SPORT

Unbelievable golfing in Asia from Kabul to the Maldives

Some of the best golf courses in Asia including the very real 'hazards' at Kabul, rarefied air in Gulmarg at 2,650m, the tea country of Nuwara Eliya, and manicured greens from Japan, Vietnam and Thailand to a spot of golf in the Maldives.

by Libby Peacock

updated by staff reporters October 2024

SEE ALSO Small corporate meetings in Asia | Bali resorts review | Asian Cruises | Dives | Hong Kong fun guide | New Delhi | Penang | Phuket | South Africa game parks | Krabi resorts | Fastest roller coasters | Yangon fun guide

Gulmarg Golf Club (left) serves up Swiss meadows in Kashmir at an elevation of 2,650m; The Hirono Golf Club (centre) changes colours in the fall; while the Mount Kinabalu Golf Club (right) is another exciting high course. / photos: courses

JUMP TO Kabul | Thailand | Indonesia | Malaysia | Brunei | Vietnam | China | Hong Kong and Macau | Philippines | Japan | South Korea | India | Dubai | This and that — Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Singapore, Taipei

GOLF fever shows no signs of abating in Asia, where the latest set of clubs remain a definite status symbol. Swing your Callaway five-iron-loft hybrid to send a well directed shot at check-in staff at the end of that tumultuous airport queue to alert them of your arrival. Or opt for a TaylorMade fairway wood. The good news for enthusiasts of the sport is that the region’s top courses are not only for the Tigers and Ernies of this world – there are plenty of scenic greens on which to practice your putt in resort surrounds. Here’s our roundup of the most interesting golf courses in Asia.

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High swingers take high road in Kabul

But it’s not all boring greens. If you have the moxie, head to AFGHANISTAN to check out the devilish “browns” at the country’s only golf course - Kabul Golf Club (kabulgolfclub.org/, tel: [93-79] 902-9011]), a high-altitude high-risk desert course where the hazards go beyond the usual roughs and bunkers. Taliban spoilsports have taken their toll – sometimes with bloody results – but the course plods on, whittled down, yet ever valiant.

Surprisingly an alert English-speaking gentleman answered the phone when we called late September 2024. He informed us the club was open but the following day was full as "they are playing cricket." This minor inconvenience apart, he suggested calling a day in advance to book a round with green fees of around US$50 that include nine holes (all back in action again) plus the services of a caddie with balls, use of club facilities, and a Kabul Golf Glub shirt and hat. From the sounds of things, prices are negotiable. Weekends may be problematic at times as city folk descend to picnic in this area.

The greens are “browns”, carefully compacted oil and sand that have seen their share of live combat — and landmines — through the years. The club dates back to 1967 and greets visitors with the jaunty exhortation: "No guns or body guard allowed." So there you are. The website history is equally candid with lists of assasinations and killings along with golf landmarks. The site is not always accessible and is often undergoing updates leaving you with a perplexingly blank home page.

You tee off from a wooded or artificial-turf mat high up the valley where the views and the lack of oxygen may leave you breathless. Watch for sand and rocks and more sand though by 2024 grass of sorts had started appearing. Your ball soars through the rarefied air, whizzing a reported 10 percent farther than at sea level, all for the same effort.

Enjoy the luxury of a bag caddie as well as a “fore” caddie who runs ahead to spot errant balls — most of them are young 10-year-olds with an incredible passion for the sport. But this is one place where you won’t await the luxury of golf carts or a round of cold drinks served on the green. The course has gone through a number of ups and downs during recent years so do get in touch with the club to make sure it can accommodate you safely before showing up with your gear.

The course is open from 7am till dusk and is just about 10km from the now Taliban-run and fairly basic 'Intercontinental' Hotel Kabul (www.intercontinentalkabul.com), your closest digs.

The Kabul Golf Course is a challenge for several reasons, not least of all its oil-and-sand 'browns' . Then there's the occasional land mine and weekend cricket crowds. / photo (right): course

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The best golf courses in Thailand

Thailand is almost as famed for its golf courses as it is its beaches, and you can’t go wrong in PHUKET for a good combination of both. Laguna Phuket Golf Club (tel: [66-76] 324-350, www.lagunaphuketgolf.com) is one of Thailand’s top golf resorts regularly overhauled with a fresh coat of verdure. Visitors have a slew of Laguna Phuket hotels to stay at including Banyan Tree and Dusit Thani.

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The course underwent a complete upgrade in January 2015 and reopened as an 18-hole, par-71. The course, designed by Max Wexler and David Abell, features gently undulating fairways with lagoons and large greens. There’s also an indoor teaching centre. Green fees (with caddie) for 18 holes are at Bt4,600 for resort guests and junior rates start at Bt1,660.

Possibly the most famous golf club in Phuket, the championship Blue Canyon Country Club (www.bluecanyonphuket.com), has its own well-appointed lodge rooms and luxury apartments, but there are several five-star resorts within striking radius. Blue Canyon, a former tin mine surrounded by rubber plantations, rolling mountains and sea in northern Phuket, has two 18-hole par-72 award-winning championship courses: the 7,179-yard Canyon Course and the 7,129-yard Lakes Course. The site was designed and developed by the well known Japanese golf course architect Yoshikazu Kato.

Canyon course green fees with golf cart and caddy charges for 18 holes totalled roughly Bt4,400 in 2024. These are perhaps the best Phuket golf courses for your weekend diary.

To complete your Phuket golfing spree, try the 27-hole Phuket Country Club (tel: [66-76] 319-200, www.phuketcountryclub.com), which includes the 18-hole 'Old Course', and a 9-hole 'Championship' course. There are also 52 driving bays at this place so swing out big time. The weekday visitor green fee for an 18-hole game is Bt2,400; and Bt1,700 for 9 holes. The Phuket Country Club is near Kathu Falls mid-island not far from Patong.

Also in the central Phuket island Kathu District are the Loch Palm Golf Club (tel: [66-76] 321-929, www.mbkgolf.com/loch-palm/) and the Red Mountain Golf Club (www.mbkgolf.com/red-mountain/), both run by MBK Golf. Riverdale is another course managed by the MBK group so there's no dearth of putting and swinging opportunities here. This is former tin mining country and the golf - despite its water guzzling - has transformed the area into a scenic escape.

Located in the secluded and still eminently green northeast of the island, the Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa (tel: [66-76] 310-888, www.missionhillsphuket.com) is just ten to 15 minutes from the airport. It should not be confused with the mammoth Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, southern China, featured later in this report. Expect a large and stylish Thai clubhouse with swimming pool and spa, pro-shop, a 22-bay driving range, putting green, golf for kids and 18 holes with buggy hire at Bt700 and golf club hire up to Bt2,000.

