Golf In Asia

07/11/2025

Bogor, an hour south of Jakarta, is one of Asia's least known yet among the most outstanding destinations for a golf week. Having just completed a visit with golfers from Australia, Ireland, UK and Thailand, we can attest to the quality of the courses and overall experience. Starting at Royale Jakarta, a championship course in the south of the city, our group played Sentul Highlands, Rainbow Hills, Gunung Geulis and Rancamaya. Numerous other courses such as Bogor Raya can be included, as well as the new Trump Lido facility if you're able to snag a tee time – at a much higher cost than Bogor's other courses which are very reasonably priced. We travelled with Asia Golf Experiences and received fabulous attention from our guide and driver. www.asiagolfexperiences.com will secure you a wonderful experience in Bogor or elsewhere in Asia.

25/07/2025

BEST PUBLIC ACCESS COURSES IN ASIA
Yes, it's a totally subjective list and there are many others worth considering, but we believe these are the 10 best public access courses in Asia (note, two at Spring City, Kunming):

ALPINE, BANGKOK, THAILAND
Arguably, the best public-access course in Thailand. A wonderful test of golf as well as an exhilarating experience with a fabulous traditional clubhouse. Always superbly conditioned and prepared, it’s a must-play of more than 60 courses in and around the city. Its sister course, also named Alpine, is the best of numerous choices in Chiang Mai, north-west Thailand.

BA NA HILLS, DANANG, VIETNAM
Many good judges rate this as one of the great courses of South-East Asia. The undulating, long layout about 30 minutes west of Danang is challenging with many standout holes and is always set up for an enjoyable day out.

SPRING CITY (LAKEVIEW and MOUNTAIN COURSES), KUNMING, CHINA
Perhaps the best twin pair of courses in Asia, Singapore-owned Spring City has been wowing players for more than 20 years. The terraced Robert Trent Jones Jnr Lakeview course gets most attention because of its visual dramatic appeal, but the Nicklaus Mountain course is equally good and is a little more challenging.

BLACSKTONE, MISSION HILLS, HAINAN, CHINA
Part of the formidable Mission Hills 10-course resort stable near Haikou on China’s southern island of Hainan, this lava-strewn course is the best in the complex and perhaps the pick of all 22 courses in the Mission Hills stable on Hainan and near Shenzhen/Dongguan, close to Hong Kong. It has hosted professional and pro-am events and never fails to impress.

SIAM COUNTRY CLUB OLD COURSE, CHONBURI, THAILAND
A course that has won acclaim for 50-plus years since it opened in the early 1970s. Host of an annual LGPA event each February, it appeals to afficionados of classic parkland-style design. Always in great condition and close to four nearby Siam CC layouts with two separate clubhouses.

HOIANA SHORES, HOI AN, VIETNAM
A Robert Trent Jones Jnr links layout facing the East (South China) Sea, opened in 2019 that has since won widespread acclaim, boasting one of the best clubhouses in Vietnam. It is one of few true links golf experiences in the country. World Heritage-listed Hoi An is a delightful former trading city within 40 minutes’ drive of Danang’s international airport, providing another reason to stay and play Hoiana Shores.

THE BLUFFS, HO TRAM, VIETNAM
A Greg Norman design on the south-east coast of Vietnam, two hours from Ho Chi Minh City. Marked elevation changes and fabulous ocean views are coupled with an awesome playing experience, modern on-site hotel/casino and elevated clubhouse with views over the sea and much of the course itself.

BLUE CANYON (CANYON COURSE), PHUKET, THAILAND
Revamped in the past two years, the host of Johnnie Walker Classics in the late 1990s, the Canyon is an enticing risk-reward layout with numerous standout holes. Almost adjacent to Phuket International Airport, its signature par-4 13th canyon hole and following par-3 with an island green are standouts. Its adjacent Lakes course is also first-class.

SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
This 36-hole complex in Malaysia’s capital city provides the ultimate test of golf on the DP World Tour Palm course (known as the Cobra) and a somewhat less intense adjacent Bunga Raya layout. Both can be played midweek by visitors, with accommodation on site. It is regularly rated as Malaysia’s top golf experience and one of the world’s top 100 courses.

Photo: 10th and 18th greens at Blue Canyon, Phuket.

