Asia's Bucket List Golf Courses

Asia is packed with many tremendous golf courses and selecting where and which golf courses to play can prove a difficult task

However, we have chosen twelve of the very best golf courses in Asia, each of which offer visitors something different to enjoy.  So, whether you are planning to play golf in Thailand, Malaysia, Bali or Vietnam, we have some cracking golf courses for your delight.

Red Mountain Golf Club, Phuket, Thailand

We start at Red Mountain Golf Club, which is in Phuket, Thailand.  This course was established in 2007 and has quickly gained a reputation as being one the best golf courses in Asia.  You can see from the location of the course, which is an old tin mine, why the course was named Red Mountain.

This is one of the hilliest golf courses in Phuket, with high peaks and flooded canyons providing the backdrop to many of the 18 holes.  If you want to test every aspect of your game, Red Mountain Golf Club is the place for you thanks to the elevation changes, water hazards, bunkering and wind, which can pick up at any time, adding to the challenge of the course.

Red Mountain Golf Club, Phuket

The greens are a mix between small and large and you guaranteed a smooth, fast putting surface when playing at Red Mountain Golf Club.  The final six holes as regarded as being the best in Thailand and you will enjoy both the challenge and the views as your round ends.

Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua Hin, Thailand

From one Thai mountain course to another and Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin has played host to several professional tournaments including Asian PGA Tour events and the Thailand Classic, a tournament co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tour.

Black Mountain is considered one of the best golf courses in Asia thanks to the outstanding natural layout of the course.  The 18 holes play to 7,343 yards, with many risk/reward options to get the brain working.  The fairways often start wide but begin to narrow as they stretch out, meaning the longer you hit the ball, the more accurate you must become with your shots.

Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua Hin, Thailand

Water and sand are the main hazards at Black Mountain and some holes require shots over water if you want to play attacking golf or you have a safer option which takes the water out of the equation.  However, on the signature 11^th hole, which is a par-3, you have no choice but to take the water on thanks to the island green.

The clubhouse facilities at Black Mountain are excellent and combine with the golf course to make this one of the top golf courses in Asia.

Sentosa Golf Club Serapong Course, Singapore

Moving from Thailand to Singapore, this small country is home to arguably the best golf course in Asia, called Sentosa Golf Club.

This golf course was opened back in 1982 and has grown a fantastic reputation for great golf, not only in Asia but around the world.  The championship course benefited hugely from a S$12 million upgrade in 2007 and the fairways and greens are in fantastic condition, which has seen the course host big tournaments such as the Barclays Singapore Open.

Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore

Featuring excellent bunker complexes, water hazards in the shape of two large lakes, rolling fairways and the spectacular Singapore skyline in the distance, Sentosa Golf Club is considered a must-play when visiting this region of Asia.

If you are planning a holiday to Vietnam, take your golf clubs and book a tee time at The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip, near Ho Chi Minh city.  This is a Greg Norman designed links style course situated along the southern Vietnamese coastline.

The holes are routes around the impressive sand dunes and the course enjoys quite significant elevation changes as you play your way around the 18 holes.  At the highest points of the course, you are treated to tremendous views of the coast, forest wildlife and golf resort.  You can also take advantage of the PGA golf academy and the extensive practice facilities, making The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip a great place to spend a few days playing golf.

TPC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Continuing our tour of the best golf courses in Asia and next we head to Malaysia where you can enjoy a round at TPC Kuala Lumpur.  This golf club was previously known by the name Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club and boasts two 18-hole championship golf courses.

The West Course is the longer and considered by many to be the more difficult of the two courses at TPC Kuala Lumpur.  Offering first class playing condition and excellent views on every hole, the West Course has been used for professional tournaments, such as the Malaysian Open.  If you enjoy having options when approaching the green, you will have a great time playing this course but the easier of the two must be the East Course.

TPC Kuala Lumpur

The East Course provides the perfect balance of layout and length and while the elevation changes can be a challenge, there is every chance to score low.  The back nine has narrower fairways than the front nine so if you want to get out the driver, it’s best to do it early in the round.

TPC Kuala Lumpur is home to two of the best golf courses in Asia and can you easily spend a few days in the Malaysian capital city and enjoy everything it offers.

The Els Club Teluk Datai, Langkawi, Malaysia

Staying in Malaysia but moving up to Langkawi, a popular destination for tourists, you will recognise a familiar name in the world of golf thanks to the Els Club Teluk Datai.  As you will have guessed, this course is designed by Ernie Els and has been voted as the most scenic golf course in Malaysia and nominated as one of the best golf resorts in Asia.

Els Teluk Datai, Langkawi, Malaysia

With a million-year-old rainforest and the Andaman Sea providing the backdrop, it’s little wonder this golf course receives so much praise.  Natural streams flow throughout the course and it’s easy to be caught in the splendour of the environment and forget you are there to play golf.  Despite the hilly nature of the course and the undulating greens and fairways, the short length of the course makes it accessible to players of all abilities.If you are visiting Malaysia or considering a golf holiday in Asia, The Els Club Teluk Datai has more than enough to tempt you to Langkawi.

