Golf fans looking for a romantic getaway should put Malaysia on their bucket list. It’s an ideal destination for leisure and play, situated close to the Equator and offering golf experiences which can be enjoyed year-round. From the highlands and the jungle, to the beaches and the city, its courses are easily accessible with the bonus of the option of exploring off the course. By day there’s fascinating sightseeing and a wide range of experiences to enjoy, while the after hours scene is also memorable, combining romance and exquisite food fused with cultural diversity that lies at the heart of what is truly a multi-cultural country.
Malaysia’s Golf In The City Experience
Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC) is a private golf and country club just eight kilometres from the capital’s business district, allowing visitors onto its East Course, and members’ guests onto the West Course. It was the host of the Maybank Malaysian Open in 2010 and 2011, and while it originally opened in 1991, both courses have undergone recent renovations. The West Course demands straight play with narrow, well-protected landing areas, while the East Course is parkland-style and features wildlife-rich wetlands and natural grasses.
Founded in 1984, the Saujana Golf and Country Club sits alongside two hotels, The Saujana Kuala Lumpur and The Club at The Saujana, amid two scenic 18-hole golf courses (Palm & Bunga Raya) both designed by Ronald Fream. The Saujana Golf and Country Club has constantly been voted Malaysia’s number one golf club as well as being named one of the 100 best golf resorts in the world, and for good reason; its two courses stretch over 400 acres, and are exciting to play for beginners and pros alike. Saujana has hosted many international events such as Malaysian Open, Eisenhower Trophy and Espirito Santo Trophy.
The Kotai Permai Golf & Country Club has a magnificent championship course designed by Ross Watson. The front nine traverses relatively flat terrain and features scenic water hazards, with the par-4 2nd hole is acknowledged as one of Malaysia’s best golf holes. The visually-stunning inward nine climbs and drops with the undulating terrain, and the par-5 18th is one of the great finishing holes in Malaysia. The club also has a 60-bay driving range and extensive leisure facilities including an Olympic-sized lap pool.
Palm Garden Golf Club is located near Kuala Lumpur Airport, and re-opened in 2012 with a testing new design by renowned Australian architect Ted Parslow, featuring undulations, mounds and swales. Meanwhile Templer Park Golf Club is another ‘must visit’ course for visitors with its spectacular limestone backdrop, and a host of monkeys who appear to enjoy the surroundings as much as the golfers. It was host venue for the Malaysian Open and designed by the famous Japanese designer Jumbo Ozaki and is always in awesome condition.
Impian Golf Club’s design was inspired by the rainforest, and its tropical parkland-themed championship golf course blends naturally with the surrounding lush greenery. An easy drive from KL, it encompasses 142 acres on a flat plateau, the layout bordered by trees and punctuated by climbs and drops. The receptive, fast greens are some of the best in Malaysia.
Located 18 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur’s centre, Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KGPA) was established in 1989 and is a 27-hole golf course. The championship courses, Hills and Lakes, feature lush, rolling fairways lined with rough out-of-bounds areas, elevated tees and landscaped surroundings. The third nine, the Forest, caters for intermediate and senior golfers but is equally challenging.
Malaysia’ Frontier Town Golf Experience
Close to Singapore in Johor, Horizon Hills is an 18-hole design by Australian Ross Watson set on 200 acres, where lush greenery meets serene lakes. Many holes feature dramatic changes in elevation from tee to green. Classical bunkering with sweeping sand faces, strategically-located cascading waterfalls, pristine ponds and lakes feature throughout the course. The palatial, modern clubhouse incorporates five-star amenities including an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Pulai Springs Resort, at the foot of Mount Pulai in Johor, is a five-star resort with two USGA-class 18-hole golf courses. The Pulai Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr and the Melana Course by Peter Dalkeith Scott. Both are courses of distinctions, and were designed to provide the ultimate challenge with memorable signature holes amidst the varied terrain, water elements and changes in elevation.
To read part one of this story click here, and for part two click here.
And if you fancy your chance to win a luxury golf holiday to Malaysia for two, click here!
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