Just up from here in Phang Nga, a 30-minute drive from Phuket Airport, is the coastal Aquella Golf & Country Club (www.aquellagolf.com/), an 18-hole 72-par, 7,019 yard course, a lifestyle and activities escape with a large clubhouse.

Mission Hills course Phuket (left); buggy at Laguna Phuket; and the stunning greens and landscaping at the Blue Canyon championship course. / photos: courses

BANGKOK has a number of notable golf courses, but if you’re looking for a golf resort, Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Golf Resort and Spa (tel: [66-2] 118-7777, www.marriott.com/le-meridien-suvarnabhumi) may be it. Located between the airport and the city centre, the place boasts an 18-hole Nick Faldo course, and 223-rooms overlooking the greens. The Ronald Garl-designed championship Alpine Golf and Sports Club (tel: [66-2] 577-3333, www.alpinegolfclub.com) is a relatively rural 18-hole par-72 , 7,100-yard option. The beautiful undulating course was originally created from flat rice paddy fields. It has been a venue for Johnnie Walker Classic PGA tournaments, and is about an 80-minute drive from the city. It is regarded as one of Thailand’s more challenging courses.

The refreshing and classy 7,097-yard Thai Country Club (www.thaicountryclub.com/) opened in 1996 and launched its credentials with the Honda Classic in 1997 that Tiger Woods swept. Non-member visitors may come in on packages weekdays at Bt4,600 for 18 holes with caddie and cart. There is a helipad for high-flyers. And about 45-minutes from downtown Bangkok is the Royal Bang Pa-In (www.royalbpgolf.com/) 18-hole golf course with an unusual seven metre change in elevation across the greens.

There’s a lot of golfing to be had in HUA HIN and Cha Am. If you get sick of waves lapping on deserted sand beaches take a swing at one of these — our pick of the best golf courses in Hua Hin, all within a short drive of the resorts mentioned here. Royal Hua Hin Golf Course (www.santiburi.com/huahin/) has the accolade of being the oldest golf course in Thailand, opened in 1924. Good maintenance has ensured that it has aged more like a fine wine.

With the electric carts and decent clubhouse at modern The Black Mountain Golf Club (www.bmghuahin.com) you don’t even have to pick up a golf club to have a good time. But if you’re here to swing, the well-linked course is a bonus. This is luxury golfing with well-appointing villas and condominiums for endless days and nights course-side.

At Pineapple Valley Golf Club Hua Hin (formerly Banyan Thailand Hua Hin, pineapplevalleygolfclub.com/) you'll find a golf club, a smart villa resort and meetings and conference facilities. Rates from Bt2,250 to Bt4,100 depending on season. A Sundowner rate after 4pm is Bt1,100. Palm Hills Golf Club and Residence (palmhills-golf.com), about 10km north of Hua Hin in Cha Am, is a popular course in a good location.

Considered one of the best golf resorts in Thailand, Springfield Royal Country Club (www.springfieldresort.com/golf/) also has a hotel, a pro shop, an activity zone (with rock climbing and archery), a spa, and fitness facilities. A winter promotion may set you back just Bt2,600 for green fee, caddy and golf cart. Some offers may be open only for Thai resients so do check first.

Another choice about 25 minutes away is Majestic Creek Golf Club and Resort (www.majesticcreekcc.com/) with challenging water hazards, fresh grass, and 27 holes to help it stand out from the crowd. Also consider the scenic 36-hole greens of the Lake View Resort & Golf Club (lakeviewgolfandyachtclub/) and the smaller but very attractive Army-owned 18-hole Seapine Golf & Resort Hua Hin (www.seapine.co.th) set along the beach with brisk water and wind challenges. A railway line runs through it separating the mountain and beach courses.

Golfing in Thailand doesn’t stop here. On the north coast of the idyllic island of KOH SAMUI is the international-standard, 6,932-yard, 18-hole, par-72 Santiburi Samui Golf Club course (tel: [66-77] 421-709, www.santiburi.com), with green fees from around Bt5,600 for 18 holes. Opened in 2003, the course (nicknamed “the beast of Samui”) is set on a mountain slope between 30m and 290m above sea level, and therefore boasts more than decent views and cool breezes. The 6th, par-3 hole features a vertical drop and a waterfall. Do check the dress code. No tees and tank-tops.Green fees for the Santiburi Samui Country Club's 18 holes are Bt4,500; and rates for the Royal Samui Country Club (18 holes in 2 rounds of 9, www.rsgcc.co.th/) are at Bt1,600.

Black Mountain (left) offers an attractive course in Hua Hin along with the manicured Springfield (centre); while the Santiburi Golf Club in Koh Samui (right) is a class act. / photos: courses

PATTAYA can be a bit rough around the edges, but a short 30-minute drive from the seaside town is the Laem Chabang International Country Club (tel: [66-38] 372-273, www.laemchabanggolf.com), a par-72, Jack Nicklaus-designed course. Featuring an intimate 40-rooms, The Golf Lodge is linked to the clubhouse by a bridge. There are two courses, the 3,446-yard Mountain 9 and the 3,419 Valley 9, with a stream running through it. The charge for visitors is from Bt3,500 (weekdays). Lodge guests and members’ guests pay less.

The three-in-one Siam Country Club (siamcountryclub.com/) is an expanded and stylish contender with 63 holes in total and a par 72 on the 27-hole (3 loops x 9), 6,,608-yard Plantation course. Try your hand at the Old Course (18-hole par-72), the Plantation course, or the Waterside course (also 18-hole par-72). Professional golfers favour Hole 5 on the 'sugarcane' loop of the Plantation course with its uphill grind across 28 bunkers; and the closing holes on its 'pineapple' loop.

Close by the KHAO YAI in protected forests is Toscana Valley (www.toscanavalley.com), a picturesque PGA-standard mountain course designed by Bob McFarland with green fees starting at Bt3,500 (weekdays) and Bt4,500 (weekends). The clubhouse is in Italian accents with a pro shop, meeting facilities and pool. There are residence villas for sale. And in Ayodhya look no further than Ayodhya Links (www.ayodhyalinks.com/).

CHIANG MAI makes for a great getaway too. Chiangmai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort (tel: [66-53] 261-354, www.chiangmaihighlands.com) offers an 18-hole course with paspalum fairways and eagle greens, which translate into greener fairways and faster more consistent plays. Bunkers are deep and severe on errant shots. Mown grass areas surrounding the approach to the greens provide the option of playing either a chip-and-run, pitch shot or even putting the ball up onto the green. The resort at Chiangmai Highlands offers villas and rooms. Each villa has its own private alfresco shower, spoiling bathroom, minibar and a bed set on wooden deck, Thai style. If you’re really keen you can buy a Lanna-style home here.

