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SUTERA HARBOUR
Situated in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, surrounded by lush
landscapes and tranquil seas, lies the region's
premier marina and golfing facility, the Sutera
Harbour Marina, Golf & Country Club. Featuring a
magnificently unique combination of a 27-hole
Graham Marsh designed championship golf course
and an exclusive yacht club with a pristine
marina and extensive recreational facilities.
Sutera Harbour Marina, Golf & Country Club has
been designed as a leisure and lifestyle club
catering exclusively to the pleasure of its
valued Members, their guests and guests staying
at either one
of the resort hotels
BORNEO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
A magnificent 18-hole
championship golf course designed by Jack
Nicklaus, it is a golfing leisure paradise
located 69km south of Kota Kinabalu along the
beautiful sandy beach of South China Sea and
natural lagoon. Utilising all natural features
of the lagoon and terrain, Nicklaus made full
use of the natural lagoon to dramatise the
effect water carries as well as the many bunkers
and waste land that dotted the 6,546m course
offering supreme challenges and excitement to
professional and amateur golfers alike. The
opening nine journeys to the fairly flat inland
while the more undulating back nine wanders down
near the beach. Wind is a strong factor
throughout the home stretch as well as some
holes on the outward nine. Graced with wide
undulating Bermuda fairways and Bermuda Tifdwarf
greens, the par 72 layout affords a spectacular
seaside setting consistently with every-present
sea breeze.
ROYAL BRUNEI GOLF & CLUB
Its designer, the American,
landscape architect, Ronald Fream, refers to it
as the "Augusta National of Asia"! It is
considered to be one of the best courses in Asia
and possibly the most exclusive in the world. It
is an exciting and challenging course,
consistently maintained to the high standards
demanded by the USA PGA. The par 72, 18-hole
championship, 6,175 metre (6,750 - yard), buggy
only course, is considered to be a "thinker’s"
course – as its fairways are tight and the slope
of the green varies from subtle to strong. With
a Stimp meter reading of 9 (adjustable to 11 for
tournaments), as the normal green speed, it is
one of the quickest courses in Asia. Despite the
heavy tropical deluges, year round play can be
enjoyed due to the installation of an efficient
drainage system. Technical highlights of the
course are provided by the 9th, 10th, 15th and
18th holes. Tight narrow fairways skirted by
jungle woven into the course, cavernous ravines
and bunkers and over water shots challenge and
reward! Two luxuriously appointed
air-conditioned rest houses provide a welcome
respite from the humidity, a break from play and
refreshments. Floodlights allow night play!
Imagine playing under the tropical moon!
THE EMPIRE HOTEL & COUNTRY CLUB
Jack Nicklaus’ presence as a
designer is well known in North America, where
his name is borne by many of the top tracks,
from Muirfield Village in his native Ohio and
Shoal Creek to Cabo del Sol and Glen Abbey.
However, perhaps less known to the North
American audience, is the profound effect he had
on Asia’s golf boom. During the robust expansion
of golf to this part of the world in the early
1990s, Nicklaus Design expanded heavily into the
Asian market, adding courses in 11 Asian nations
to their resume. One of the more intriguing
courses has received little notoriety, despite
its glamorous location on the shores of the
South China Sea and adjacent to one of the
world’s most luxurious hotels. The reason the
Empire Country Club, located in the small
country of Brunei (on the northern Borneo
peninsula) is still not recognized is a mystery
to all who have seen the property. One of Asia's
wealthiest countries due to immense oil and gas
deposits discovered in 1929, tourism in Brunei
is not exactly a primary concern for generating
revenue, and thus this unspoiled, sleepy part of
the world has gone largely unnoticed. With the
fine course and superb resort, though, word of
mouth is beginning to seep through the nation's
borders, and adventurous golf travellers
everywhere are realizing that few destinations
measure up to the Brunei standard.Nicklaus spent
a great deal of time on the project, and the
effort is evident.
