Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus adds value to the first Golf resort in Gelang Patah

01 Feb 2018 2253 | World Travel News

JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia - The Forest City Golf Resort, is poised to be another prestigious championship golf course in Johor, making the state a premier golfing destination. It is also set to redefine golf tourism to embrace the "complete golf holiday experience."

"Golf courses were mushrooming throughout the state in the early 1990s but a price war among the competitors, failure to add value to the golf packages and a lackadaisical attitude in upkeeping maintenance have affected the booming golf industry in Johor," said Col. Mohd Jamal Salleh, President of Johor Golf Tourism Association.

"The Forest City Golf Resort, offering a tri-course, with the first 18 holes designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son, is expected to further be a part of the bigger players in Johor to revive and add more value to the state as a golf paradise once again," he said.

Mohd Jamal's optimism is supported by the fact that Johor has the highest number of foreign direct investment, having a world-class golf resort will bode well with businessmen who also have a penchant for golf, as it provides the perfect setting for a warm-up session to a business discussion.

"A Date With Jack Nicklaus - the Golfing Legend" - a preview programme on what the golf resort has to offer - has brought His Majesty, the Sultan of Johor, DYMM Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar and golfing legend, Mr Jack Nicklaus to the Forest City Golf Resort here today.

Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV) has to date spent RM309 million on developing the golf resort which has three golf courses, a hotel and residential units.

Johor boasts the highest number of golf courses in the country, with 27 state-wide to date. Of these, it is believed that there are only 5 that have tri-courses.

The Visit Malaysia Year 2020 (VMY2020) is expected to attract 36 million tourists to the country generating RM168 billion in tourist dollars, reportedly announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the tabling of Budget 2018 last October.

Datuk Md Othman Yusof, Executive Director of CGPV, said in his welcome speech that the first golf course named Forest City Legacy Golf Course, would give golfers the experience and affordability that are not found in other golf courses.