Bali National Golf Club, Bali, Indonesia

Travelling south of Malaysia to Indonesia, if you want to treat yourself to a round of golf at one of the best golf courses in Asia, you must visit Bali National Golf Club.

Bali National Golf Club, Bali, Indonesia

This golf club was renovated in 2013 and the result is a long championship golf course which plays to over 7,100 yards from the back tees.  You will notice two distinctive sets of nine holes on this course, with the front nine playing through hilly, jungle clad terrain and the back nine holes across level land, with coconut trees and man-made lakes coming into view.Thanks to the excellent maintenance of the course, it is always in superb condition and you are guaranteed a great round of golf at Bali National Golf Club.  Don’t forget to take advantage of the modern clubhouse after your round and enjoy some local cuisine and the lovely views of the Indian Ocean.

Siam Country Club Old Course, Pattaya, Thailand

Pattaya in Thailand is home to some of Asia’s top golf courses but the one which really stands out for most visitors is the Old Course at Siam Country Club.

The Old Course was established in 1971 and is located just 25 minutes’ drive from central Pattaya.  The course enjoyed a renovation in the mid-2000’s and has since played host to many professional golf tournaments, such as the Honda LPGA Classic.

Siam Country Club Old Course, Pattaya, Thailand

Boasting large fairway bunker complexes and a series of lakes and creeks, you must have a sound strategy in place to score low on the Old Course.  The greens are large, undulated and fast, so again you must consider where you want to leave your ball on the green to avoid the potential for a dreaded three-putt.

The Old Course is one of the most dramatic golf courses in Pattaya and deserves a place on any Asian golf itinerary.

Dalat Palace Golf Club, Dalat, Vietnam

While Thailand has grown a reputation for producing excellent golf courses, Vietnam is catching up with its neighbour and the elevated Dalat Palace Golf Club is recognised as being one of the best golf courses in Asia.

Dalat Palace Golf Course, Dalat, Vietnam

This course is situated 5,000 feet above sea level in the Dalat highlands and has a long history which has seen professional golfers from around the world play, including US Open champion Billy Casper.  The perfectly manicured bent grass greens are the only ones in Asia and coupled with the tremendous layout and undulating, well-kept fairways, this makes Dalat Palace Golf Club the top golf course in Vietnam.

However, do not restrict yourself to just one course when in Vietnam and allow yourself the time to visit BRG Da Nang Golf Resort.  When this golf course opened in 2010 it immediately made it into USA Golf Magazine’s best 15 golf courses in the world feature, which is some praise indeed.

BRG Da Nang Golf Resort - Norman Course, Danang, Vietnam

BRG Da Nang Golf Resort also won the award for being the best golf course in Asia by the readers of Asian Golf Monthly in 2010, 2011 and 2012, so you assured of a round of golf never to forget.  This golf course is located on the beach where the American’s first landed in the 1960’s and has nature to thank as much as its designer, Greg Norman.

Visitors to this links style course can enjoy generous fairways, with little in the way of water and out of bounds but plentiful of sculptured bunkering and large natural waste areas cut from the surrounding sand dunes.

BRG Danang Golf Club, Danang, Vietnam

Many golfers comment on how this course reminds them of a traditional Scottish links and while the weather is never as cold as Scotland the wind can pick up, so you must be prepared for a good test at BRG Da Nang Golf Resort.

Sky Lake Resort and Golf Club

Staying in Vietnam and just 45 kilometres away from central Hanoi you will find Sky Lake Resort and Golf Club.  The 36-hole golf course opened for play in 2012 and has two 18-hole circuits, called the Sky Course and the Lake Course.  Lakes and mountains provide the backdrop to these courses and the fairways follow the hilly terrain of the area, with local farmland coming into sight on several holes.

Skylake Golf Club, Hanoi, Vietnam

The Lake Course is considered the more difficult of the two courses at Sky Lake Resort and Golf Club, as the fairways and greens are more generous on the Sky Course.  However, both courses compete for the title of best golf course in Asia and you must give them a try when staying in the Hanoi region of Vietnam.

Mission Hills Lava Field Course, Haikou, China

Finally, we head to China and the Mission Hills Haikou Resort and this is a mammoth resort boasting several excellent golf courses.  However, if you are short on time and would like to play just one of the courses, we recommend booking a tee time on the Lava Field course.

As the name suggests, this course is built upon lava fields and you are unlikely to see as much lava on a golf course anywhere else in the world.  There are plenty of risk/reward options off the tee and the fairways tend to remain quite wide throughout, so you can use the driver without great fear of seeing your ball in trouble.

Mission Hills Lava Fields Course, Haikou, China

Look out for the carries over the rocks and the elevated approach shots but simply enjoy the great design of this course, which is superb thanks to the strategically placed bunkering.  Lava Fields at the Mission Hills Haikou Resort is a unique golf course and ranked as one of the best in Asia.

When you book your next Asian golf holiday, you should try and include as many of the top golf courses as possible.  We have highlighted some of the best golf courses in Asia for your enjoyment and know you will have a thrilling time playing them.