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GSOtrikLinDgKota Seriemas Golf & Country Club

Just 10 minutes from KLIA (and an hour or so
from the heart of KL city centre), Kota Seriemas

Golf & Country Club sure ticks all the boxes

By LOO KENG YIP

©Loo Keng Yip/ParGolf Sand and surf – the 'beach
bunker' guarding the 9th green

20 ParGolf august 2017

Panaromic view of the golf course

©Kota Seriemas GCC

T here is a certain undeniable fairway leads to the next or sits called into service as a movie or still
allure about any new golf alongside others separated mostly by photography location. It is that pretty.
course. Anything that’s well-manicured fringe grass, tidy first
different or unusual is bound cut and/or “rough” that is not nearly as Elsewhere young saplings abound.
to tickle the senses but so does punishing as that found at most other Young and thin stemmed at present,
something that is truly good. Novelty is courses. they hardly impose themselves onto the
fleeting but a great golf experience overall feel and look of the course. In
takes considerably longer to construct. There is little need for the normal time when they turn into full grown
barriers; thick bushes, trees and even trees, more fairways will be visually and
If achieved the feel-good sensation, nets in some cases found between holes physically obscured from each other.
the dopamine high, is a lot more elsewhere. Here the teeboxes and But for now at least, KSGCC looks and
reliable. It becomes something you can greens are safely separated by a good plays pretty much like a pukka links
trust. A subsidiary of PNB Development course layout. There are a couple of course, albeit sans what a few hardcore
(PNBD), Kota Seriemas Golf & Country small stands of old growth oil palm. If pundits might consider mandatory; the
Club (KSGCC) near the Sepang F1 you find yourself caught up in amongst salty North Sea breeze and maybe even
circuit is arguably one of the best new, them, advancing the ball towards the a gorse bush or two.
or even “old” courses around. Whilst pin (where possible) or a punch-out
not exactly brand spanking fresh out-of- sideways (where it is not) is easily done. The bunkers here are well worth a
the-box new, the ‘new car smell’ so to The grass under the tall, well-spaced mention. It had rained heavily through
speak certainly hasn’t worn off either. I palms (essentially ‘the rough’) is lush the night and into the morning abating
was eager to see if KSGCC was as yet tidy. There aren’t many bare or only just before we teed up and yet
capable of impressing on a repeat visit rock-strewn patches. sand still clung evenly to the walls of
now almost a year later as it had done the deepest and steepest traps. There
on my three previous encounters back Speaking of rocks, behind the 12th were no unsightly puddles in the low
when it was freshly minted. teebox and completely out of play you spots either. This is the result of a
will find one of the highest points on thorough understanding of bunker
Any concerns were quickly the course. It is topped off by a couple design and construction noted Club
dismissed; the course and the luxurious of rugged outcrops. Contrasted against Manager Izani Mokhtar.
clubhouse – designed by architect a blue sky and the manicured grass I’d
M. Azahari – have been commendably be surprised if this spot isn’t eventually “The secret to well-designed
well maintained. New car smell indeed. bunkers is not so much in having
It is difficult to fault any of the playing “The golf course is
surfaces let alone the spotless leather ©Loo Keng Yip/ParGolf
lounge chairs, sparkling polished floors designed to be challenging
or the excellent locker rooms and clean
showers. The food at the golfer’s terrace from the back tees, so
is good, even better than before. The
portions are generous and the staff are stronger players will enjoy
polite and attentive.
the experience, but it is
Crafted by Aussie architect Nigel
Douglas, KSGCC was not consciously also extremely playable for
designed as a links style course but
nevertheless it has an uncanny open high-handicappers from
feel about it. Very pleasant and scenic,
I hasten to add. One well-groomed the whites and reds.”

Izani Mokhtar
club manager

ParGolf august 2017 21

kota seriemas golf & country club

Fantastic finish – the par-four 18th

©Gurdev Singh/ParGolf

adequate drainage within them but Short and sassy – the 319-metre par-four 17th
more about ensuring that streams of
rainwater do not funnel off the fairways ©Loo Keng Yip/ParGolf
into the bunkers in the first place,” said
Izani. “The golf course is designed to
be challenging from the back tees, so
stronger players will enjoy the
experience, but it is also extremely
playable for high-handicappers from
the whites and reds,” he added.

