Located on the island of Langkawi just off the northwest coast of peninsular Malaysia, The Els Club Teluk Datai, with it’s Ernie Els designed golf course, is one of the world’s most uniquely captivating golf projects. Designed as tribute to nature, The Els Club Teluk Datai meanders it’s way through Million year old rainforest cascading down to the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea and is overlooked by the marbled limestone peaks of the Mat Chinchang Mountain range. With natural streams flowing throughout the golf course, it’s easy to lose focus on your game as you’re immersed in such a serene environment. Their vision is to preserve and enhance the natural environment while creating unique experiences. The Els Club Teluk Datai comprises of:
Clubhouse Facilities provide comfortable sophistication while maintaining the natural elements of surrounds.
GBWL REVIEWThe Els Club The journey to the club from the airport will take about 30 minutes by car. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the staff as we dropped off our golf bags. Right in front of the club, there are only a few car park space available, but more parking spaces are available just next to the main entrance of the club. I saw the Els Club signage right in front the club when we drove in and thought that's a must photo op session when we finish the game. As you walk in to the club, you will be greeted with a patio that overlooking the golf course. To register go into the Pro Shop just left of the entrance. On your way to the counter, I'm sure you'll be tempted with Els Club branded souvenirs. At the counter, you will need to write down the name of the players in your flight. TAKE NOTE: Write all names clearly! This is because they will engrave a cool metal bag tag according to the names provided here. If you write wrongly, then it will come out wrong. Once registration process completed, proceed to the changing room. Changing Room: As you enter the changing room you will see the first locker belongs to, who else, Big El himself. Another popular photo op! At the Els Club, forget about remembering your locker number. Here they will put your name on it. Its also locked via a key combination. No keys needed. You will find that the towel and plastic bag will already be in your locker. The only thing that I wish they could have done is to have the changing room air-conditioned. Being semi-outdoor is not helping with the warm weather outside. At the shower stalls, the shower gel, shampoo and conditioner are by Molton Brown. There's also a prayer room for Muslim guests. The Golfing Experience As you walk to your buggy, you will be surprised by that cool bag tag mentioned earlier. The marshall will inform you on which hole you will start. As you drive your buggy to the starting hole, a friendly staff will once again be there to help you set your GPS system and electronic scorecard. If you need a caddy, advance booking must be made as they have limited number of caddy. As the GPS system is already on your buggy and the course allows buggy on fairway, having a caddy is not really necessary. You will also be provided with a bottles of mineral water, a ball marker, a pitch mark repair tool, and several tees for each player. Tee boxes are marked by either Black, Silver or Green. If you are playing Blue or White tee, Silver would be the one to use. First impression as you arrive at your first hole is how emaculate the course is being maintained. Wow! is what actually came out from my mouth. What I really like about the course is how the green is true, the fairways are beautiful and the many seafront holes. I lost count the number of photos I took as soon as I get to those holes. There are about 5 seafront holes here. One interesting par 3 is Hole 15. It has some 100 feet of elevation change from tee to green. With a pond in front of the green, this hole is more intimidating than it looks. Overall summary: Now that I have personally played at the club, I can agree with the news that they have been awarded as the World's Best New Golf Course. The experience you get here is wholesome goodness. From friendly staffs, the 'wow' factor and the 'feel-good' factor are all contributing to the fact that you just had a good time playing golf at the Els Club. In fact, we continued for another 18 holes after we had our lunch at the restaurant / cafe. Its unlike any other golf course in Malaysia. Truly unique! GBWL Rating: 10/10 "I'm interested, but how much will it cost me to golf there?"Well, since its in Langkawi, we will have to include the cost of flight, hotel, and transportation as well. Assuming you will be coming from Kuala Lumpur, here are our recommendations: Flight You have several options. From Subang Airport: 1. Firefly - starting from RM 250 return 2. Malindo - starting from RM 230 return From KLIA / KLIA 2: 1. MAS - starting from RM 360 return 2. AirAsia - starting from RM 140 return 3. Malindo - starting from RM 230 return Note: Firefly and AirAsia will charge you extra for your golf bag (about RM 70 one way). Hotel Depending on your budget, and your planned activities while you are on the island. Langkawi caters from the luxurious 5 star resorts to the 1 star motel. For golfers, we recommend you to stay near the Airport area as it is in between The Els Club at Datai Bay and Kuah, the so called downtown area where there are duty free shops and seafood restaurants. We recommend: 1. One Hotel Helang (Just a walking distance to the airport) - starting from RM 170 per nite 2. Four Points by Sheraton (nearby airport but not recommended to walk) - starting at RM 290 per nite 3. Any hotel of your choice, as you will need to rent a car anyway. Car Rental To rent a car, you will see a row of car rental counters just after you exit custom clearance. These counters are on your right just before you exit the arrival hall (Basically, you are still inside the hall where imigration and customs are). There are no car rental counters outside the arrival hall. If you have acidentally exited the hall, you would have to go back in, which means going thru security and all. A medium size