chinkinyong omdöme om The Els Club - Desaru Coast

 The Ocean course at Els Club Desaru has three 9s. We played Coast and Lakes leaving Ridge for another visit. When you have golf carts shod in alloy rims with seats that are sofa-soft, you know you are in a five-star premium course. So one can't be faulted for going in with five-star expectations. And for me, expectations are also shaped by my experience at Els Club Datai in Langkawi, having played there some three years ago. Both Coast and Lake have scenic water views  in front, on either one side, or behind. Coast needs careful course management which is aided by the on-board GPS tablet, showing maps of holes and distances of ball to green. Lake is more forgiving as the fairways are flat and wide with safe zones to land your ball on your approach shots. Still something is missing.. that X-factor that clinches all 10 points in the ranking. Could it be the grass that is not as thick or compact as in Datai? Or the aesthetics spoilt by wild boar damage in some parts of the rough? Or the occasional distracting shriek of grief or joy from noisy golfers carried over the water from an adjacent hole across the lake? Or perhaps all the above, which collectively are enough to shave off half a point. Nevertheless, Ernie can be proud to lay claim that nowhere Els in Johor has a better course.