The course may measure a fairly
typical 6,188m off the blue tees but it
plays ‘long’. The 389m par four 2nd and
the 383m 18th are long even if they do
run downhill from tee to green. The
399m par four 13th is just a monster. It
even plays a little uphill. Before I scare
off any of the shorter hitters, the already
wide fairways here have a fairly
unusual and very helpful feature. Many
have sides that are higher than the

KSGCC, the pride of PNB Development
Kota Seriemas Golf & Country Club (KSGCC) Kailany noted that the Kota Seriemas course
is a subsidiary of PNB Development (PNBD), was the pride of the company and reflected
the property development arm of Malaysia’s their support of the development of golf and
leading investment conglomerate Permodalan other beneficial leisure activities.
Nasional Berhad (PNB). PNBD are the
developers of the 2,400-acre Kota Seriemas “KSGCC opened for play on October 1,
residential and commercial project. 2016, and has received a lot of feedback as
this is the newest course in the Nilai area
KSGCC commenced operations last and the Klang Valley. In that period, the club
October, and was officially launched on March has strived hard to improve the quality of
11 by Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Dato' Seri the experience for all golfers as well as the
Utama Mohamad Hasan. tournaments that have been organised here,”
said Salem.
PNBD Chief Executive Officer Mohd Salem

“My wish is that KSGCC will be the main catalyst
in promoting the Kota Seriemas township.”

Mohd Salem Kailany,
PNBD chief executive officer

22 ParGolf august 2017

Beauty and a beast – the
signature par-three 16th

©Gurdev Singh/ParGolf SIGNATURE HOLE

fairway itself. Not as uniform or huts are bright and clean, and look more Hole 16
extreme as a snowboard halfpipe run like trendy cafés – they are even air-
but the same science applies. Tee-shots conditioned (possibly a Malaysian first)! black 176m BLUE 176m WHITE 162m red 152m
that have been pushed or tugged a little It is these little touches that help ensure
off-line (the usual result of trying to golfers of all abilities have the best This ‘jaw-dropping’ par-three plays across a
max out a drive) seem to channel back possible experience. Congratulations to large pond to a green perched on the very edge of
towards the centre of the fairway. PNBD and the KSGCC team. the water. The green is set in a natural
amphitheatre, prettily-framed framed by the water
You would have to be very unlucky The 1st hole looks directly into the and a natural rock wall with three deep bunkers
or have hooked or shanked your drive rising sun for early tee times but the adding to the challenge. The ideal tee shot is a
to end up far off the fairway and even fairway is wide and being a medium slight draw, taking the water out of play as much
then KSGCC’s links-like nature almost length par five, conservatively taking a as possible. Bad slices could wind up out of
always allows for a decent recovery hybrid or 3-wood off the tees could be bounds beyond the buggy track on the right. The
with the commensurate penalty. In a the smart play. The 2nd hole requires a putting surface has multiple levels which result in
word, this course is fair. It pushes you to long approach after a flushed drive that some severe breaks, especially if the pin is cut to
try a little harder but also clearly threads between or manages to fly the the back left.
rewards good shotmaking. fairway bunkers. The deep but narrow
green dips away towards the back and Note: Graphics courtesy of ‘Golfing Guide’ by Golf
Practically every green is large, there is a fair amount of trouble lurking Info Network, an easy-to-use app that provides
multi-tiered and has a decent amount of in the front left corner as well. complete distances with yardage-book quality
slope to them. You will often find graphics of thousands of golf courses in South East
yourself putting along some, shall we The 2nd is KSGCC’s index 1 hole. Asia and beyond. Complete yardage information
say, ‘interesting’ fall lines. As such the The 4th is a short 311m par four, but from each tee to all hazards and centre of the green
green-speed is intentionally held at 8.5 plays all uphill. The 186m par three 6th on the hole graphic itself. No
to 9.0 normally but can be speeded up is indexed 17. In other words, it is one of impact on device battery and
to 10.5 and beyond for pro level the easiest holes on the course but on internet connectivity is not
competitions. 9.0 on the Stimpmeter is three of four visits to KSGCC I have got required (once required courses
plenty quick enough. Leave it to the into bogey and even double bogey are downloaded). To download
pros who ought to have far better skills difficulty here. Of course on this visit, as the app, scan this QR code.
to deal with potentially putting off the if to prove that the index rating is far
greens on a downhill line. It is only fair more reliable than my string of miss-hits draw or risk running into another
... this is the experience of a seasoned would imply ... a flight mate, the globe- bunker slightly further up on the right.
manager/operator showing. trotting Mr Nandalal and first time Then the approach is best started off
visitor to KSGCC came within a gnat’s towards the left and faded softly into the
Buggies stay on the cart paths but whisker of holing his tee shot and green ... but not too much or it will be
are allowed on the fairways for an carding an ace! The 9th can be a bit of a sucked into a lake with steep banks that
additional fee. More importantly, after bear for almost everyone. It is an even guard the front and the right. One could
the round you may unload your golf bag sterner test than the 375m and index 7 of course also choose to play something
directly into your vehicle by driving the implies. Ideally your drive should fly the like three 7-irons in a row. There is no
buggy to the car park. Much 200m+ left fairway bunker on a gentle shame in being three on the green at
appreciated, thank you. The halfway this feisty par four.