car will set you back between RM 100 - 150. We rented a Nissan Almeera which is a 5 seater with a large enough boot space to fit in 3 golf bags at a rate of RM120 per day (24 hours cycle). You also need to budget for petrol for the car. In our case, RM 50 for petrol is enough for the 48 hours. We got the car at 3pm Friday and returned it at 3pm Sunday. Sorry, we did not explore the taxi option while we were there. Golf Green fees, buggy, and insurance at The Els Club is RM 375 for 18 holes. Additional charges if you require the caddy service. To continue another 18 holes on the same day is only RM 150. But before you make your booking, please do call the club and check if they have any promotion going on. Overall A 3 days 2 nights in Langkawi with 18 holes at The Els Club will cost you: Flight - RM 230 each Hotel - RM 170 (twin share) each Car - RM 80 each (split 4 ways, assuming 4 of you will be playing golf) Golf - RM 375 each TOTAL = RM 855 each
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Penang Golf Club (formerly known as Bukit Jambul Golf Club) was built in 1984. It has recently been placed under new Japanese ownership and given a much needed upgrade to make it more competitive and popular to the world outside Penang. It has undergone a major facelift and reopened in November 2012. The original course design has been retained with cosmetic changes. Club entrance: My golfing experience started at the bag drop-off area where I was much welcomed by friendly staff. The starter and caddy-master were gracious and gave a very good first impression of the club. I was met at the registration counter by an equally welcoming manager who was kind enough to provide me with light banter and local info about the club and members. Changing room: The changing room however was very average in terms of appearance but kudos to them for keeping it very clean, with adequate toiletries and full air-conditioning throughout. The showers had good pumps running the water so no problems with having a clean bath. Course playability: Tee boxes: The tee boxes are maintained with the right kind of combination to me: flat planes to give you stability & consistency at every drive and proper maps with lengths in metres. I was glad I did not have to survey any tee box before any shot, you can simply place your ball along any side and you’re good to go. Fairways: It now has new Bermuda turf on its fairways which is maintained very well. For normal days (as opposed to competition days) the 1st cut and the rough have been trimmed, so in general you would not complain too much about losing your ball off the fairway. Although as with any golf course, you should know which side of the fairway to place your tee-shot to get the best angle for your approach. The cart paths have been lengthened & upgraded to allow better turning radii and generally is a safer and smoother ride. To make the course even more friendly for amateur golfers like me, the club allows buggies on fairways too. For me, this makes the course much more playable and reduces stress in terms of selecting the proper clubs for your next shot, having your buggy and golf bag right next to your ball for your approach shots. Greens: The new upgrades have given Tidwarf grass for its greens and some modifications to make it more challenging and exciting. Personally, I give the greens a 2-thumbs up as the new undulations can been deemed as an upgrade and require much thought and consideration as opposed to simple flat lies at some golf courses. Some greens even have multi-tiering that require a fully calibrated yardage to reach the pin at the correct plateau. Caddy: The caddy that I was given had adequate local knowledge of the course and the greens. He was very friendly and professional to his task so I do not have much complaints at all. Although I was told that currently they have many Indonesian caddies under training there, therefore I would implore you to call and enquire about the availability of local experienced caddies beforehand. Overall summary: In summary, as a first timer there, I was very impressed with the overall feel of the course. This golf club is matured and on a lot of holes you know you are playing at gem of a course. The front 9 is located more along the boundaries with external roads so you can catch a glimpse of the neighbourhood outside. You even have a sense that on an island such as Penang, this is like a private getaway with tranquillity and serenity that gives you that added exclusivity whilst playing here. I would definitely recommend this course for anyone willing to bring along their golf set up north. Rating: 8/10 * Contributed by Prom
Tucked away amidst the idyllic suburb of Johor Bahru is Ponderosa Golf & Country Club, just 15 minutes from the city centre. Intimidating to golfers of all levels, this superb 18-hole layout promises compelling golf experience and service with a smile. Ponderosa is a perfect hideaway where one can enjoy many features including a great restaurant and relaxing pool. The clubhouse reflects a timeless ambience of grandeur, elegance and style while the whole development mirrors an eco-friendly concept. Owned by Bonanza Resorts Sdn Bhd, which is co-owned by the Kuok Group, Lee Rubber Group and Tai Tak Group, the property is managed by professionals in their respective fields. "Malaysia's Southern Gateway to Night Golfing" PONDEROSA, which derives its name from a well known American pine, is also the name of the famous cattle ranch in the hugely popular television series “Bonanza” in the 70's. For more information on the golf course, please visit their website. Holes 18 holes Par 72 Accommodation Available - A Total Of 16 Guest Rooms only Pro Shop Available - MST Golf Driving Range Available - open till 10pm Changing Room Very large and spacious. F&B The golfer's terrace offers both local and international dishes. Drink Huts Not available. You can order the cold box and fill it up with bottled drinks at a cost. Caddy Available upon request. Other Services Nil Rates RM165 nett weekday & RM260 nett weekends (am) (excluding caddy) AGSSG Rates With 'Special