Eastern Star Country Club and Resort

Eastern Star Country Club and Resort is an 18-hole, par-72 course in Ban Chang district, Rayong, designed in 1993 by Robert Trent Jones Jr with Donald Knott and Gary Linn. At 7,134 yards it’s a full championship length, built around 65 bunkers, 11 lakes and more than 2,200 coconut palms that line the fairways and come into play on several holes.

Water is the course’s defining hazard — lakes cross or border a large share of the 18 holes, meaning club selection matters more here than raw distance off the tee. Multiple tee positions on each hole make it playable for a range of abilities, though the combination of water and tightly planted palms punishes wayward shots more than a flat, open layout would. The clubhouse has a pro shop, restaurant and driving range for warming up before a round, and caddies are compulsory, in line with standard practice across Thai golf clubs.

Insider Tip: Book an early tee time — before 10am keeps you ahead of both the heat and the busier back-nine traffic, and morning conditions on the greens are noticeably better than by early afternoon.

Watch out: Green fees vary significantly by day, time and package — twilight and weekend rates run well above the advertised base rate, so confirm the current price when booking rather than assuming a flat number.

The course is roughly two hours from Bangkok by car and about 45 minutes from Pattaya, making it a common stop on Eastern Seaboard golf trips that also take in other Pattaya and Chonburi-area courses. Bring lightweight, breathable golf clothing and sun protection — the tropical heat is a factor even on cooler-season mornings, and rounds typically run four to five hours including cart transitions between holes.

The club sits within Rayong province on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard, in the same Ban Chang district as Hat Phayun and Hat Phla and Nam Rin Beach — either makes an easy beach stop before or after a round. Bring a scorecard mindset for the water hazards, book ahead for early tee times, and confirm the current green fee — published rates change more often than course layouts do.