The holes on the inward nine seem
to have more elevation changes. They
are more ‘hilly’. Even the greens slope
more and it is here that you will come

ParGolf august 2017 23

kota seriemas golf & country club

Magnificient – the colonial-styled clubhouse

to fully appreciate why the speeds are ©Gurdev Singh/ParGolf
kept at a moderate level. There is real ©MIKE@myphoto2u/Kota Seriemas GCC
danger of putting off the dance floor Colonial class – lounge
going downhill if the greens were cut area of the clubhouse
and rolled any slicker than 9.0 or so on
the Stimpmeter. won’t be such a bad thing considering card of the course
what trouble one could get into if the
The 16th is KSGCC’s signature hole. approach isn’t struck perfectly going hole black BLUE WHITE red par index
It lies within a cosy and especially straight at the flag. 1 490 467 447 427 5 11
beautiful bowl shaped section of the 2 410 389 367 346 41
back nine. The centerpiece is a small For a more tips and in considerably 3 366 366 342 321 43
lake. On one side is the 12th green and better detail I would suggest picking up 4 311 311 295 281 4 13
part of its fairway, on another sits one of a copy of the yardage and green’s slope 5 345 345 325 303 49
those stylish air-conditioned halfway- guide from the registration desk. 6 186 186 155 133 3 17
huts/cafés. Viewed from the teebox, this Anyone who considers themselves even 7 492 492 469 432 55
176m par three makes up the entire a bit of a golfer must have at least 8 156 156 140 125 3 15
right-hand shore of the lake. I would heard of KSGCC by now. I am also 9 397 375 356 340 47
encourage you to survey your putt from willing to wager that the club would
all directions as the grain of the grass come highly recommended by anyone out 3,153 3,087 2,896 2,708 36
and the angle of sunlight at some times who has ever played there. PG
during the day conspire to make the hole black BLUE WHITE red par index
apparent fall line on this green quite Kota Seriemas Golf 10 528 499 486 464 5 12
unreliable if casually determined from & Country Club 11 330 330 307 289 46
only one side. 12 392 378 365 351 44
No 1, Persiaran Seriemas Golf, Kota 13 399 399 380 360 4 14
The par four 18th is an awesome Seriemas, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan 14 142 142 130 118 3 18
closing hole for a variety of reasons. It Tel +606-7909339 (general) 15 475 475 459 411 5 16
would be the perfect stage for two 16 176 176 162 152 10 3
professionals tied on scores coming in +606 -7907392 (golf booking) 17 319 319 301 285 48
for a nail-biting finish. The teebox is set Email [email protected] 18 399 383 362 341 42
up high and the fairway falls away Website www.seriemasgolf.com
sharply. The tee shot can be taken with Facebook in 3,160 3,101 2,952 2,771 36
as little as a low flighted 5-iron. Driver, Kota Seriemas Golf & Country Club
3-wood or even a long hybrid will be out Instagram @seriemasgolf total 6,313 6,188 5,848 5,479 72
of the question for some. Overcook the Twitter @SeriEmasGolf
tee shot and you will end up in a deep GPS Coordinates 2.778023, 101.765328
granite walled gorge from where there is
no return. Perhaps the super long
driving Gavin Greens of the world might
carry the gorge but anyone else will be
forced to lay-up off the tees; even when
done right, you will be left with a fairly
long approach often from uneven
ground to the green protected by deep
bunkers front and right. Short of the
green, a steep slope rises up from the
opposite side of the deep gorge. It is a
fairly intimidating sight. Some may even
choose to bail out left over the gorge to a
vast area of first cut where there are no
bunkers. Three on the green from there

24 ParGolf august 2017