13/07/2025

GOLF TRIP WITH A BEACH HOLIDAY
Where should you go in Asia to combine a golf trip with a beach holiday? There are numerous choices, headed by Phuket and Hua Hin in Thailand and Bintan Island, Indonesia.
Not only does Phuket offer excellent golf on seven courses, its beaches are world-renowned. For ocean swimmers, visit between November and March when the Andaman Sea is calm and conditions for golf are also at their best. This is, however, the time of year when most tourists visit the island, so expect to pay more and book your golf rounds in advance to be sure of a tee time.
Hua Hin, on the Gulf of Thailand, has calmer seas than Phuket in the low season, but its beaches aren't quite as interesting as those in Phuket. It's more of straight, long stretches of sand, whereas Phuket has coves, bays and inlets that always provide something different. Hua Hin's golf is excellent, headed by Black Mountain, Pineapple Valley and Springfield with numerous other choices nearby.
Bintan, an hour by ferry from Singapore, has three excellent golf courses headed by the Gary Player-designed Ria Bintan’s Ocean course, a wonderful design with an adjacent 9-hole Forest course. Two others, Laguna Bintan and Bintan Lagoon play partly alongside the oceanside and have resort accommodation by the beach. The golf on Bintan is excellent and its beaches are peaceful and idyllic.
Photos: Bangtai Beach, Phuket in high season.

04/07/2025

ASIA'S BEST PUBLIC ACCESS COURSES FOR VISITORS

Which are the best public-access courses in Asia? That's totally subjective and a matter of personal opinion, but these are our favourites:

Alpine, Bangkok, Thailand
Arguably, the best public-access course in Thailand. A wonderful test of golf as well as an exhilarating experience with a fabulous traditional clubhouse. Always superbly conditioned and prepared, it’s a must-play of more than 60 courses in and around the city. Its sister course, also named Alpine, is the best of numerous choices in Chiang Mai, north-west Thailand.

Ba Na Hills, Danang, Vietnam
Many good judges rate this as one of the great courses of South-East Asia. The undulating, long layout about 30 minutes west of Danang is challenging with many standout holes and is always set up for an enjoyable day out.

Spring City (Lakeview and Mountain courses), Kunming, China
Perhaps the best twin pair of courses in Asia, Singapore-owned Spring City has been wowing players for more than 20 years. The terraced Robert Trent Jones Jnr Lakeview course gets most attention because of its visual dramatic appeal, but the Nicklaus Mountain course is equally good and is a little more challenging.

Blackstone, Mission Hills, Hainan, China
Part of the formidable Mission Hills 10-course resort stable near Haikou on China’s southern island of Hainan, this lava-strewn course is the best in the complex and perhaps the pick of all 22 courses in the Mission Hills stable on Hainan and near Shenzhen/Dongguan, close to Hong Kong. It has hosted professional and pro-am events and never fails to impress.

Siam Country Club Old Course, Chonburi, Thailand
A course that has won acclaim for 50-plus years since it opened in the early 1970s. Host of an annual LGPA event each February, it appeals to afficionados of classic parkland-style design. Always in great condition and close to four nearby Siam CC layouts with two separate clubhouses.

Hoiana Shores, Hoi An, Vietnam
A Robert Trent Jones Jnr links layout facing the East (South China) Sea, opened in 2019 that has since won widespread acclaim, boasting one of the best clubhouses in Vietnam. It is one of few true links golf experiences in the country. World Heritage-listed Hoi An is a delightful former trading city within 40 minutes’ drive of Danang’s international airport, providing another reason to stay and play Hoiana Shores.

The Bluffs, Ho Tram, Vietnam
A Greg Norman design on the south-east coast of Vietnam, two hours from Ho Chi Minh City. Marked elevation changes and fabulous ocean views are coupled with an awesome playing experience, modern on-site hotel/casino and elevated clubhouse with views over the sea and much of the course itself.

Blue Canyon (Canyon course), Phuket, Thailand
Revamped in the past two years, the host of Johnnie Walker Classics in the late 1990s, the Canyon is an enticing risk-reward layout with numerous standout holes. Almost adjacent to Phuket International Airport, its signature par-4 13th canyon hole and following par-3 with an island green are standouts. Its adjacent Lakes course is also first-class.

Saujana Golf & Country Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This 36-hole complex in Malaysia’s capital city provides the ultimate test of golf on the DP World Tour Palm course (known as the Cobra) and a somewhat less intense adjacent Bunga Raya layout. Both can be played midweek by visitors, with accommodation on site. It is regularly rated as Malaysia’s top golf experience and one of the world’s top 100 courses.