Arrangements' only (minimum 1 flight) GBWL Likes & DislikesAt first, one can get very confused with the location of this course as there's also a nearby golf course with very similar name. The locals call this place "Palm Resort". As you enter the resort area, you will see the hotel main building. The course is to the left of that building. Palm Resort offers three 18-hole award-winning golf courses aptly named after exotic Malaysian flora – the Allamanda, Cempaka and Melati. Designed by the master, Hiromasa Inagawa, the courses cover 800 acres of undulating hills and scenic lakes that offer varying degrees of challenges that would tempt any golfer to conquer its terrain. The greens are the very place to be immersed in play together with a network of friends, and to take one’s mind off the daily rigors. The Clubhouse Resplendent in its archetypal Malaysian architecture with ventilated high-ceilings, wooden rafters and multi-tiered roof, the Clubhouse is the anchorage point where all golf activities start and end. It encompasses two levels, with facilities that are designated for the comfort of members and golfers. For more information on the golf course, please visit their website. Allamanda Course Cempaka Course Melati Course Holes 54 holes (3 x 18 Holes) Par 72 Accommodation Available - Le Grandeur Palm Resort Hotel Pro Shop Available - MST Golf Driving Range Available Changing Room Very large and spacious. F&B The restaurant offers both international and local dishes. Drink Huts Available only at the starter area. They offer a cold box filled with 2 bottles of mineral water and 2 cans of 100 Plus for RM 16. Caddy Available upon request. Other Services Nil Rates RM98 nett weekday & RM265 nett weekends (excluding caddy) AGSSG Rates Not Available GBWL Likes & DislikesNestled cozily within the well established neighborhoods of Kota Kemuning and Bukit Rimau lies the 18-hole Bukit Kemuning Golf and Country Resort, also dubbed "Bukit Kemuning's Hidden Jewel". Since its first tee-off in 1993, BKGCR has grown tremendously in its popularity amongst the most serious as well as recreational golfers, with its membership reaching almost 800 . Sprawling over 150 acres of lush greenery, the course commands the very best of its golfers, with challenging greens and sparkling white bunkers there to demand extreme skills and accuracy even amongst the most discerned golfers. Fairways spread generously with well defined lines and stripes to tease those looking for a good approach while heavy roughs await those who tend to take the course too lightly. The motto of BKGCR is basically to provide the most laid-back feel for everyone and to encourage friendships to nourish on the course as well as in the clubhouse. The ambience welcoming every visitor or regular member at the clubhouse is that of the most friendliest and relaxing. The image of golfers greeting one another out at the fairways and golfer's terrace is a very common sight, and BKGCR feels extremely proud and ecstatic to host these smiles. The clubhouse and golf course have seen a major facelift since early 2006 and the response has been very encouraging. With a solid goal in mind, Bukit Kemuning Golf & Country Resort aims to be one of the best golf courses in the country and to attract serious golfing enthusiasts and golf tourists from all around the world. For more information on the club, please visit their website. Holes 18 holes Par 72 Accommodation Not Available Pro Shop Available Driving Range Available Changing Room Moderate. Its time to renovate, especially their showers! F&B A major pull factor for the club is their food. Variety of local dishes available but the most popular is the 'fish head curry'. Order the set menu, which comes with rice, kam heong chicken, crispy fried brinjal, omelette, and rojak for dessert. Its the bomb! Drink Huts Available. Caddy Limited but available upon request. Other Services Nil Rates RM122 nett weekday & RM210 nett weekends (excluding caddy) AGSSG Rates RM78 nett weekday & RM118 nett weekend (caddy RM45/flight) GBWL Likes & Dislikes![]() "1st world course and clubhouse... but sadly 3rd world toilet. Better hold the load for nice one during shower at the clubhouse after the game" Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club has emerged as the premier golf club in the southern half of Malaysia and is a force to be reckoned with. This accolade is even more remarkable considering that this US$10 million championship course opened for play a mere four years ago in May 2008. Located in the heart of Nusajaya, within the Iskandar Development Region, Horizon Hills has won almost every award there is and by the look of things, there is no stopping the club from climbing its way to the ranks of Asia’s top golf courses. A masterful design by renown Australian course architect Ross Watson, Horizon Hills has raised eyebrows and won the hearts of everyone who has visited this jewel of the south. Horizon Hills has made a name for itself thanks to its slick, undulating greens that will surely make the heart beat faster, fairways laden with a fine carpet of paspalum grass and a superb layout that will test even the most experienced professional. It comes as no surprise that Horizon Hills has emerged as the most popular southern region course for Singaporeans and that it has become the home of the Iskandar Johor Open, a growing vent jointly sanctioned by both the European and Asian Tours. Holes 18 holes Par 72 Accommodation Not Available Pro Shop Available Driving Range Available Changing Room Modern and very large area. Lockers are big too. F&B Wide spread of delicious food in the menu covering both locals and international. Drink Huts Not Available. Only at the club house. Caddy A choice of Indonesian or Filipinos caddies. Indonesians are the safer bet. Other Services Nil Rates RM160 nett weekday & RM330 nett weekends (excluding caddy) AGSSG Rates RM110 nett weekday & RM165 nett Sunday PM only (excluding caddy) GBWL Likes & Dislikes![]() "Clean, worth dropping a load, while downing a cool bottle of Asahi or Teh Botol." For more information, please visit their website.
