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Johor is located in the southeast of Peninsular Malaysia and has over 25 golf courses to choose from, each offering a unique experience for the experienced golfer. With excellent transport links to Singapore, the rest of Malaysia and further afield, it has become the golfing destination of choice for many who appreciate the variety, quality and value for money offered by the region’s courses. We have highlighted what many consider to be the two leading golf clubs in Johor, both offering two championship golf courses to choose from. Our article also features our handpicked luxury hotels where you can relax and rejuvenate after each of your rounds to ensure your next luxury golf vacation is the ‘complete package’.

Else Club Desaru Coast

Located on an ancient enclave overlooking the South China Sea, Else Club Desaru Coast This award-winning facility offers a premier golfing and lifestyle experience for anyone who chooses to play. Just a ninety-minute ferry ride from Singapore or the Woodlands Malaysia/Singapore checkpoint, this location makes it a favorite for Singapore-based golfing enthusiasts who want to escape the city and enjoy all that The Else Club has to offer. We loved the warm welcome at the bag drop, individual lockers in the extensive locker room, and expertly executed local favorites like roti canai in the club house. Before we stepped on the first tee we were suitably impressed.

Play eighteen holes on the Ocean Course

Designed by legendary golfer and four-time major champion, Ernie Els aka ‘The Big Easy’, the course plays over eighteen holes. Ocean course Character creation is full of choices and challenges. Your first choice is to choose from two of the three 9 hole courses to comprise the chosen 18 (ie Coast, Ridge and Lakes), your ongoing choices and challenges clubs and shots as you try to navigate your way. The choice will come from both. Success We played our front nine on the ridge and our second nine on the edge, enjoying moments of success and disappointment in equal measure. Generous fairways and large greens were inviting from the tees and fairways, but strategically placed bunkers and omni-present water hazards were always waiting to punish any wayward shots. Managing five pars was a highlight during my round, while finding constant bunkers was frustrating and offered ‘room for improvement’.

Stay at the Westin Desaru Coast Resort

As guests of Westin Desaru Coast Resort We can confirm that this luxury beach front resort is an easy choice for your next golfing vacation in Johor. Located just 5 minutes from The Els Club’s exquisite greens, fairways and bunkers, there was literally no time wasted both before and after our round. This meant we could maximize our time enjoying everything this luxurious Marriott International Resort had to offer between our two rounds of golf. Early morning coffee on our balcony overlooking the South China Sea? Check out. Creative culinary delights in both prego and seasonal flavors? Check out. Rejuvenating after a relaxing swim and round of treatments at Heavenly Spa? Check out. As I’m sure you get the picture, our stay at the Westin Desaru delivered everything we wanted (and more) on our Johor golfing vacation. We definitely feel relaxed, refreshed and ready for our next round of golf.

Play eighteen holes on the Valley Course

Well, if we thought the bunkers on the Ocean Course presented a challenge, found it Valley course The house of 187 bunkers was definitely relevant! Vijay Singh, a three-time major champion, has designed this stunning course that is beautifully curated with breathtaking views. The greens were small, demanding precise approach shots that were rewarded with receptive greens that enabled many of our shots to hold their position well even with long irons. And while the greens were undulating, they were true so if you pick the right line and the right speed you’ll be more rewarded. We were certainly aided by the in-cart GPS which helped with club selection, but playing any course for the first time is always a challenge. We both loved the Valley Course and can’t wait to return to make more golf memories in Johor.

Marriott Malaysia and Singapore Charity Golf Day

June 2024 saw the inaugural Marriott International Malaysia and Singapore Charity Golf Day hosted by The Westin Desaru Coast and The Else Club. Golfers from Malaysia, Singapore and further afield enjoyed a golf tournament, gala dinner and charity auction that raised much-needed funds to support UNICEF’s outstanding work in the region. The United Nations Children’s Fund works tirelessly to protect every child’s rights to health care, immunization, safe water, sanitation, nutrition and education. This brand new initiative was a huge success and we can’t wait to see what next year has in store.

Forest City Golf Resort

When one of the best golf clubs in Malaysia is located so close to the Singapore border, it’s not surprising Forest City Golf Resort Since Singapore opened to the public in September 2018, it has become a favorite among golfing enthusiasts. The two championship courses are beautifully manicured and maintained, with not a blade of grass looking out of place, from the moment we arrived we knew we were in for a treat, the only question was whether our golfing ability was up to our first rate. Expectations created by the surrounding environment will be met. What we knew was that we were going to make the most of the opportunity to play these two outstanding 18 hole courses.

Play eighteen holes on the Legacy Course

Totally pristine 7386 yards Legacy Course The ‘Golden Bear’ in Forest City was designed by none other than Mr Jack Nicklaus. With his 117 professional tour wins, including 18 major championships spanning a quarter of a century, we truly felt like we were following in the footsteps of a golfing legend. Our experience was challenging, enjoyable and frustrating all wrapped into one. Playing such a unique course required a challenge from the course management. Enjoyed playing a round on this beautifully manicured and maintained championship course. The frustration came from constantly finding our way through the seemingly endless sand that is a defining feature of the course. But we loved every minute of our round and can’t wait to return.

Stay at Forest City Golf Hotel

With distant views over the lush green lanes of Forest City, it’s no surprise Forest City Golf Hotel An obvious choice for anyone looking to combine a weekend of championship golf with luxury accommodation. Offering 298 spacious rooms and suites to choose from, many with golf course views, there is something for everyone. Two large freeform pools provide us with the perfect place to relax after our rounds, while for those who still have energy to burn, the well-appointed gym is the place to head. Look out for competitive ‘Stay and Play’ offers that combine your hotel stay with green fees to ensure your Johor golfing vacation is not only memorable, but also offers excellent value for money.

Play eighteen holes on a classic course

After a well-deserved rest, our final round was a little shorter, but just as challenging A classic course At Forest City, 7186 yards of manicured fairways, greens and bunkers create a unique course that is a joy to play. The second of three courses slated for development at Forest City, opened to the public in August 2019 and is the work of golf course architect Mr. Liang Guokun. We really enjoyed the slightly less challenging and slightly shorter classic course, but like any round of golf there were challenges that needed to be overcome and we tackled them. Having two such amazing eighteen hole golf courses at the same club is luxury golfing at its best, it’s no surprise that the tee times on both of our visits were fully booked with enthusiastic golfers from near and far.

Johor’s strategic location, combined with first-rate golf courses and luxury hotels will continue to ensure that golf-based tourism in the region will continue to grow. The quality of the courses and hotels on offer is questionable, which, when combined with excellent value for money, makes Johor an excellent choice for your next luxury golfing vacation.