Also: Nikanti, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand; Pineapple Valley, Hua Hin, Thailand; Ria Bintan, Bintan, Indonesia; Rancamaya, Bogor, Indonesia; Thai CC, Bangkok, Thailand; Chee Chan, Pattaya, Thailand; FLC Quy Nhon, Vietnam; Yulongwan, Kunming, China.

Expect to pay green fees from $US200 to $270. Some may require you to stay onsite to achieve playing rights, but most can be booked on a pay-for-play basis.

PHOTO: Blue Canyon's 18th hole from the clubhouse.

11/05/2025

GOLF IN BALI SHRINKS FURTHER
First it was Nirwana Bali, the Greg Norman-designed layout at Tanah Lot that closed in 2017 and has never reopened. Now Bali National Golf Club on the eastern side of the tourism-heavy area around Kuta/Seminyak/Legian has put up the shutters. Both courses are not expected to re-open, leaving only New Kuta near Uluwatu and Bali Handara some 65km north of Denpasar as the island's only 18-hole options on the island. Bali National opened as Bali Golf & Country Club in 1998 and was revamped in 2017. Like Bali Nirwana, it was a wonderful golf experience, but apparently has fallen victim to Bali's insatiable desire for land to build hotels, resorts and villas. Nirwana is said to be the site for a new train station planned for Bali to ease its horrendous traffic problems along the southern coast of the island.

10/03/2025

If you're looking for somewhere different for a golf holiday, check out Clark in the Philippines. Boasting 12 excellent courses within an hour's drive and three more planned or under construction, a new revamped international airport, high quality accommodation and plenty of after-golf activities, Clark is Asia's hottest new golf destination. Centred on Mimosa Plus with two 18-hole courses, Asia's top golf hotel (2024 World Golf Awards), new condos under construction, a strip mall with restaurants and additional shopping mall to open by year's end, it's truly a one-stop destination in its own right. The two Mimosa Plus layouts – Acacia and Mountain View – lie in the shadow of Mt Pinatubo and are among the best in the region, while a new 48-bay driving range and golf academy is ideal for beginners, juniors, women and competent players wishing to hone their game. Clark has direct flights from Dubai, Qatar, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei and Tokyo and is 80km by road north of Manila. Go to www.mimosaplusgolf.com for more information.

07/03/2025

TRUMP GOLF LIDO TEES OFF
Donald Trump's first southern hemisphere golf venture through his Trump Golf entity has opened to members and their guests near Bogor, Indonesia.
Playing only nine holes until late 2024, Trump Lido's full course is now open, with a temporary clubhouse operating until the huge main clubhouse is ready later this year.
The spectacular layout within the MNC Lake Resort, 80km south of Jakarta, rises to 700 metres above sea level at its highest point on the 6th tee, descending gradually with the new back nine holes presenting a tougher challenge than a relatively friendly front nine. Numerous gullies and ravines and holes playing at right angles are a feature of holes 10-18, all the while guarded by the strato-volcanic peaks of Mt Salak, Mt Gede and Mt Pangrango which are visible throughout the round.
Trump Golf manages the facility for Indonesian magnate Hary Tanoesoedibjo’s MNC Land, a subsidiary of publicly-listed MNC Group. It brings to 17 the number of properties in the Trump Golf portfolio and is the only one south of the equator. Only members (of which there are currently 74, paying a USD70,000 joining fee) and their guests can play the course, although individual requests by aspiring visitors will be considered.
General manager Steven Thielke (pictured with superintendent Mick Pascoe) emphasises that low volume, high cost will be Trump Lido's business model, so expect to pay USD300 plus if access is granted. www.trumpgolflido.com

17/02/2025

NO REMAKE FOR BALI NIRWANA ?
Whispers coming out of Bali suggest that the planned remake of Bali Nirwana Golf Club, closed in 2017 in readiness for becoming a Trump Golf facility, isn't going to happen. There's no confirmation yet, but Indonesian company MNC Land, which owns the property, is said to have pulled the plug on the development after the property's designation for other uses. The golf course, overlooking the Indian Ocean, was one of the most spectacular in Asia. Its 7th hole playing over the water towards the Tanah Lot temple (photo) was one of the most photographed holes on the planet.

