Springfield Royal (A & B) - Central Thailand - Thailand

Located just 30 minutes by car from the centre of Hua Hin, Springfield Royal Country Club is regarded as one of the better golfing options in the region.

Jack Nicklaus designed the first eighteen holes which opened in 1993, and in 2005 Schmidt & Curley (of Mission Hills fame) designed a further nine holes.

The 27 hole complex is complemented perfectly by a first class clubhouse facilitiy & pro shop, making Springfield a most enjoyable stop in any golfing tour to Hua Hin.

With three loops of nine holes in play, golfers may even wish to play all 27 holes in a day , rather than just 18! The three nine holes are named Mountain, Lake & Valley. The Nicklaus nines demonstrate a lot of the qualities you would expect from Jack Nicklaus courses the world over.

Strategy is paramount, and his greens and bunkering tend to be more linear in design than modern counterparts. However Jack knows how to test your golf game, and hazards are always strategically placed- there is plenty of water, sand & trees to test your skill and nerve.

The ninth hole on the Lake course- or the 18th hole on the Nicklaus course is the 'signature hole' at Springfield. It is a winding par 5 hole with an island green. The cameras will be out here- it's a pretty hole! And safely hitting that island green will have you enjoying your lunch all the more as you look down from the clubhouse on those still labouring to do so...

The Schmidt Curley nine is not as popular with the tourist as the Nicklaus course, probably because it is a tad longer and more demanding. The design is in my view more modern in concept with more movement in the greens. But there are some quality holes out there and I liked it.

If you only intend to play 18 holes at Springfield I suggest you specify which nines you want to play!

Springfield Royal Country Club is one of the better golf courses in the Hua Hin area, and should be in every itinerary together with Black Mountain and Banyan GC.

And Springfield has one very important advantage on its rivals- the Nicklaus course is set in a forest of mature trees which often overhang fairways- the shade they offer the travelling golfer on a hot Hua Hin day can make a good day a great one!

Peter Wood is the founder of The Travelling Golfer – click the link to read his full review.

It's a shame that Springfield Royal does not get the same attention as Black Mountain or Banyan, when in fact it should. The reason for that I suspect is the course maintenance standards, which is a key factor for the typical holidaying golfer. But for those discerning enough will be wowed by the quality of the layout, with some memorable holes. It is one of the must play golf courses in Hua Hin especially for discerning golfers, who are value layout over course condition. To read more about Springfield and the best golf courses in Hua Hin visit my blog https://www.golftripz.com/blog/best-golf-courses-i...

I played Springfield last year but did not make the effort of playing it again this year. I am not a fan of Nicklaus courses and have no outstanding memory of this course except for the last hole over water and a pleasant clubhouse. It could be that I should play it again and then make a judgement. DAVID LAIRD

I have played this course a number of times over the past 15 years (most recently in April 2013) and it is genuinely superb. Of the layouts in the Hua Hin/Cha-am region (including Black Mountain and Banyan), I think it offers the most enjoyable golfing experience - the course is difficult (but fair), offers a good challenge to low handicap golfers but also various tee options that make it playable for everyone and is consistently in superb condition.