While Thailand and Vietnam are South-east Asia’s leading golf destinations, Malaysia is emerging as a prime alternative thanks to its affordability and variety of courses. Particularly appealing is the array of greens in its capital, Kuala Lumpur.
Land is so scarce in big Asian cities that their golf courses tend to be far flung. Which makes Kuala Lumpur unique in having a dozen within 45 minutes’ drive of its downtown tourist district.
Here are four of Kuala Lumpur’s finest facilities.
Saujana Golf & Country Club
Woven into a picturesque landscape of rolling hills and palm trees in Kuala Lumpur’s western outskirts are two tricky 18-hole golf courses. The Palm Course and Bunga Raya Course were both designed in 1984 by American golf architect Ronald Fream to be used for championship play, with the Malaysia Open held at Saujana nine times.
This helps explain why I was equal parts mesmerised and intimidated when I recently played Saujana’s Palm Course. As a newcomer to this sport, never had I tackled a course this puzzling. On the first tee box, I was transfixed by its tropical beauty.
On the second tee, I stared with trepidation at what Saujana’s website claims is “the most difficult hole in Malaysia”. A deep, lush ravine separated me from the elevated green, which sat 163 yards away. This was just one of many memorable holes I encountered on this course, which has meticulous fairways and slick greens.
I had warmed up at Saujana’s practice facility, which includes a 300-yard driving range, and short game area for putting, chipping and bunker play. Before or after their round, golfers can admire Saujana’s scenery while having a drink or savouring some spicy Malaysian at the Golfers’ Terrace.
An 18-hole round at either of Saujana’s courses costs $120 per person on weekdays, including a shared buggy, and $150 on weekends. Golfers who want to play both courses may wish to stay at the adjoining Saujana Hotel. Rooms at this five-star property start from $55 per night.
Sungai Long Golf & Country Club
When my tee shot curved wildly into greenery on the first hole at Sungai Long, I had an ominous feeling about what was to come. But such nerves rattle many golfers, and soon I was relaxed and relishing perhaps the most enjoyable round of my life.
That was partly due to the tranquility and beauty of this 18-hole course, hemmed by jungled hills in Kuala Lumpur’s southern outskirts. Heightening my pleasure was the intrigue of gradually decoding its layout, created by Jack Nicklaus, who stands alongside Tiger Woods as history’s greatest golfer.
At times, I needed power to blast over lakes. Then I required technique to escape from bunkers. Or delicate touch to manoeuvre Sungai Long’s layered greens.
Overlooking Nicklaus’s masterpiece, Sungai Long’s huge clubhouse offers spotless change rooms, a swimming pool and the open-air restaurant and bar, Golfer Terrace.
For a high-quality course, its green fees are low, with an 18-hole round starting from $55 on weekdays.
The Royal Selangor Golf Club
One of Asia’s most distinctive courses, The Royal Selangor Golf Club boasts a massive 45 holes despite being located in downtown Kuala Lumpur, flanked by skyscrapers. That’s because it dates back to 1893, when the city was just a town, and shifted to this current location in 1918.
I learnt this history from senior The Royal Selangor members Ezani Abu Bakar and Michael Chin Fook Tow as we played 18 holes on this intricately designed course. The density of its greenery – highlighted by dozens of colossal rain trees – provides a degree of serenity not typically present at inner-city courses.
Winding through all this natural splendour are five, nine-hole layouts that are beautifully balanced. In the sense that each one is complex enough to challenge elite golfers yet not so difficult as to overwhelm less gifted players, like myself.
After our round, we had a satisfying meal in The Royal Selangor’s enormous clubhouse, which also offers a pro shop, change rooms, barber, sauna and massage facilities.
Visitors can golf at The Royal Selangor by invitation, or by being the member of one of the many clubs with which it has a reciprocal playing arrangement.
Impact Golf
Before playing one of the challenging courses, golfers can get themselves properly equipped and prepared at Impact Golf. Located about 15 minutes east of downtown Kuala Lumpur, this large facility has a two-storey driving range, modern coaching spaces and an impressive club fitting studio.
Chief fitter and veteran golf coach Eric Chong uses high-tech video systems to record and analyse a customer’s swing and ball striking. Based on this data, he recommends the length, weight and lie angle of the club that best suits them, before that equipment is custom built on site. This service costs $64 per hour, but is waived if the customer then makes a club purchase of more than $640.
Golf tourists can also hone their game well by doing lessons, from $57 per hour, with Impact Golf’s team of teachers. That includes one of Asia’s most renowned golf mentors, Steven Giuliano, who recently joined Impact Golf after a stint as the director of instructions at Singapore’s prestigious Laguna National Golf Resort Club.
The writer was a guest of each of these four golf facilities.
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
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The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Major matches on Manic Monday
Andy Murray (GBR) v Benoit Paire (FRA)
Grigor Dimitrov (BGR) v Roger Federer (SUI)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Gilles Muller (LUX)
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Fixtures (all times UAE)
Saturday
Brescia v Atalanta (6pm)
Genoa v Torino (9pm)
Fiorentina v Lecce (11.45pm)
Sunday
Juventus v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Inter Milan v SPAL (6pm)
Lazio v Udinese (6pm)
Parma v AC Milan (6pm)
Napoli v Bologna (9pm)
Verona v AS Roma (11.45pm)
Monday
Cagliari v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)
Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldof v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)
Sunday
Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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SCORES
Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
(Tom Kohler 72 not out, Harry Broook 42 not out)
bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
(Caleb Jewell 38, Sean Willis 35, Karl Carver 2-29, Josh Shaw 2-39)
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