For an away-from-it-all Thai location, the Santiburi group offers the Santiburi Chiang Rai Golf Club (tel: [66-53] 662-821, www.santiburi.com). This is an 18-hole, 6,853-yard Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed course, 10km from the CHIANG RAI city centre. Landscaping, lakes and streams are the order of the day on this north Thailand championship site and it’s suitable for players of all capabilities.

Another Chiang Rai option is the championship course at the Waterford Valley Golf Club Chiang Rai (tel: [66-53] 953-440, waterfordvalley) with attractively priced green fees weekdays. There’s a comfortable golf lodge that caters both for families and business travellers, and features horse riding, a swimming pool and tennis grounds.

Also in Chiang Rai vicinity is the Korean-built somewhat bland condo-style Happy City Golf & Resort (tel: [66-91] 762-074, HappyCityGolfChiangrai/), a 29-hole PGA-designed golf course built in 2012. It has the added bonus of a full sports complex.

And that’s some of the best of golfing in Thailand where the greens keep sprouting.

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Indonesia golf options Bintan to Bali

Golfing in BINTAN is so popular with Singaporean day-trippers and weekenders you’d be forgiven for thinking it was perhaps just off Orchard Road. In fact Bintan is part of Indonesia. Here the Ria Bintan Golf Club (tel: [62-770] 692-842, www.riabintan.com) has a popular 27-hole championship golf course designed by veteran Gary Player, consisting of a scenic 18-hole Ocean Course and a 9-hole Forest Course.

The Ocean Course’s hole 7 has been described as the “best par-5 hole in Asia”. The golf club is part of the Bintan Resorts destination (just 45 minutes by ferry from Singapore), and has its own Golf Lodge. Weekday rates from S$150 for 18 holes, twin-share buggy, ferry transfers and golfer insurance.

The luxurious all-villa Banyan Tree Bintan (www.banyantree.com/bintan) has its own backyard 18-hole Greg Norman-designed 60-hectare Laguna Bintan Golf (www.lagunagolfbintan.com/) course with signature holes 7 and 8, framed by the South China Sea, and the additional benefit of a luxury spa for some soothing relief post golf. A huge upgrade to all 18 holes was completed in July 2016 marking a major facelift for the area and providing a big bonus for guests at neighbouring hotels.

But wait... there’s more. The old Bintan Lagoon Resort that shut shop in 2020 returns late 2024 as the Mövenpick Bintan Lagoon Resort (www.bintan-resorts.com) bringing Swiss flair to the island. Within the Bintan Resorts ambit are two acclaimed championship courses. The first, a Seaview Course designed by Jack Nicklaus has a distinctive par-3 hole 12 played against a backdrop of the South China Sea, and Ian Baker-Finch’s Woodlands Course runs over undulating natural landscape.

Toscana Valley Khao Yai (right) is a splendid scenic golf escpae from Bangkok with residential deals; and Ria Bintan Golf Club (left) is a ferry ride from Singapore. / photos: courses

To swing out in paradise, there’s always the “Island of the Gods”, BALI. The upgraded and redeveloping Bali National Golf Club (tel: [62-361] 771-791, balinational.com/) located in The Maj Nusa Dua, offers a scenic 18-hole course designed by Nelson, Haworth Golf Course Architects, with the 17th hole playing out to the Indian Ocean and a posh clubhouse overlooking the 18th. Hole 9 has you driving over a ‘babbling brook’ while Hole 1 offers a flex for big hitters. This club also houses the Bali Island Golf Academy that started off initially as the Leadbetter Golf Academy. The green fees for 18 holes for visitors amount to roughly US$116, including shared golf cart, caddie and taxes.

On the southwest of the island is the New Kuta Golf (tel: [62-361] 848-1333, www.newkutagolf.com) adding to your swinging pleasure in the shopping and entertainment haven of Kuta. It was briefly closed late 2019. This is an unpredictable links-style course with shifting wind conditions and breezy sea views all around. According to launch general manager Rajakulasingham, "Hole 15 Par 3 set on top of brilliant white limestone cliffs, over looking the endless blue horizon of the Indian Ocean, can play anything from an 8 iron to a wood with the howling wind coming at you." Visitors can expect a rate of around US$150 for 18 holes.

In Sanur, the Bali Beach Golf Course with the island's only night-driving range and nine holes was permanently shut down on 31 Dece,ber 2021.

The atmospheric Nirwana Bali Golf Club overlooking Tanah Lot Temple was once associated with a storied Le Meridien that later morphed into the Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort before the whole operation folded following the Trump takeover. The planned Trump Hotel was itself subsequently shelved. Set among rice paddy fields on Bali’s west coast, the course was in ruins by 2024, overgrown and littered. The award-winning golf course first opened in 1997 as an 18-hole par 72 course, designed by Greg Norman.

About two hours’ drive from Bali’s Nusa Dua resort area, the Bali Handara Country Club (tel: [62-362] 3422-646, www.handaragolfresort.com/) is a cooling option at 1,142m above sea level with a spectacular Jurassic Park setting if you arrive early morning in the mist or with low cloud overhead.

Found within a mountain resort with rooms and bungalow accommodation, this public golf course is set inside a volcanic crater beautified by tall trees and flowers. Green fees for 18 holes are from around US$130 and there is a Stay-and-Play package at roughly US$233 with breakfast for two and two rounds of golf.

Entrance to the resort is through the much-Instagrammed symmetric Bali Handara Gate lined by magnificent flame trees. Bedugul is a scenic area and much-photographed Lake Bratan (or Beratan) is close by as an added bonus.

Leaving Bali to jump onto another Indonesian island — East Java — there’s a course from the same designers but with a totally different flavour (albeit very Indonesian). This is the Finna Golf and Country Club (tel: [62-343] 634-888; www.finnagolf.com), a 45-minute drive from SURABAYA. The designers closely stuck to a brief requesting that the resort and all its facilities blend into the environment with minimal disruption to the surrounding nature, and the par-3 hole 5 has views of the countryside as well as the famously volcanic Mount Penanggungan. The course is a 6,345m par-72 mountain course with two sets of nine holes in scenic surrounds. The resort offers 32 private luxury cottages — and VIP cottages with private swimming pools.

In JAKARTA look up the Royale Jakarta Golf Club (www.royalejakarta.com/) about a half-hour drive from downtown. With three sets of nine holes this course served as the venue for the Indonesia Masters for several years. An 18-hole set with green fees and caddie starts mid-week at around US$84. Imperial Klub Golf (www.aryaduta.com/) is a 7,200-yard 18-hole course also within striking distance of downtown Jakarta a half hour west of the city in Lippo Karawaci.

