Considered the premier golf club in Malaysia the Royal Selangor Golf Club has a story that began with coffee planters. In 1893 they thought Kuala Lumpur should have a golf club. The Royal Selangor Golf Club was born. Locally it is known as RSGC.
The RSGC boasts 45 holes. There is the Old Course. There is also the New Course. And there is the Suleiman Course. This is a short 8-hole course. It was a 9-hole course. The club converted the last hole into a tennis court. It has since hosted the Malaysian Open WTA tennis tournament.
The Royal Selangor Golf Club moved to its current location in the early 1920s. The First Nine Old opened in 1921. The Second Nine Old was completed in 1922. The New Course was added in 1931. The Club’s website has an extensive history section.
The courses at Royal Selangor are parkland in nature. The New Course plays to just under 7000 yards. It is measured from the Black tees. The First Nine New plays to 3324 yards. The opening tee shot has one of the coolest targets. It is the Petronas Twin Towers. They are a landmark of Kuala Lumpur. The par 4 is 382 yards. It has a slight dogleg left bend. The perfect play is to aim at the right tower. Draw it slightly to the left tower.
The golf courses at Royal Selangor were once a tree planting research center. This belonged to the Forestry Department. Many Tembusu trees date from this era. The huge Samanea saman trees are also known as rain trees. Royal Selangor is completely enclosed by the city. It is a tree lover’s sanctuary. The golf course offers views of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.
The Royal Selangor Golf Club is a walking-only course. It has Hogan’s walkways on each hole. These are narrow mowed sections of grass. They lead from the tee to the fairway.
The New Course dates from 1924. It wraps itself around the front-nine of the Old Course. Many 100-year-old trees line the fairways. Manmade ponds add to the ambiance. The New Course is 6605 yards. It is a par-72. It has narrow fairways and strategic bunkering. The first hole is a short par-4. It has an opening drive towards the Petronas Twin Towers. Caddies are compulsory when playing at Royal Selangor. The clubhouse has a restaurant overlooking the New Course. The Royal Selangor Golf Club is in the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur City Center.
The Royal Selangor Golf Club is a sanctuary beneath the vibrancy of Kuala Lumpur. The Twin Towers form a view over the golf courses. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport is about 30 minutes away.
The Royal Selangor Golf Club’s establishment offers camaraderie. It provides pleasant social interaction. It has excellent amenities for its Members and Guests. The RSGC’s stature as the premier golf club in the country is unrivalled. Its long existence celebrates its strong foundation.