The rolling property is a mix of
jungle-like terrain and serene seaside land, and
is a pleasant enough course from the middle
tees. For those looking for the challenge
Nicklaus imbued in his early designs, though, a
trip to the back tees, which measure 7,029
yards, will surely quell the appetite for
challenge. The front nine loops along the
northern portion of the property and stays to
the high bluffs, providing some dramatic views
of the water and uniquely sculpted holes. As a
fine and subtle counterpoint, the back nine
winds down to the water before moving back up
for a dramatic clifftop finale.Nicklaus gives
the golfer a couple of holes to get oriented,
and the opening troika of holes feature nothing
overwhelming in terms of aesthetics or
difficulty. At the 170-meter (186-yard) fourth
hole, though, a par three stretching over the
edge of a small lagoon, two bunkers also guard
the front and back sides of this diagonal green,
which can make the back pin treacherous and the
margin for error quite narrow. Should you have
the good luck of getting the back pin, a
well-played draw should find the sliver of green
it occupies.The fifth hole is one of the most
dramatic on the course. The 372-meter (407-yard)
par four plays along the bluff to a green that
is guarded by three bunkers and set against the
backdrop of the sea. The slope of the land
forces the tee shot to the lower left side of
the fairway, which also guarantees the toughest
angle of approach. If you can manage to keep the
ball on the right side of the
fairway, a short to mid-iron
approach to a large green and leave a favourable
chance at par.
This is the first of a truly
stunning run of holes, so have your camera
ready.The sixth hole is a tricky 326-meter
(357-yard) affair, which requires a couple of
delicate shots to escape with par. The tee shot
must cross a ravine, which is part of the
cliffside leading down to the sea. From the
landing area – which is littered with bunkers
left and and the cliff to the right, a short
approach is left to this elusive green that is
further guarded by bunkers. The most misleading
hole on the scorecard, a par is solid here.Seven
caps the run of cliffside holes that highlight
the front nine, with a 215-meter (235-yard) par
three. The hole is as challenging as it is
stunning, with the surf crashing to the right
and the grand hotel in full view. While the
green complex is devoid of bunkers, the scrubby
ravine short will ctach most mishits. Perhaps
the hole's most unique defense is the small
ridge short, which deflects short shots to
either side of the green, making birdies
rare.The back nine gets roaring on the 402-meter
(440-yard) par-four 11th, which plays downhill
to a green with plenty of protection. With one
small bunker guarding the back side of the
green, a large wavy bunkers sits between the
front portion of the putting surface and the
large pond. While the holes distance is relevant
to the challenge, there is a significant drop
from the 150-meter mark that makes the hole play
shorter.
The golfer’s first view of the
sea on the back side is at the 202-meter
(221-yard) par-three 14th. The hole is unique
not only because of its setting, but because it
boasts on of the largest bunkers – anywhere! The
trap wraps around, leaving only the back
unguarded of this peninsula green. While the
sand dominates the view, there is plenty of
fairway short of the green to run the ball into
the surface. The green is massive and going in
with a game plan to two-putt is the wisest
choice.
Undoubtedly the signature hole at
the Empire – the 15th, a 502-meter (549-yard)
par five – truly lives up to its billing. The
hole is located as near to the sea as the golfer
can get, and runs along the length of the beach.
Large, wild bunkers protect the hole, and
virtually guarantee the golfer will find one
unless they play conservatively. The hole's
exposed setting allows the wind to play a key
role, and forces those with birdie aspirations
to take the strategic route. In setting up for
the third shot, the golfer should play to the
right side of the fairway, allowing an open
angle to approach with a short iron. This angle
is crucial as it avoids the back bunkering and
the behemoth trap on the front side of the
shallow green. Still, with a tricky false front,
birdie will probably require a little luck,
along with a lot of skill.
To believe that Nicklaus had his
eye on the closing hole from the beginning makes
sense for a man who knew, as a professional, how
to finish strong. Measuring 435 meters (476
yards), a strong finish may be an
understatement. The hole hugs the cliffside and
provides a spectacular view of the sea and the
tower's glass atrium of the hotel behind. Views
aside, however, the task at hand requires the
golfer to play two strong shots to the green set
far below the fairway. The approach is the most
demanding of the day, because while the green
surface is large due to double green (sharing
with the ninth hole), the portion devoted to the
18th is narrow. With a challenging bunker short
left and the shared bunker taking care of any
shots hit long, the approach must be solid.
Should the golfer need to bail out, the fairway
in front provides a place to get up and down
from with a short uphill pitch.
Among Nicklaus’ works stateside,
you would be hard pressed to find a resort
course that matches the Empire’s drama, in terms
of both the setting and the design. And one
advantage the Empire C.C. certainly has is the
ability to play as many holes as one wishes,
with floodlights allowing for extended golfing
hours even after the sun goes down. For those
who have never seen night golf (though it is
popular throughout
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