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Malaysia: tee for two in the hills

Malaysia golfing is flush with quite a few top resorts, of which the The Mines Resort & Golf Club (tel: [60-19] 600-1540, www.minesgolf.com.my/) not far from the capital KUALA LUMPUR is a prime example. It is part of the Mines Resort City with its giant, extravagant meetings-andweekends getaway Palace of the Golden Horses, and the golf course – designed by Robert Trent Jones – is situated on what was once the largest opencast tin mine in the world.

Bali's Handara Golf & Resort (left) in the mists of the central hills has a dramatic set of stone gates to welcome visitors; New Kuta Golf (centre) has several challenging holes; while the landscaped Bali National (right) is close to several Nusa Dua luxury resorts / photos: courses

The 90,000sq ft club house was completed in 1996. Its distinguishing feature is a huge 150-acre lake, created to fill in part of the mine. Expect a 6,966-yard 18-hole par-72 course with the 11th termed its signature hole. The 2024 rate for 18 holes was roughly US$104 for green fee, shared buggy, shared caddy and tax.

The Saujana Golf & Country Club (tel: [60-3] 7846-1466, www.saujanagolf.com.my/) in Selangor near Kuala Lumpur has hosted nine Malaysian Opens. It boasts two famous international courses – the Palm Course (also called the 'Cobra' for its twists and turns) and the Bunga Raya Course – both designed by Ronald Fream. Promotional green fees are about US$40 weekdays for 18 holes. Think a total of 36 holes.

Nearby is the acclaimed The Royal Selangor Golf Club (tel: [60-3] 9206-3333, rsgc.com.my/), with 36 holes that comprise an 18-hole Old Course, an 18-hole New Course and a 9-hole Suleiman Course. The institution was established in 1893 and is the haunt of many a cabinet minister and other high-flyers. Its signature hole is the Old Course’s 17th hole, which, according to the club, has “significant elevation changes and an elevated green, guarded by bunkers”. The course has been redeveloped considerably and is a private course.

Colonial comforts and undulating tea-strewn hills are very much the flavour at CAMERON HIGHLANDS, a cool getaway 200km north of Kuala Lumpur. Like many hill stations, this was developed as a summer escape for sweaty Europeans – and Britain’s more pleasant influences live on in scattered rose gardens and mock-Tudor architecture.

Tee off with tea garden views at the 18-hole, par-71 Cameron Highlands Golf Course (tel: [60-5] 491-1126) in Brinchang. This is a public course and is considered relatively challenging, with heavy rough, streams and challenging sand bunkers. Early play is advised to avoid the afternoon rains. Green fees are a modest RM52 on weekdays and RM84 on weekends and public holidays, with a caddy fee of RM20 for 18 holes.

Although the elegant, upscale YTL bolthole Cameron Highlands Resort (tel: [60-5) 491-1100, www.cameronhighlandsresort.com) is part of the property, with 56-elegant colonial-style rooms and suites, another pleasant colonial-stay option nearby is the boutique property The Lakehouse Hotel (tel: [60-5] 495-6152, www.lakehouse-cameron.com) with 19 rooms, and lashings of charm.

For a special game of golf, head for the mellow and laid back Malaysian island of LANGKAWI, where The Els Club Teluk Datai (elsclubs.com/index.php) is set in a tropical rainforest with all the flora and fauna to match. It’s not unusual to spot a monitor lizard ambling across the fairway. Expect rates of RM550-RM715 for 18 holes depending on season

The 18-hole par-72, ,6,750-yard golf course is linked with the splendid and atmospheric five-star rainforest villa property, The Datai Langkawi (www.thedatai.com/). The last hole is played out of the forest onto the Andaman coast. This is a true Jurassic Park setting so watch for swooping pterodactyls as you perfect your drive.

More island golf is available in multi-attraction PENANG where the large business-friendly Hotel Equatorial Penang (tel: [60-4] 644-2255) near the airport is conveniently neighboured by the18-hole Penang Golf Club (formerly known as the Bukit Jambul Country Club, tel: [604] 644-2255, penanggolfclub.com.my/) that underwent a a big facelift in 2012. The hilltop course has views of Penang and the Penang Bridge linking it to mainland Malaysia. This is another Robert Trent Jones course, with a famous 10th hole – the tee is located 100ft above the fairway. It is open to the public but fees can be a tad steep, over RM300 for green fees, caddy is compulsory (add more to your total outlay) and RM160 or more for clubs.

And that in a nutshell sums up golf in Malaysia though courses abound in the east coast of peninsular Malaysia around KUANTAN (the 18-hole 55-hectare Royal Pahang Golf Club, rpgc.com.my/) and SABAH (Borneo) where you might try the 1976 vintage Sabah Golf & Country Club (sgccsabah.com) with its charming par-72, 18-hole course.

In Sabah you will likely also look at the beachfront Nexus Resort and Spa Karambunai (www.nexusresort.com, par 72, 18 holes), Mount Kinabalu Golf Club (Mount-Kinabalu-Golf-Club, Hole 14 is across a ravine), 5,000ft up in the cool hills and a two-hour drive from Kota Kinabalu Airport; and the extensive greens in Sutera Harbour and Dalit Bay.

Els Club Datai (right) is an exclusive escape on Langkawi, Malaysia in rainforest surrounds; and the Mines Resort & Golf Club (left) is easily accessible from Kuala Lumpur and ideal for families. / photos: courses

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Swinging out in “dry” Brunei

The small, “dry” sultanate of Brunei may not be a party animal’s paradise, but when it comes to golf and glamour you can’t go wrong. The Empire Golf Club attached to the large and glitzy The Empire Hotel & Country Club (tel: [673] 241-8888, www.empire.com.bn) is a golfers’ dream. Look for a stay-and-play deal.

The 18-hole par-71 Jack Nicklaus-designed championship course has fabulous sea views with cliffs and ravines thrown in. All 18 holes are floodlit so you’ve got your evenings cut out for you. The signature hole is the 15th, which takes players right along the beach. This course has seen its fair share of professional action.

Also look out for the Fream-designed Royal Brunei Golf & Country Club (a few minutes from Empire) that draws in big swingers for its majestic Jerudong course carved through the jungles. Parts of this course show a little wear but it is an interesting challenge with little margin for error.

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Top Vietnam greens for big drives

Vietnam is still an up-and-coming golf destination. But brands are racing to set up shop here as business and interest picks up.

