Penang Golf Courses

Penang Golf Resort, West Course

Penang Golf Resort is a 36-hole golf resort nestled within the master plan of a new township located in Seberang Perai Utara, Penang and 21 kilometers from Penang city center.

Designed by Graham Marsh, this large and expansive tract of former palm oil plantation has been transformed into two very similar championship layouts - the East and West Courses - promoted as Malaysia's Jewel in the North.

Plenty of earth mounding, numerous stylishly designed bunkers, a handful of water hazards, contoured fairways and a light scattering of trees breaks up the essential flatness of the terrain. As you look across the open parkland, there are golf holes just about as far as the eye can see, although once on the course you'll be surprised how much space there is between them, and how "intrusions" from other fairways are rare.

The good-width fairways (sometimes generously wide) and light semi-rough give the course an easy-going feel from the tee, but care will be needed on the approach shots, particularly with water present at the close of both the front and back nine.

This course is an impressive display of fairways, roughs and tees turfed with fresh Zoysia, and Bermuda for greens. High playability is guaranteed at all times with the installation of a special drainage system on the course.

The par 72 West Course threatens the back nine as there are a number of lakes present. The short par 3, 8th hole at only 164 meters looks easy but teeing shot may prove a watery problem. As on the East course, a bit of traffic noise can be heard from the North-South highway, especially when it skirts alongside the par-5 13th. The heavily bunkered 17th is an excellent par-3, also protected by water on the right. Water also poses most of the questions on the left to right dog-legging par-5 18th.

The Penang Golf Resort West Course offers an overall good golfing experience in Penang. The shared clubhouse includes a well-stocked pro shop as well as two restaurants. The local Penang food dishes and traditional Chinese fare are highly recommended.

Penang Golf Resort, East Course

Penang Golf Resort is a 36-hole golf resort nestled within the master plan of a new township developed located in Seberang Perai Utara, Penang and 21 kilometers from Penang city center.

Designed by Graham Marsh, this large and expansive tract of former palm oil plantation has been transformed into two very similar championship layouts - the East and West Courses - promoted as Malaysia's Jewel in the North. The courses are in many ways identical.
Plenty of earth mounding, numerous stylishly designed bunkers, a handful of water hazards, contoured fairways and a light scattering of trees breaks up the essential flatness of the terrain. As you look across the open parkland, there are golf holes just about as far as the eye can see, although once on the course you'll be surprised how much space there is between them, and how "intrusions" from other fairways are rare.

The good-width fairways (sometimes generously wide) and light semi-rough give the course an easy-going feel from the tee, but care will be needed on the approach shots, particularly with water present at the close of both the front and back nine.

This course is an impressive display of fairways, roughs and tees turfed with fresh Zoysia, and Bermuda for greens. High playability is guaranteed at all times with the installation of a special drainage system on the course.

The 6324 meters East Course with long, wide fairways are a favorite with big hitters, while strategic play is required to make par for a number of holes. Water hazards are also relatively infrequent, although the green at the par-4 18th should be approached carefully, with water dangerously in play on your approach shot.

The Penang Golf Resort East Course offers an overall good golfing experience in Penang. The shared clubhouse includes a well-stocked pro shop as well as two restaurants. The local Penang food dishes and traditional Chinese fare are highly recommended.

Penang Golf Club

Located near the airport on once a 130-acre hilly rugged and rocky jungle, the Penang Golf Club (former Bukit Jambul Country Club) has established itself as one of Malaysias top golf clubs right from the opening in 1984.  Thereafter, course upgrades and renovations have enabled Penang Golf Club to keep its leadership position among Penang golf courses. In fact, Penang Golf Club was the venue for the 31st Malaysian Open in 1992 which was won by Vijay Singh. That same year the Penang golf club was rated at the 6th best in Malaysia and since then many other events and professional golfers have graced the Penang Golf Club fairways.

Penang Golf Club provides a stunning panoramic view of the island, with the impressive Penang Bridge and mainland Malaysia in the distance.  Villas, apartment blocks and the huge Equatorial Hotel provide most of the backdrop to this very tight and often dramatically undulating, parkland golf course. Although surrounded by the sights and sounds of the city, there are also enough jungle clad hills around to remind you that Penang Island is lush and tropical, much favored by holiday-makers and beach-goers.

The 18 hole 5,763 meter, par-72 golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and is fairly compact. Around the often smallish greens, Trent Jones has chosen to hide many of the bunkers, giving them grassy faces that blend into the fairways and semi-rough.

The Penang Golf Club layout favors accuracy instead of distance off the tee. The sharply doglegging, dramatically downhill opening par-4, provides a clear signal of the tightness of things to come, while also highlighting the excellent presentation and maintenance standards youll find here. By the time you reach the super-tight par-4 4th, youll either have the measure of the course, or it will have the measure of you.

