Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort

Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort is a 27-hole resort venue in Batu Gajah, a short drive south of Ipoh in the Kinta Valley. Opened in 1994, the club is built around three nines, the Lakes, Raintree and Wetlands, which golfers combine into 18-hole rounds. The Lakes and Raintree nines each play to par 36, so the standard 18-hole combination is a par-72 test.

Water is the defining feature here. The resort spreads across more than 100 acres of land with lakes stocked with tropical fish, and it is known for its birdlife, which gives rounds a genuine sanctuary feel. From the back tees the Lakes nine measures around 3,570 yards with a course rating of 74.0 and slope of 135, so the championship combinations ask for solid ball-striking as well as careful course management around the hazards. Fairways are Bermuda grass and the greens are Tifdwarf, and golf is played year-round.

The course has a strong reputation locally: it was rated among the top five golf courses in Malaysia in the Golf Malaysia Magazine course poll from 1997 to 2010, and was voted the country's number one course for 2003/2004. Practice facilities include a driving range, a golf academy with teaching pros, a chipping area and a putting green, while the clubhouse offers locker rooms, dining and on-site rooms, plus swimming, fitness, tennis and billiards.

Because three nines give plenty of tee-time flexibility, Clearwater Sanctuary works well for groups. On CoGolfers you can host golf games at Clearwater Sanctuary and invite members of the CoGolfers community, or join golf games that others in the Kinta Valley have set up. It is an easy way to find golf partners, meet golfers in Batu Gajah and Ipoh, and turn one-off rounds into a regular golf group of golf buddies.