Described by designer Greg Norman as a "true links course" when it opened in 2014 after 10 years in the making, The Bluffs Ho Tram (www.thebluffshotram.com) had a fresh makeover by 2019 with vegetation trimmed and the dunes — and sea — in grand view through the course. At 50m, the greens at Hole 15 host the highest spot on the course with windswept views in all directions. This fast course hosts the HO TRAM Open, a US$1.5m purse championship. Weekday rates start at US$222 while weekend rates climb to US$246. Package rates for stays and swing-outs are also available at adjoining integrated casino hotel The InterContinental Grand Ho Tram. There is also the Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort and an Angsana. Ho Tram is about 120km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

The 18-hole Greg Norman club at Long Beach, CAM RANH — KN Golf Links Cam Ranh (tel: [84-2583] 999-666, www.kngolflinks.com/) — not far from sun-and-sand dive resort Nha Trang was up and running by late 2018. In addition to the 18 holes at The Links, expect nine parkland-style holes for those who enjoy variety and challenge at The Oasis course. Weekday fees for 18 holes is US$125 depending on the exchange rate. There are several fine resort accommodation options in Cam Ranh including Alma.

The Nick Faldo-designed Ocean Dunes Golf Club that opened in 1996 has since closed but others are filling the golfing void.

The Dalat Palace Golf Club (tel: [84-63] 3823-507, dalatpalacegolf.com/) has been around since 1922, but was redesigned in 1994. There are plenty of lakes and large greens to suit the lush, lake-dotted alpine city of DALAT, established by the French way back when as a ‘Petit Paris’. Each hole has four different tee areas, letting players choose their own degree of challenge. An 18-hole morning will set you back just US$105 weekdays. Guests have the option of staying at high quality resort hotels nearby. More on golf in Dalat.

In HOI AN along fabled China Beach, sample The Nam Hai’s (www.fourseasons.com/hoian/) exquisite beachfront villas with impeccable service whilst enjoying teeing off at the scenic 18-hole Montgomerie Links (www.montgomerielinks.com), 15 minutes from DANANG Airport. Mongomerie Links is central to an integrated residential development along My Khe Beach (once refered to as China Beaach). Professionals prefer the water holes. Visitors can expect to pay US$142 weekdays with a weekend surcharge.

In the Danang area also look at the 7,160-yard 18-hole Greg Norman designed Dunes Course at the Legend Danang Golf Resort (formerly BRG Danang, www.dananggolfclub.com). It debuted in 2010 as one of two 18-hole courses along My Khe Beach.Foreign visitors will pay around US$107 for 18 holes weekdays with better rates for BRG members and Legend members.

The Bluffs Ho Tram (left) serves up a challending course with great views from the 15th; and the Dalat Palace Golf Club (right) offers a chance to swing out in cooler green surrounds. / photos: courses

LANG CO: Just up the winding hill road and coastline north en route to Hue is the lush Laguna Golf Lang Co (www.lagunalangco.com). Launched by Nick Faldo in 2013, the course offers mountains and sea, jungles and dunes. It is an exhilarating challenge for all levels, with some holes played through rice paddy fields under the watchful, if disinterested, gaze of water buffaloes. This is a visually arresting jungle course with much attention to detail. Foreign visitors may avail of packages from US$115 and there are stay-and-play deals as well from Angsana Lang Co and the Laguna Parkside Residences. There is also the top-drawer Banyan Tree Lang Co. Both Banyan and Angsana are fine family-friendly luxe getaways with excellent spa and wellness services. The somewhat secluded location makes stay-and-play an ideal solution.

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Why, in China, golf is a holy “mission”

China offers such a vast spread of choice and geography that it is impossible to fully represent all selections here but we take a look at a few of the best. The country already has a number of world-class championship courses, of which the gargantuan Mission Hills Golf Club, spanning SHENZHEN and Dongguan (www.missionhillschina.com) very near the border with Hong Kong), is arguably the most famous. Accredited by Guinness World Records as the globe’s biggest (with 25sq km currently in use), the 80,000sq m club is part of a sprawling family-friendly resort offering leisure, entertainment, spas, meeting and conference facilities and restaurants. If you truly can’t get enough of golf, this is the place for you: there are no less than 396 holes over 22 courses, some designed by legends like Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh.

Shenzhen's World Cup Course designed by Jack Nicklaus hosted the first international golf tournament in China with the 1995 World Cup of Golf. The massive Norman Course in Dongguan runs 7,228 yards with some challenging par fours. It is rated one of the best and toughest Mission Hills courses. Mission Hills runs several terrific courses in Haikou, Hainan (www.missionhillschina.com/haikou) as well, like top-ranked Blackstone, Vintage and Shadow Dunes. Be warned, everything with Mission Hills is on a massive scale.

Also in Shenzhen, the Shenzhen Xili Golf and Country Club (www.xiligolf.com), managed by Shangri-La International, has a popular 36-hole championship course, designed by Lynx architects Nelson, Wright, and Haworth, is set in the scenic Nam Shan area of Shenzhen. There is a driving range and golf lessons are on offer.

The highly ranked Spring City Golf & Lake Resort (www.springcityresort.com) is located about 40 minutes from KUNMING in China’s Yunnan province, at 2,100m above sea level. It sports two courses built in 1998: a Lake Course known for being challenging (there’s a drop of 150m from the clubhouse to the 8th green), and a Mountain Course. As the names suggest, lake and mountain views abound. The club is part of an integrated resort.

Or for something completely different pick a scenic mountain course, one of the longest in the world at 8,545 yards, at the Nelson & Haworth Jade Mountain Snow Dragon Golf Club (www.nelsonhaworth.com/jade-dragon) in old-world Lijiang, Yunnan province. Sited some 10,000ft above sea level and blessed with thinner air (though this may not suit all golfers), the ball is said to travel 20 percent farther. This alone would make it worth the trip for some.

Another famous Chinese championship course, this time shaped like a dragon’s claw, is the par-72 Yalong Bay Golf Club (tel: [86-898] 8856-5888, www.yalongbaygolfclub.com) in Sanya on China’s resort island of HAINAN. Players have to negotiate lakes, marshes and coconut palms and no one with a handicap of over 40 is allowed to play here. There’s night golf, too. This is another of the many Robert Trent Jones Jr courses in Asia, located at the Yalong Bay Golf Resort, 25km from SANYA city with several top-drawer addresses from Mandarin Oriental to Ritz-Carlton and St Regis to pick from for your holiday stay.

