Why Johor needs to be your subsequent luxurious golf trip

Johor is positioned within the southeast of peninsular Malaysia and has greater than 25 golf programs to select from, every offering a novel expertise for the seasoned golfer. With wonderful transport hyperlinks to Singapore, the remainder of Malaysia, and additional afield, it has turn into the chosen {golfing} vacation spot for a lot of who love the range, high quality and worth for cash that’s on provide from the areas programs. We’ve highlighted what are thought-about by many to be the 2 main golf golf equipment in Johor, which each provide two championship golf programs to select from. To make sure that your subsequent luxurious golf trip is the ‘full bundle’ our article additionally options our chosen luxurious inns the place you’ll be able to calm down and rejuvenate after every of your rounds.

The Els Membership Desaru Coast

Positioned on a pristine enclave overlooking the South China Sea, The Els Membership Desaru Coast is vacation spot {golfing} at its most interesting, providing a premier {golfing} and way of life expertise for anybody selecting to play at this award profitable facility. Simply ninety minutes ferry trip from Singapore, or from the Woodlands Malaysia / Singapore checkpoint, the situation makes it a favorite for Singapore based mostly {golfing} fans who want to escape the town and revel in every little thing that The Els Membership has to supply. We beloved the nice and cozy welcome on the bag drop, the personalised lockers within the intensive locker rooms, and the expertly executed native favourites akin to roti canai within the membership home. We had been suitably impressed earlier than we had even set foot on the primary tee.

Play eighteen holes on the Ocean Course

Designed by legendary golfer and 4 occasions main champion, Ernie Els AKA ‘The Large Simple’, taking part in eighteen holes on the Ocean Course is stuffed with character constructing decisions and challenges. Your first selection is to pick out from two of the three 9 gap programs to comprise your chosen 18 (specifically Coast, Ridge and Lakes), while your ongoing decisions and challenges will come from each membership and shot choice as you attempt to navigate your option to success. We performed our entrance 9 on the Ridge, and our second 9 on the Coast, having fun with moments of success and frustration in equal measures. The beneficiant fairways and huge greens had been inviting from the tees and fairways, however the strategically positioned bunkers and omni current water hazards had been at all times ready to punish any wayward photographs. Managing 5 pars throughout my spherical was the spotlight, while regularly discovering the bunkers was irritating and provided ‘room for enchancment’.

Keep at The Westin Desaru Coast Resort

As visitors of The Westin Desaru Coast Resort we will affirm that this luxurious seashore entrance resort is sort of merely the proper selection to your subsequent {golfing} trip in Johor. Positioned simply 5 minutes from the beautiful greens, fairways and bunkers of The Els Membership there was actually no wasted time each earlier than and after our rounds. This meant that we may maximise our time having fun with every little thing that this luxurious Marriott Worldwide resort needed to provide in between our two rounds of golf. Early morning coffees on our balcony overlooking the South China Sea? Verify. Artistic culinary delights at each Prego and Seasonal Tastes? Verify. Stress-free swims and rejuvenating put up spherical remedies at Heavenly Spa? Verify. I’m certain you get the image, our keep at The Westin Desaru delivered every little thing that we may have wished (and extra) on our Johor {golfing} trip. We definitely felt relaxed, refreshed and prepared for our subsequent spherical of golf.

Play eighteen holes on the Valley Course

Effectively, if we thought the bunkers on the Ocean Course introduced a problem, discovering that the Valley Course is house to 187 bunkers was definitely regarding! Three time main champion, Vijay Singh designed this gorgeous course which is superbly curated with breathtaking views. The greens had been smaller, demanding exact strategy photographs which had been rewarded with receptive greens that enabled lots of our photographs to carry their positions properly, even with longer irons. And while the greens had been undulating, they had been true so in the event you picked the precise line and proper pace you had been additional rewarded. We had been definitely aided by the in cart GPS which helped with membership choice, however taking part in any course for the primary time is at all times a problem. We each beloved the Valley Course and may’t wait to return to make extra {golfing} recollections in Johor.