Providing you are happy to be challenged and tested on a relatively technical layout where accurate shot-making is paramount, then this course will quickly grow on you, and reward you with many attractively designed holes and interesting views. The long par-3 8th provides one of several testing tee shots. The sharply descending par-4 10th signature hole is perhaps the most dramatic plunge you and your ball will have to make, as the tee is perched 100 feet above the fairway on the valley floor.

Penang Golf Club may feel a bit tight and constraining at times, but its undulating terrain and unusual mix of jungle and city views make this a thoroughly enjoyable and very attractive course.  Close by hotels, restaurants, and shops make this also one of the most convenient Penang golf courses for the Malaysia golf visitor.

Bukit Jawi Golf Resort

Bukit Jawi Golf Resort on Peninsula Malaysia is about a 45 minutes’ drive from Penang International Airport. The 36-hole Penang golf resort is set in a lush tropical landscape and was built on a former hilly oil palm plantation and around large bodies of contoured lakes. Bukit Jawi is 20 kilometers from Penang Island and has consistently been ranked among the 20 best golf resorts in Malaysia.

Bukit Jawi is a scenic course and the surrounding countryside can be seen from most every tee. Laid out on pleasantly and continually undulating terrain, Bukit Jawi boasts two excellent, challenging and very absorbing championship layouts. The Hill Course and Lake Course offer golfers of varying handicaps a challenging and rewarding experience through with carefully landscaped greens and strategically placed hazards. The fairways and tee boxes are covered with Japanese Zoysia and the greens are turfed with fast-rolling Bermuda grass.

The longer Hill Course, at 6,385 meters, is an 18-hole par-72 championship course. The course’s long and undulating fairways coupled with strategically placed hazards presents a challenge to every aspect of the golfer’s game from stroke accuracy and distance to course management. The Hill Course will encourage big-hitters with its usually good-width fairways, even if six or seven of them require blind, uphill drives from the tee. Good bunkering and a pleasant line of palms and other tree varieties, ensure every fairway benefits from good definition.

Among many memorable holes, the excellent downhill par-3 12th is seriously defended by a small lake in front of the green. The long par-3 16th, heading in the opposite direction, also utilizes the same lake. Elevation changes and substantive greenside bunkering are bigger factors here than water hazards, although the 9th and 18th holes have threatening water hazards crossing the fairways, both warranting a clear strategy from tee-to-green.

If you've navigated your way around the course and putted well on its often elevated greens, prepare yourself for a serious putting challenge at the seemingly innocuous par-4 17th. Your approach shot should factor in a putting surface that shelves steeply from right to left. This is a green that's seen several top golfers struggling to get down in four or more, the victims claiming it is too sloping and too unfair! This course is a true test of skills to even the most seasoned golfer.

As its name suggests, the Lake Course features more water hazards and sand bunkers. The signature 15th island green is surrounded by water and guarded by bunkers at the most strategic place. This course puts a premium on the golfer’s accuracy and short game.

The Lake Course is also an 18-hole par-72 track covering 6,163 meters. The Lake Course will challenge your shot-making and course management in equal measure, while also serving up many of Bukit Jawi's most visually impressive holes. With plenty of elevation changes, water menacingly present on over half the course and a few sharp dog-legs to negotiate, accuracy rather than length is often at a premium here.

On several occasions you may need to keep the driver in the bag and play well-positioned irons or three-woods, setting up your approach shots to the undulating and never easy to read greens. Especially on the back-nine there are some wonderful views across the course from its higher elevations, as well as lily-filled water hazards and a liberal scattering of palms and other tree varieties, all contributing to the Lake's very pleasant, parkland credentials.

Some of the best holes include the par-4 5th. This is probably one of the best and most exciting holes on the course. It’s an L-shaped dogleg right, covered by forests on all sides. If brave enough, you can tackle the one-on by driving over the forests, which many a golfer has tried…and failed. But it’s definitely possible. The elevation change here is so great your ears can pop just walking down the fairway. The par-4 14th is also another beauty, with the ravaging lake on the left and a thin strip of fairway to drive to.

However, among many scenic holes, the attractive par-3 island green 15th steals the show. Played from an elevated tee, you'll get an excellent view of the green's rocky frontage and its seriously protective bunkering. The finishing par-4 18th, rather than an island green, has a water enclosed section of "island" fairway, onto which you may need to lay-up before playing a long second shot uphill towards the green.

Both courses at Bukit Jawi are an enjoyable test of golf and the idyllic setting of the resort guarantees the golfer a truly memorable round. Bukit Jawi Golf Resort also has a 48-bay driving range available for golfers to practice their swing and the clubhouse has all facilities and restaurants expected of a Malaysia golf resort.