Farther up the east coastof Hainan is the pleasant and fast-developing manicured sprawl of Haitang Bay. In this area, the Nelson and Haworth courses at the Mystic Springs Golf Club (tel: [86-898] 3188-8088, MysticSpringsGolfClub/) are not the easiest to access but are often described as 'hidden gems'. The club offers a suitable reward however — play will be declared free for anyone making a birdie on the 3rd hole. Meanwhile up in HAIKOU — the district capital — is the aforementioned Mission Hills with yet another excellent spread of greens. Still on the island, also consider scenic Shanquin Bay in the east near Bo'ao (a convention destination).

The BRG Danang Golf Club 'Dunes Course' (left) is a 7,160-yard Greg Norman design that runs along fabled My Khe Beach; and (right) the classy Laguna Lang Co course is a brief drive from Danang. / photos: BRG Danang (Gary Lisbon), Lang Co (Patrick Koenig)

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Not all wallet busting golf: Hong Kong, Macau

Contrary to popular belief, Hong Kong offers a lot more than city attractions and highrises. There’s plenty of green space and a number of quality golf courses, though none attached to resort hotels.

A famous spot to tee off is The Hong Kong Golf Club, Fan Ling (tel: [852] 2670-1211, www.hkgolfclub.org) – an institution that was founded in 1889, and also runs a course in Deep Water Bay. The Fanling clubhouse was built in 1911. Facilities are open to the public through the year weekdays (three courses: Old Course, New Course and the Eden Course). Green fees for 18 holes are from HK1,600 (for Hong Kong ID-card holders who must meet the handicap requirements) and other foreign visitors pay a tad more at HK$2,100. Regular caddie hire runs from HK$475 to HK$555 for a senior caddie. And golf club rental is HK$450 per day with a golf cart at HK$400 (for two).

The non-profit Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau (tel: [852] 2791-3380, www.kscgolf.org.hk), which like the Fan Ling course is located in the New Territories, is Hong Kong’s only public golf club, with no membership required. There are two beautiful Gary Player-designed 18-hole courses — a North Course (6,719 yards) and a South Course. Non-Hongkongers can play there only on weekdays. This is a scenic spot with picturesque sea and mountain views. The course is accessed by ferry from Sai Kung and is arrayed across a secluded island.

A tad more accessible is the dramatic and enjoyable Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club (www.cwbgolf.org/), an undulating course with varying elevations and vast sea views. Green fees range from HK$1,600-$1,900. Alas, the elegant and scenic Shek O Country Club in the far south of the island is strictly for members.

Nearby MACAU is booming, and golf is one of its attractions. The par-71, 18-hole championship course at the Macau Golf & Country Club (tel: [853] 2887-1188, www.mgccmacau.com/) is linked with the five-star, family-friendly Grand Coloane Resort (formerly the Westin Resort, Macau). The hillside course was designed by Japanese course architect Hiroshi Ikeda, and has views over the Pearl River estuary and a nearby beach. It hosts the Macau Open, which is part of the Asian PGA Tour. A golf staycation package in 2024 at Grand Coloane Resort was priced at MOP2,100 weekdays and MOP3,850 weekends. The Macanese pataca is common-rated with the Hong Kong dollar.

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Big swingers in The Philippines

The Philippines is home to a number of world-class courses, several within reach of the capital MANILA. These include the well-known Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club (tel: [63-46] 430 0260, www.manilasouthwoods.com) in Cavite, about 34km south of Manila. The club has hosted many top tournaments and features two par-72 Jack Nicklaus courses: the 7,200-yard Masters — with water hazards surrounding 15 of its holes — and the Legends. It has a reputation as a tougher course. The Orchard Golf & Country Club (theorchardgolf.com/) at the edge of the posh gated community of Dasmariñas in South Manila is another accessible option that will require a member in attendance. Expect two excellent 18-hole courses named afterArnold Palmer and Gary Player.

In LAGUNA province, about 40 minutes’ drive from Makati, the Santa Elena Golf Club (staelenagolf.com) is a 27-hole course over 120 hectares of gentle terrain. If you want to play here though, you have to be accompanied or sponsored by a member. The Country Club Philippines, Canlubang, is another terrific member-only option. Nicklaus-designed Sherwood Hills (www.sherwoodhills.ph/), Trece Martires City, Cavite, is a lush, rugged and imposing course with a tough Hole 9 teeing out over water.

A short hop by plane is the sun, sand, and golf paradise of BORACAY, a fine almost all-weather option. Of course in the rainy season you may have to pack your clubs for a while till the winds abate. Check out the 18-hole par 72 course and its extensive family getaway Fairways & Bluewater Boracay (www.fairwaysandbluewater.com/). Opt for lodgings cheep and cheerful at the recently cleaned-up Boracay Island — that was closed for six months in 2018 — to costly cosseting at upscale places like the Shangri-La Boracay Resort & Spa.

The Montgomerie Links Golf Club (left) is close by the heritage silk town of Hoi An as well as Danang; there is nothing to compare with the massive Mission Hills Dongguan (centre) close by Shenzhen with its multitude of holes; and (right) the scenic public island course of Kau Sai Chau in Hong Kong. / photos: courses

In CEBU, dating back to 1928 and right in the city is the Cebu Country Club (cebucountryclubinc/) with its 18-hole par-72 championship course. Also look at the Cebu International Golf Course (constructed in 2012) and the Mactan Island Golf Club (Mactan-Island-Golf-Club) linked to Cebu, close to the international airport, and on a small island ringed by family-friendly resorts like the Shangri-La. The Mactan course is an 18-hole affair, flatter, and with slim fairways.

The Panglao Golf Sports and Entertainment Park was a long overdue concession to golf in BOHOL but just with 28 driving bays. Golfers will need to wait longer to swing out on this getaway island but can combine a few swings with romantic escapes at places like Amorita Resort on Panglao.

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Japan may break the bank but heck…

Japan is famously exorbitant when it comes to golf (and many other things), but as a country of golf fanatics there are more than 2,000 courses in the country. It can be tricky to get a game at Japan’s best members-only courses though, among them Hirono Golf Club (hironogolfclub.jp/), which has hosted all the major Japanese championships since it opened in 1932 near KOBE with deep bunkers and challenging hazards, Tokyo Golf Club (you need an invite to play there), and Naruo Golf Club in Kawanishi, almost midway between Kobe and Kyoto. It had around 700 members with an average age of almost 70 — 10 years ago. Naruo dates back to 1920 so this is truly elite golf if you can find your way in.

Prince Hotels & Resorts runs two fabulous golf courses southwest of Tokyo at KAWANA. The Kawana Hotel Golf Counrse (www.princehotels.com/kawana/) offers its celebrated Fuji Course designed by C H Alison and launched in 1936; and the Oshima Course. Kawana Hotel, with its view of Mt Fuji, dates back to 1936 as well. Green fees for the Fuji Course range from US$170 to US$240 for one round per person in a group of four with a shared caddie.

