New Golf Course in Malaysia

New golf course is coming up. It has been a long time since the last golf course is built in Selangor. With the material prices coming down it is now the best time to build if you have the money. By the time the course is completed in 2010 the economic situation in the country might be back to normal.

The Star (Sunday December 14, 2008):

Master of The Mines
EDITORIAL By WONG SAI WAN

Having created two very different and unique golf clubs, Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew is now out to create the biggest golf complex in the country.

As the founder of the ultra-exclusive Mines Golf Resort, one cannot deny that Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew is not only a shrewd businessman, but also a visionary one.

But when he recently announced that he intends to build the country’s biggest golf complex within the vicinity of the Bukit Beruntung-Rasa area, many questioned his judgement, especially doing this in the midst of the financial crisis.

Tan Sri Lee showing the concept drawing of a golf academy that he is planing to build at the Mines Golf City.

“My philosophy is simple - if you want to do something then you must do it big.

“This project - the Mines Golf City - is to get the attention of the world to focus on the country. I want the world to sit up and take notice of us. It is no point doing it too small,” Lee said in an exclusive interview with Stargolf.

He is planning to build a 63-hole, or five golf courses, on a 850ha rubber and oil palm estate which stretches along the Bukit Beruntung-Rasa road.

As announced last week, Lee has signed up Swede legend Annika Sorenstam to design the first course for the Mines Golf City. (See stories on this retired LPGA star on pages 3 and 4).

“I can also now confirm that Pak Se-Ri will design the second 18 holes. We signed her up when she was at the Lexus Cup in Singapore (two weeks ago),” said Lee as a matter of fact.

He also revealed that his company had written to the Selangor government to allow him to take over the Bukit Beruntung Golf and Country Club.

“We have written to the State Secretary Incorporated about taking over the club. If they agree to our proposal then we would have a 99-hole facility instead.

“I don’t know if they will agree, but I am also willing to take over the management and the upgrade the two courses.”

He added that his development would re-focus development in the area as half of the 850ha property would be a high-end real estate development project.

The total Gross Development Value of the Mines Golf City is about RM3bil and Lee has set the average development cost of each hole at RM1.5mil.

Asked why he wanted to build such a massive project, Lee said that golfers when travelling overseas liked to play a variety of courses and the Mines Golf City would be able to cater for such requirements.

“Those who come to stay in our city for a three-day-two-night package can play on three different courses without having to travel outside - just like Mission Hills in China,” he said.

Mission Hills has 234 holes - 13 courses, designed by various famous golfers, including Sorenstam.

Lee also confirmed that all his course designers would be women.

“Women designers will give a feminine touch that is lacking when you look at male designed courses.

“Women will think about flowers and the environment. That is what a golf course should be,” he said, adding that Pak was so serious about the project that she was now going on tour armed with a camera to take pictures of things she would like to incorporate into the course in the Mines Golf City.

He said the undertaking would be the first golf project in the Klang Valley in the past decade and was confident that the location was near enough to Kuala Lumpur to attract tourists as well as locals.

“The piece of land is the most beautiful that I have been involved with yet. The undulations and rolling hills make it perfect for a golf project.”

Besides the Mines Golf Resort, Lee also founded the Borneo Heights Golf Resort just outside Kuching in Sarawak and the Pecanwood Golf and Country Course in South Africa.

Besides luxury homes, Lee is considering putting up a golf academy within the golf city and also a health tourism facility.

Asked how he intended to position his new project and whether it would be another exclusive golf club, Lee said the Mines Golf City would be modelled after the Singapore Island Golf and Country Club which had a membership of more than 7,000.

“We are aiming for about only 5,000 members while the Mines Resort has less than 300,” he added.

Lee said his intention is to turn the area into the premier recreational destination.

“I want to do so much that maybe the Government will change the name of the entire area to follow us and become the Mines Golf City instead of Bukit Berutung.”

He pointed out that all over the world the value of properties which front golf courses appreciate four or five times.

“Why are we going into golf in such a big way? You must look at golf from an international point of view. If you do it well - especially with property - it is an international property play.

“I have seen it in South Africa and here at The Mines (in Kuala Lumpur). Golf enhances the value of the property. Just look at Mission Hills. Mission Hills is good, but we are going to be better.”