Why Johor needs to be your subsequent luxurious golf trip

Johor is situated within the southeast of peninsular Malaysia and has greater than 25 golf programs to select from, every offering a singular expertise for the seasoned golfer. With wonderful transport hyperlinks to Singapore, the remainder of Malaysia, and additional afield, it has grow to be the chosen {golfing} vacation spot for a lot of who love the variability, high quality and worth for cash that’s on supply from the areas programs. We’ve highlighted what are thought of by many to be the 2 main golf golf equipment in Johor, which each supply two championship golf programs to select from. To make sure that your subsequent luxurious golf trip is the ‘complete package’ our article additionally options our chosen luxurious lodges the place you possibly can chill out and rejuvenate after every of your rounds.

The Els Membership Desaru Coast

Situated 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 life-style expertise for anybody selecting to play at this award profitable facility. Simply ninety minutes ferry experience from Singapore, or from the Woodlands Malaysia / Singapore checkpoint, the situation makes it a favorite for Singapore based mostly {golfing} fanatics who want to escape the town and revel in every part that The Els Membership has to supply. We beloved the nice and cozy welcome on the bag drop, the personalised lockers within the in depth locker rooms, and the expertly executed native favourites reminiscent of 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 Big Easy’, taking part in eighteen holes on the Ocean Course is stuffed with character constructing decisions and challenges. Your first selection is to pick 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 solution 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 enormous greens had been inviting from the tees and fairways, however the strategically positioned bunkers and omni current water hazards had been all the time 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 improvement’.

Keep at The Westin Desaru Coast Resort

As visitors of The Westin Desaru Coast Resort we will verify that this luxurious seaside entrance resort is kind of merely the right selection on your subsequent {golfing} trip in Johor. Situated 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 might maximise our time having fun with every part that this luxurious Marriott Worldwide resort needed to supply in between our two rounds of golf. Early morning coffees on our balcony overlooking the South China Sea? Verify. Inventive culinary delights at each Prego and Seasonal Tastes? Verify. Stress-free swims and rejuvenating submit spherical therapies at Heavenly Spa? Verify. I’m certain you get the image, our keep at The Westin Desaru delivered every part that we might have needed (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

Properly, if we thought the bunkers on the Ocean Course offered a problem, discovering that the Valley Course is house to 187 bunkers was definitely regarding! Three time main champion, Vijay Singh designed this beautiful course which is superbly curated with breathtaking views. The greens had been smaller, demanding exact method photographs which had been rewarded with receptive greens that enabled a lot of our photographs to carry their positions properly, even with longer irons. And while the greens had been undulating, they had been true so should you picked the suitable line and proper velocity 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 all the time a problem. We each beloved the Valley Course and might’t wait to return to make extra {golfing} reminiscences 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 superb work of UNICEF within the area. The United Nations Kids’s Fund work tirelessly to guard the rights of each little one with well being care, immunisations, protected water, sanitation, vitamin and training. This model new initiative was a convincing success and we will’t wait to see what’s in retailer subsequent 12 months.

Forest Metropolis Golf Resort

When one of many most interesting golf golf equipment in Malaysia is situated so near the Singapore border, it’s no shock that Forest Metropolis Golf Resort has grow to be a favorite with {golfing} fanatics 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} skill would stay as much as the expectations created by our first charge environment. What we did know is that we had been going to make the very most of getting the prospect 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 aside 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, pleasurable and irritating all wrapped into one. The problem got here from the course administration wanted when taking part in at such a singular 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 means into the seemingly limitless sand that could be a defining characteristic of the course. However we beloved each minute of our spherical and might’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 apparent 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 right place to chill out after our rounds, while for individuals who nonetheless have power to burn, the properly appointed gymnasium is the place to go. Try the aggressive ‘Stay and Play’ gives that mix your lodge stick with inexperienced charges to make sure that not solely is your Johor {golfing} trip memorable, however offers wonderful worth for cash too.

Play eighteen holes on the Traditional Course

After a properly deserved relaxation, our remaining spherical was on the marginally shorter, however equally as difficult Traditional Course at Forest Metropolis, 7186 yards of manicured fairways, greens and bunkers that creates a singular course that was a pleasure to play. The second of three programs slated for improvement 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 Traditional Course very a lot, however as with every 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 charge golf programs and luxurious lodges will proceed to make sure that golf based mostly tourism continues to thrive within the area. The standard of the programs and lodges on supply is unquestionable, which when mixed with the superb worth for cash, makes Johor a superb possibility on your subsequent luxurious {golfing} trip.

Paul Eyers

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