There are some more options for visitors passing through Japan, such as the Phoenix Country Club (tel: [81-985] 21-1605, seagaia.co.jp/) set within the Phoenix Seagaia Resort on the coast in MIYAZAKI. The club with its resort-like atmosphere gained fame for hosting the Japan PGA’s Dunlop Phoenix Tournament, and the 27-hole course, lined by pine groves, is known to be a challenging one.

Sold as “TOKYO’s premier international golf destination”, the stately English manor-home-style Windsor Park Golf and Country Club (tel: [81-296] 88-2221, www.wpgcc.com) also has conference and meetings facilities. The Windsor Park Hotel takes a maximum of 29 guests at a time but has sweeping golf course views. There are accommodation packages. The 18-hole course is geared towards golfers of all levels, and there’s a driving range and practice putting green. Sunday rates are highest but they can be less than half that during the week – rates change both weekly and monthly, so check the play fee calendar for your best options. Parents can relax though: there’s a dedicated children’s centre to look after tots while the grownups golf.

In northern HOKKAIDO where trees and water hazards offer diversionary excitement, try the Katsura Golf Club (www.pacificgolf.co.jp), an 18-hole forest course with undulating fairways and strategically placed dry creeks. Or explore the par-73 6,845-yard Niseko Village Golf Course (niseko-golf.com/en/) with its excellent accommodations (Hilton Niseko Village) and family-friendly options like horse-riding, mountain-biking and hot air ballooning. There is a second par 72 Niseko Golf Course too.

The 18-hole Hanazono Golf (hanazonogolf.com/en) is another excellent choice set in beautiful natural surrounds amidst birch forests and undulating fairways. Visitor fees weekdays range from an enticing Y7,200 up and weekends and holidays range upwards of Y10,300 (US$73). There is a lower rate available for juniors. Try a stay-and-play package from the ubder-chic Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono. An hour's drive from Sapporo, the Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole Hokkaido Classic Golf Club (en.hcgc.jp/) course launched in 1991 and has carved out a name for itself. Non residents of Japan must be accompanied by a member. Rates are steep.

The Jack Nicklaus (left) course in computer-run Songdo 'intelligent city' not far from Seoul and Incheon International Airport offers stark contrasts in backdrops; Windsor Park Club Tokyo (centre) is all classic elegance; and (right) the extensive greens of the Macau Golf and Country Club next to the Grand Coloane Resort. / photos: courses

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South Korea space age escapes

Ananti Chord (ananti.kr/en/chord) is a spacious and intriguingly modern club, retreat, with 27-hole golf course in the Yumyeongsan forest a 30-minute drive from SEOUL. This is a generous 500-acre spread with plenty of luxuriant green underfoot interspersed with some stunning and sleek, minimalist space-age architecture. The golf course and club includes 12 lakes, a library, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pool, children's pool, clubhouse and a stylish restaurant and cafe. The venue can also be used for small corporate meetings with a banquet hall that can hold up to 80 persons.

Ananti Namhae (ananti.kr/en/namhae/golf-course) is a smaller, rugged and picturesque golf course set on the south coast of South Korea along the sea looking onto a string of islands. Expect an 11-hole play with family facilities, spa, restaurants and stylish woody accommodation. Kids can enjoy cycling, fishing and farm tours. All in a great family golf holiday option.

Due to pressures of demand, several of the best courses remain members-only, like Nine Bridges on Jeju and Anyang Country Club.

Closer to Incheon Airport (not far from Seoul) at SONGDO intelligent city is the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea (www.jacknicklausgolfclubkorea.com/), with 18 holes, par 72, over 7,470 yards blending into the urban landscape close by the sea. It is a relaxing and visually interesting setting. Find a member to bring you there. If it's any solace, the Korea Public Country Club offers 9 holes of play a little south of Seoul. Check with your hotel.

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Indian golf courses and a fox hunt too

Golfing in India is no problem at all. Most Indian metros will have a reasonable golf course or two. NEW DELHI boasts the charming Delhi Golf Club, the oldest in the capital and smack in the centre of town. The greens are lined by over 200 species of trees and wild birds flock here in winter for sanctuary from harsh Russian winters.

Designed by Peter Thompson the par-72 course is 6,869 yards. The club offers a swimming pool, pro shop, restaurant and bar. But you’ll have to grab a member to go play if you’re just passing through town. The greens were revamped by Gary Player in 2019 giving the 'Lodhi' a perky new look amidst the Moghul monuments. The neighbouring uperbly run and completely reconstituted The Oberoi New Delhi (www.oberoihotels.com) is a splendid place to park.

The Classic Golf & Country Club (cgronline.com/) in GURGAON (now called Gurugram, just across the Delhi border to the south) is a Jack Nicklaus inspired course set in extensive greens just a 50-minute drive from the capital. Swing out at the 9-hole Canyon Course or flash your clubs at the main 18-hole Championship Course. The club also has reciprocal membership with the Royal Selangor in Kuala Lumpur. A younger Gurugram entrant that has won several accolades is the DLF Golf and Country Club (dlfgolfresort.com/). The club has been around since 1999 but in 2014 Gary Player was commissioned to redesign a new course on fresh land that borrowed nine of the old Arnold Palmer holes in a new configuration. Built around two large lakes the Player course is considered tough.

Also close to Delhi, established in 1989, is the Noida Golf Course (www.noidagolfcourse.com/) with full club facilities, pool and extensive recreation options.

For something a tad different, higher and cooler head to the Ootacamund Gymkhana Club (ootygymkhana.club/) in Ooty, set at an elevation of over 6,000ft with 18 holes racking up 6,074 yards with a par-70. To make things more challenging, half the holes on this OOTY course are “blind” which means you’ve no idea where the hole is, well… At the 13th green pause to savour the sights and smells, perhaps even of the Ootacamund fox hunt (that dates back to the mid 1800s).

Higher still, heading north into the alpine vales of Kashmir, is the Gulmarg Golf Club (kashmirdmc.com/gulmarg-golf-club/), a public par-72, 18-hole, lengthy 7,505 yards where your lungs will strain to take in oxygen. Created by the Raj as a flavoursome summer retreat, the GULMARG Golf Club was redesigned by Peter Thompson. It offers tennis, a restaurant, lounge, library and bar. Apart from being among the highest courses in the world (it claims to be the highest), the place features the country’s longest hole, a 610-yard par-5. The toughest hole is the 17th. Watch too for crows that occasionally swoop down to cart off a ball or two.

