The Els Club Desaru Coast (Ocean Course)

Few modern resort courses in Southeast Asia arrived with the pedigree this one did. Designed by Ernie Els and his design team and opened as the centrepiece of the Desaru Coast integrated resort development, the Ocean Course was built to tournament standard from day one — a big, muscular layout that announces its ambitions from the opening hole. Els's design philosophy tends toward width off the tee combined with firm, contoured greens that demand precise approach play, and this course delivers exactly that, with the added drama of South China Sea panoramas running along significant stretches of the property.

Desaru Coast sits on the southeastern tip of Johor, roughly an hour's drive from Johor Bahru and easily accessible from Singapore via the Johor Bahru causeway or the Changi Ferry Terminal. The landscape is tropical lowland, dense and green, with sea breezes that shift club selection constantly and humidity that makes even a well-struck round feel like a genuine physical effort.

The resort positioning means conditions are well maintained and the full caddie-and-buggy experience is standard. For Singaporean golfers especially, this has become a legitimate destination round — serious enough in its design to reward repeat visits, scenic enough to justify the trip on atmosphere alone.