07/12/2024

GOLF + BEACHES
It's high season in SE Asia and both golf courses and beaches are becoming busy, especially at the most popular seaside destinations. If you're looking for a golf + beaches holiday, this is our selection of the best destinations in the region:

1. Phuket, Thailand
2. Bali, Indonesia
3. Bintan Island, Indonesia
4. Boracay, Philippines

There are seven golf courses on Phuket and four others within an hour’s drive north of the island. Golf courses are all within easy reach of great beaches. In high season the Andaman Sea is calm and clear. Resort course Laguna Golf Phuket is almost adjacent to 6km-long Bangtao Beach, with numerous accommodation choices, while Phuket’s many other west coast beaches are easily accessible to Red Mountain, Loch Palm and Blue Canyon golf clubs.
In Bali, the upmarket Nusa Dua beachfront is near Bali National GC, while New Kuta GC is less than a kilometre from delightful Dreamland Beach and several others including Padang Padang on the Bukit Peninsula. The Bukit Pandawa par-3 course is close to Pandawa beach and others on the southern end of the peninsula.
An hour by ferry from Singapore, Bintan Island has three excellent golf courses and quality beaches to match, headlined by the wonderful Ria Bintan GC, with Laguna Golf Bintan occupying a prime oceanside location on the island’s northern coast.
Fairways and Bluewater on Boracay island, Philippines (its famous White Beach is nearby) is a one-golf course destination, but the beach – one of the best in South-East Asia – is special and makes up for the lack of golf choices. The golf course is also top notch.

06/11/2024

If you're coming to Thailand this high season (Nov-Mar) you'll be paying top dollar as most courses have raised their rates for the busy time of year. You'll pay 6000 baht (USD175) walk-in to tee off at Blue Canyon's Canyon course in Phuket, 5000 baht (USD145) at nearby Laguna Golf Phuket, 6000 baht at Thai CC in Bangkok, 5500 baht at Alpine and Nikanti, and so on. Yes, there are some lower-priced opportunities, but you'll need to seek them out. Booking through a tour operator may save a few baht, but it's still going to be expensive. If you want cheaper options, look at Kanchanaburi, a couple of hours west of Bangkok, Khao Yai, north-east and Phang-na/Khao Sok provinces a couple of hours north of Phuket, or wait until after high season.
Photo: 18th green at Thai CC.

31/10/2024

If you're in Phuket or southern Thailand and are looking for something different, head for Rajjaprabha Dam Golf Course in Surat Thani province. The course is in Khao Sok National Park, about two and a half hours drive north of Phuket. It's well worth the trip. A wonderful and challenging layout beckons, surrounded by towering limestone peaks. This is one of the best golf courses in rural Thailand and is better than many in Phuket and Hua Hin. Green fees are very reasonable at 1000-1200 baht. The clubhouse is tired, but has a good restaurant and reasonably-priced accommodation can be found easily nearby.

14/10/2024

THAILAND's CENTURY OF GOLF
It seems to have escaped most people, but 2024 is the centenary of Thailand's first golf course, Royal Hua Hin, designed by a Scottish railway engineer which opened, appropriately near the town's railway station, in 1924. RHH is still open for play, offering an iconic, although somewhat dated, golf experience. Newer courses like Black Mountain, Pineapple Valley (Banyan) and Springfield get most attention these days, with good reason, and Hua Hin is a significant golf tourism destination, home of the Centara World Masters that attracts hundreds of international golfers each June. It is one reason Thailand has become the powerhouse of golf tourism in Asia, with 260+ courses, and hundreds of thousands of golf visitors each year.
This is the history of golf courses, by country, in Asia: India 1829, Indonesia 1872, Sri Lanka 1879, Pakistan 1886, Myanmar 1887, Hong Kong 1889, Singapore 1891, Malaysia 1893, Philippines 1901, Japan 1903, Nepal 1917, Korea 1921, Vietnam 1922, Thailand 1924, Brunei 1934, China 1984*, Cambodia 1996, Laos 2012.
* Chuiwan, which means “striking ball,” was a popular leisure activity during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) in China. It involved players using a bamboo stick to strike a ball made of leather into a series of designated holes, marked by ornate flags, much like flags on golf courses today.
Photo: The 2nd hole at Black Mountain, an exceptional golf experience near Hua Hin.

Golf in Asia is a boutique PR agency specialising in golf tourism in Asia