thought behind it.

The 6-6-6 Layout Actually Works

Look, when I first heard about the 6-6-6 routing—three separate six-hole loops instead of the traditional front and back nine—I was skeptical. Sounds like change for change's sake, right? But I was wrong.

Each loop has two par 3s, two par 4s, and two par 5s. On paper, maybe it's a bit gimmicky. Playing it though? It just works. Every loop feels complete, properly balanced. Nothing feels like filler, which is more than I can say for plenty of traditional layouts where holes 10-13 just sort of... exist.

The pace stays interesting too. You never get that "settling in" feeling on the front nine or the "we're winding down now" vibe on the back. Every section demands your attention.

The Design Makes You Think

Pirapon Namatra designed Nikanti—he's Thailand's top modern golf architect and founded Golf East. His courses have a reputation for being clever without showing off, and Nikanti fits that pattern perfectly.

Rather than moving mountains of dirt around, he's worked with what was there (former farmland) and created something that feels like it belongs. The fairways aren't just wide corridors—they're shaped to create angles and options. Greens are positioned so that if you're thinking ahead on your approach, you get rewarded. If you're not, well, good luck.

Visually, nothing screams at you. But strategically? It's quietly demanding. This is modern Asian golf design done right—contemporary without being flashy, strategic without being punishing for the sake of it, focused entirely on how the course actually plays rather than how it photographs.

It'll Test You (In a Good Way)

Don't mistake "well-presented" for "easy." Nikanti looks pristine—fairways are generously wide but rarely flat. Your approach shots need to land in the right spot on the green, not just somewhere on it. Get it wrong and suddenly you're playing defense with your putter.

The greens are the real challenge here. Fast, contoured, sneaky. They reward commitment and expose hesitation pretty quickly. The bunkering is modern and bold—deep faces, sharp edges—so you can't just flail at it and hope. Water's used smartly too, always visible and strategic, never just thrown in arbitrarily.

This is a course for people who like to think their way around rather than just bomb away and see what happens.

Perfect Timing for Arrival Day

Here's a practical bonus: location. Nikanti sits west of Bangkok, which makes it ideal if you're flying into Bangkok and heading down to Hua Hin.

Rather than white-knuckling it straight through after a long flight, you can stop at Nikanti, play a quality round, shake off the travel stiffness, and still make it to Hua Hin the same day with time to spare. For anyone planning a proper Thailand golf trip, it slots in naturally rather than feeling like you're going out of your way.

The All-Inclusive Thing Actually Works Here

I'm usually wary of "all-inclusive" green fees—often feels like a marketing trick. But Nikanti pulls it off properly. Green fee, cart, caddie, food, drinks, snacks—all covered. No nickel-and-diming, no awkward stops wondering if you should tip here or there.

You just play golf. Food comes between loops and after your round, and it's genuinely good—not just passable clubhouse sandwiches. The whole thing feels more like playing at a private members' club than a public course, which isn't something you say often.

Clubhouse and Service Hits the Mark

The clubhouse is modern and spacious without being over-the-top. Locker rooms are comfortable and well-kept. Everything runs smoothly, service is attentive without hovering, and the caddies know the course inside out—they're actually helpful rather than just walking alongside you.

There's a confidence to the place. Nikanti knows what it's trying to be and doesn't compromise on it.

Bottom Line

Nikanti isn't trying to wow you with waterfalls or ridiculous elevation changes. It's not about being brutally hard either. What it does is rethink the whole golf day—how the course is laid out, how the round flows, how you're looked after—and then executes all of it really well.

In a country packed with excellent golf courses, Nikanti manages to stand out by just doing things properly, without needing to shout about it.