The Els Club – Desaru Coast, Malaysia

The Els Club Desaru Coast is one of the main attractions on this beautiful beachfront integrated destination on the west coast of Johor.

It also features an array of luxury resorts, hotels and golf residences, complemented with differentiated leisure and entertainment offerings to include retail mall and theme parks, and all these are easily accessible with just a short drive from the Senai International Airport, Johor Bahru and Changi Airport, Singapore. The Ernie Els Design golf courses represent a new benchmark of excellence and sustainable design on behalf of their client, Themed Attractions Resorts and Hotels Sdn Bhd, the investment holding company established by the Malaysian Government to develop and manage world-class premier destinations, resorts and hotels within its Leisure and Tourism portfolio.

“As a course designer, I felt so fortunate to be working with Themed Attractions Resorts and Hotels Sdn Bhd and to be awarded with some of the most beautiful terrain in Asia,” comments Ernie. “For me, as soon as I stepped foot on the property I could immediately envisage in my mind’s eye how the golf courses would sit. That is always a ‘tell’ for me when approaching a design project. Ideas evolve, but what never changes is the power of that initial reaction and the influence it has on the creative process.”

This is one of the most unique projects that Ernie Els Design has undertaken. It consists of two courses – The Ocean Course, which is 27 holes, and The Valley Course, which is 18 – the latter in collaboration with Ernie’s close friend and fellow major winner Vijay Singh.

“We always look at the development site and plot the best fit solution that matches the landscape and overall feel of the destination,” adds Ernie. “We always want to integrate our design philosophy with what Mother Nature has given us and here it was clear from the start that we were blessed with enough land here to do something a bit different. I’m happy to say that our plans matched the ownership group’s vision, so we progressed on creating The Lakes, The Coast and The Ridge loops. It works beautifully.”

The Ocean Course sits adjacent to the shoreline and is made up of three distinct 9-hole loops: The Coast, The Lakes and The Ridge. As you would expect from The Els Club brand, the course experience is defined by its high quality and sound strategic values. A mix of strong bunkering and water hazards defend the course, while the greens’ complexes offer variety in terms of both aesthetics and shot selections available to golfers. The Valley Course neighbours The Ocean Course and the pair share some truly spectacular and diverting views.

In addition, an Els Performance Golf Academy will be a major feature on the property, enabling golfers to work on their games in an inspiring environment, somewhere they can improve their golf and also have a bit of fun with friends and family.

“The Els Performance Golf Academy is a really exciting concept for us,” says Ernie. “In essence, what we’re offering here is the best of the best; a ‘Tour Pro for the Day’ type of experience where golfers can come and get great coaching and have access to the very best swing technology and facilities. Hopefully, we can also inspire the next generation to take up the game and give them the tools that will allow them to enjoy this wonderful sport for life.”