Why Johor must 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 singular expertise for the seasoned golfer. With glorious transport hyperlinks to Singapore, the remainder of Malaysia, and additional afield, it has turn into the chosen vacation spot for a lot of who love the range, 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 ‘full package deal’ our article additionally options our chosen luxurious resorts the place you may 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 at its best, providing a premier 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 primarily based fans who want to escape town and luxuriate 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 intensive 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 instances main champion, Ernie Els AKA ‘The Huge Straightforward’, enjoying 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 (particularly Coast, Ridge and Lakes), while your ongoing decisions and challenges will come from each membership and shot choice as you attempt to navigate your strategy 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 friends of The Westin Desaru Coast Resort we will affirm that this luxurious seaside entrance resort is kind of merely the proper selection on your subsequent 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 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? Examine. Inventive culinary delights at each Prego and Seasonal Tastes? Examine. Stress-free swims and rejuvenating put up spherical remedies at Heavenly Spa? Examine. I’m certain you get the image, our keep at The Westin Desaru delivered every part that we might have wished (and extra) on our Johor 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 offered 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 method 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 if you happen to picked the proper 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 enjoying any course for the primary time is at all times a problem. We each beloved the Valley Course and might’t wait to return to make extra 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 assist the wonderful 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, 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 best 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 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 skill would stay as much as the expectations created by our first fee 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. Along 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 legend. Our expertise was difficult, fulfilling and irritating all wrapped into one. The problem got here from the course administration wanted when enjoying at such a singular course. The enjoyment got here from enjoying a spherical at this superbly manicured and maintained championship course. The frustration got here from regularly discovering our manner into the seemingly limitless sand that may 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 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 offered us with the proper place to calm down after our rounds, while for many who nonetheless have power to burn, the nicely appointed health club is the place to move. Take a look at the aggressive ‘Keep and Play’ presents that mix your resort stick with inexperienced charges to make sure that not solely is your Johor trip memorable, however gives glorious worth for cash too.

Play eighteen holes on the Basic Course

After a nicely deserved relaxation, our ultimate 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 singular 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 at it’s best, making it no shock that on each of our visits the tee instances had been totally booked with excited golfers from close to and much.

The strategic location of Johor, mixed with first fee golf programs and luxurious resorts will proceed to make sure that golf primarily based tourism continues to thrive within the area. The standard of the programs and resorts on supply is unquestionable, which when mixed with the wonderful worth for cash, makes Johor a superb possibility on your subsequent luxurious trip.

Paul Eyers

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