Marriott Malaysia and Singapore Charity Golf Day

June 2024 noticed the inaugural Marriott Worldwide Malaysia and Singapore Charity Golf Day hosted by The Westin Desaru Coast and The Els Membership. Golfers from Malaysia, Singapore and additional afield loved a golf match, gala dinner and charity public sale which raised a lot wanted funds to help the wonderful work of UNICEF within the area. The United Nations Kids’s Fund work tirelessly to guard the rights of each youngster with well being care, immunisations, protected water, sanitation, diet and training. This model new initiative was a powerful success and we will’t wait to see what’s in retailer subsequent yr.

Forest Metropolis Golf Resort

When one of many most interesting golf golf equipment in Malaysia is positioned so near the Singapore border, it’s no shock that Forest Metropolis Golf Resort has turn into a favorite with {golfing} fans who name Singapore house since opening to the general public in September 2018. The 2 championship programs are superbly manicured and maintained, with what appears to be not a blade of grass misplaced, from the second we arrived we knew that we had been in for a deal with, the one query was whether or not our {golfing} potential would dwell as much as the expectations created by our first price environment. What we did know is that we had been going to make the very most of getting the possibility to play on these two excellent 18 gap programs.

Play eighteen holes on the Legacy Course

The superbly pristine 7386 yard Legacy Course at Forest Metropolis was designed by none apart from the ‘Golden Bear’ Mr Jack Niclaus. Together with his 117 skilled tour wins together with 18 main championships spanning 1 / 4 of a century, we actually felt that we had been strolling within the footsteps of a {golfing} legend. Our expertise was difficult, gratifying and irritating all wrapped into one. The problem got here from the course administration wanted when taking part in at such a novel course. The enjoyment got here from taking part in a spherical at this superbly manicured and maintained championship course. The frustration got here from regularly discovering our manner into the seemingly infinite sand that may be a defining function of the course. However we beloved each minute of our spherical and may’t wait to return.

Keep at Forest Metropolis Golf Lodge

With far reaching views over the verdant inexperienced fairways of Forest Metropolis, it’s no shock that Forest Metropolis Golf Lodge is the plain selection for anybody wishing to mix a weekend of championship golf with luxurious lodging. Providing 298 spacious rooms and suites to select from, many with golf course views, there’s something for everybody. The 2 expansive freeform swimming pools supplied us with the proper place to calm down after our rounds, while for many who nonetheless have vitality to burn, the properly appointed health club is the place to move. Take a look at the aggressive ‘Keep and Play’ affords that mix your lodge stick with inexperienced charges to make sure that not solely is your Johor {golfing} trip memorable, however supplies wonderful worth for cash too.

Play eighteen holes on the Basic Course

After a properly deserved relaxation, our last spherical was on the marginally shorter, however equally as difficult Basic Course at Forest Metropolis, 7186 yards of manicured fairways, greens and bunkers that creates a novel course that was a pleasure to play. The second of three programs slated for growth at Forest Metropolis, opened to the general public in August 2019 and is the work of golf course architect, Mr Liang Guokun. We loved the marginally much less difficult and barely shorter Basic Course very a lot, however as with all spherical of golf there have been challenges that wanted to be overcome and we tackled them head on. To have two such unbelievable eighteen gap golf programs on the identical membership is luxurious {golfing} at it’s most interesting, making it no shock that on each of our visits the tee occasions had been absolutely booked with excited golfers from close to and much.

The strategic location of Johor, mixed with first price golf programs and luxurious inns will proceed to make sure that golf based mostly tourism continues to thrive within the area. The standard of the programs and inns on provide is unquestionable, which when mixed with the wonderful worth for cash, makes Johor a wonderful choice to your subsequent luxurious {golfing} trip.

Paul Eyers

Paul Eyers is co-founder of Vegan Meals Quest who write about luxurious inns and resorts in Southeast Asia with a concentrate on sustainable journey, eco journey and vegan journey. At the moment based mostly in Malaysia, Paul additionally writes about sporting occasions and among the most interesting golf programs all through the area.