The spectacular Hanazono Golf course (left) with volcanic peaks as a backdrop on the island of Hokkaido, Japan; the pretty Kawana golf course (centre); and (right) the starkly etched skyline at The Address Montgomerie Dubai. / photos: courses

Stay in style within walking distance of the greens at upscale The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa (tel: [91-1954] 350-666, khyberhotels.com/).

Lower in Kashmir is the Royal Springs Golf Course (Tel: [91-194] 250-1158, RoyalSpringsGolfCourseSrinagar) set above the Dal Lake in SRINAGAR. It is a breathtakingly picturesque course with maddening roughs. It is popular public course with 18-hole green fees at Rs6,000 (US$71) for foreigners and Rs3,540 for Indians.

And if you still hanker for that rarefied oxygen-deprived air, in SHILLONG try the Shillong Golf Club (golfclub_iims/) in the eastern Himalayas, an 18-hole with 5,873 yards to play across. The magnificent views may hold up your play so factor it all in. In CALCUTTA, Bengal, at sea level, will be found one of the oldest golf clubs anywhere — the Royal Calcutta Golf Club. A total of 18 holes survive of the original 36 sprawl. This Kolkata (the new name for Calcutta) course is pretty challenging and littered with water hazards.

And at almost 11,500ft up in Leh, LADAKH, close to the Tibet border is the Army-run Fire and Fury golf course that will leave you literally breathless. This is a challenging, if awe-inspiring, desert course made with compacted sand south of Leh town on the Manali highway. Find a friend in camouflage green and get introduced. Several Indian cities boast fine golf clubs but you’ll need to be brought in by a member.

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Golf is no mirage in Dubai sands

Finally, DUBAI may be in the Middle East (or call it West Asia if you like), but the magnificent Emirates Golf Club (www.dubaigolf.com/emirates) deserves more than a mention. Its championship Majlis course was the first 18-hole grass course to open in the Middle East back in 1988 and is the location of the famous annual Dubai Desert Classic tournament. The closing hole of this 7,301-yard course is a signature shot across a lake to a green shaped like a bow tie. There’s also an 18-hole Wadi course that was redesigned by Nick Faldo back in 2006 and is now known as the “Wadi by Faldo”. This is known as a “thinker’s course” since you have to “plot your way around it”.

Also explore the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club (18 hole par 71) and other high end options like The Els Club (www.elsclubdubai.com/), Address Montgomerie (www.addresshotels.com). an 18-hole championship course, Jumeirah Golf estates and the Dubai Hills Golf Course (www.dubaihillsgolfclub.com/).

The Al Badia Golf Club at Dubai Festival City opened in 2005 and had stints with Four Seasons and InterCon before closing in 2007. It has been taken back by the owners, the Al Futtaim Group.

In the Middle East sands also explore ABU DHABI and QATAR. The Abu Dhabi Golf Club (www.abudhabigolfclub.abudhabi/) is worth a good look as is Yas Links Abu Dhabi (www.yasisland.com/) with theme parks and action galore. And, in Qatar, the fine Doha Golf Club (www.dohagolfclub.com) will delight many.  Finally, sequestered in the Aramco oil company preserve of Dahran in SAUDI ARABIA, is the Rolling Hills Golf Club (www.arabiangolf.net/) with a busy roster of international tournaments.

In OMAN a notable big swing spot is the 18-hole Greg Norman designed Almouj Golf (www.almoujgolf.com/) with a raft of family-friendly activities from spas and fine dining to snorkelling and diving with whale sharks. There is a nine-hole par 3 academy course as well. Also keep an eye out for the Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club (muscathills.ecommune.com/ — par 72, 18-hole championship course) and the Ghala Golf Club (www.ghalagolf.com/).

The public Royal Springs Golf Course Srinagar, Kashmir (left), overlooks Dal Lake and offers an enchanting setting; the private island of Velaa Maldives (centre) has an exclusive set of six holes 'floating' in the Indian Ocean; and (right) the lush greens of popular Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore./ photos: courses

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This n that: Singapore, Taipei, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives

We can't include it all but let's round up the best Asian golf options with a bit of this and that starting with SINGAPORE. While the popular Marina Bay Golf Course is permanently closed with land rezoned for development, other courses beckon. Look at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club (www.lagunanational.com/) that offers two 18-hole championship courses (stay and play with a package from Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore); Sentosa Golf Club (www.sentosagolf.com/), which has two championship courses including Serapong, the host of the Singapore Open (greens and buggy fees for visitors at S$438 weekdays); and Tanah Merah Country Club (www.tmcc.org.sg/) with a Robert Trent Jones Garden Course and a Tampines Course where a member will need to sign you in.

A 45-minute drive from TAIPEI is the Jack Nicklaus 36-hole four-course Miramar Golf Country Club (www.miramargolf.com/) with weekday visitors rates at NT4,500 (US$140). The course runs in four nine-hole loops. PAKISTAN offers some excellent courses. Keep an eye on Karachi Golf Club's (karachigolf.com.pk/) Blue and Red 9-hole runs that together comprise the championship course — the club started in 1888 as a Sindh Club affiliate; and the younger Islamadad Golf Club 18-hole 6,849-yard par-72 'Old Course'.

In SRI LANKA look no further than the lush central hill country and the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club (www.nuwaraeliyagolfclub.com/) that dates back to 1890. The course is short but taxing with climbs and elevations of around 6,000ft. A tad more more accessible is the Victoria Golf Resort (victoriagolfresortsrilanka/) at Digana near Kandy. And the venerable Royal Colombo Golf Club (www.rcgcsl.com/) dating back to 1879 is a mainstay of golf in the country. Green fees here are US$65 weekdays for one round. In Colombo, a caddie will set you back just US$5 while a full golf set hire is US$22.

Last but not the least what about combining underwater dives with overwater drives? All this is possible in the MALDIVES where impossibly small island specks await to transport you to another world. With such pressure on space you may need to fly far south to Addu Atoll but the Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa Maldives had alas ceased operations by mid-2024. The property is home to a fine 9-hole golf course where play will need to wait till the island getaway finds a new owner. In the meantime at Velaa (www.velaaprivateisland.com/) on a beautiful private island resort, find a small 6-hole course designed by José María Olazábal and a golf academy to perfect your swing and short-game technique. You can play six short holes at Kuredu Resort (www.kuredu.com/) too. If that were not enough, adventure specialists Dutch Docklands have proposed a fully featured US$500m floating golf course a few minutes' boat ride from the capital Male complerte with underwater walkways, buggy trails, dining, desalination plants and solar power. You'll need to hold your breath for a while.

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