Templer Park Country Club is set amid the tranquil beauty of the surrounding Templer Park Forest Reserve, at the foothills of the majestic Bukit Takun limestone hill, which dominates the landscape and has witnessed the slow passing of time. It has also kept a watchful eye over TPCC since it was established in 1990. Designed by the legendary Japanese professional golfer, Jumbo Ozaki and the renowned golf course architect, Kentaro Sato, the layout has stood the test of time and is as much of a challenge today as it was more than 24 years ago. Located conveniently just off the Rawang Highway, the club is easily accessible, a mere 15-30 minutes drive from most places in KL. Holes 18 holes Par 72 Accommodation Not Available Pro Shop Available Driving Range Not Available Changing Room Large area with Sauna and Hot Tub. No air-condition. F&B Mostly are Japanese food. Local dishes are available as well. Drink Huts Available Caddy Caddies are helpful. If needed, can provide distance in meters. Other Services Japanese style hot bath and saunas. 4-seater buggy available upon request. Rates RM200 weekday & RM320 weekends (excluding buggy, caddy and insurance) AGSSG Rates RM132.50 nett weekday only (inclusive buggy, caddy and insurance) GBWL Likes & Dislikes![]() "The toilet at the drink huts are 50:50. Better just hold it and unload at the clubhouse" Situated in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, the newly renovated club offers value for money golfing experience. Holes 18 holes Par 72 Accommodation Not Available Pro Shop Available Driving Range Available Changing Room Renovated in 2013. Small but cozy. F&B Not known to have great food but acceptable. Mainly local dishes. Drink Huts Available Caddy Available upon request. Limited. Other Services Shoe cleaning service at the changing room for a fee of RM5. Used balls for sale everywhere, starting from the car park. Rates RM107 nett weekday & RM192 nett weekends AGSSG Rates RM75 nett weekday (inclusive of RM10 F&B Voucher) & RM125 nett weekends (inclusive of RM15 F&B Voucher) GBWL Likes & Dislikes![]() "I wouldn't drop a load here. The toilets are not well maintained." Glenmarie has owned its renowned name by their lavish 36-Hole Golf course (Garden formerly known as the East Course & Valley the West Course) was designed by a creative American hand master designer Max Weller. Glenmarie is a Member's Proprietary Private Membership club with exceptional club facilities, night golfing and events venue. The Holiday Inn Kuala Lumpur Glenmarie (formerly known as Pan Pacific Hotel) is located within the vicinity of the Resort, this will encourage a comfortable stay and play for our guests. Glenmarie is known to be a 'Haven' to all golfers for either Leisure Golfing or hosting International Golf Tournaments. The most recent was the 2014 Eurasia Cup. "DRB-HICOM pledged to the success of Glenmarie and to the satisfaction of its Members and Guests." Holes 2 X 18 holes (Garden & Valley) Par 72 Accommodation Available - Holiday Inn Glenmarie Pro Shop Available - MST Golf Driving Range Available Changing Room Renovated in early 2014, offers large and cozy room F&B A lot to offer from the menu. Both local and international flavors. 2 tier pricing (members & non members) Drink Huts Available on each course Caddy Though some are very good, most are there to help you with the clubs Other Services Nil Rates RM159 weekday & RM318 weekends (member's guest) excluding buggy, caddy and insurance AGSSG Rates Not Available GBWL Likes & Dislikes![]() "Nice toilets....good downloads are encouraged" |
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