The East Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club may be closed today, but it is still a course worth remembering.
When we played it, the East Course offered something different from its more famous West Course: a quieter atmosphere, strategic risk-and-reward holes, a brilliant back nine and one unforgettable encounter with a giant water monitor.
KLGCC is now redesigning the course with Sir Nick Faldo and Faldo Design, with the renovated layout expected to fully reopen in March 2027. That means golfers planning a visit today will not experience the same course we played.
The East Course at KLGCC at a Glance
Important: The East Course is currently closed for renovation.
| Course Information | Details |
| Location | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Course | East Course |
| Holes / Par | 18 Holes / Par 72 |
| Tee Options | Multiple tees available |
| Visitor Access | Yes — international visitors welcome |
| Golf Carts | Yes— shared buggy required |
| Caddies | Required — minimum of 2 caddies per flight, subject to availability |
| Practice Facilities | Three-level driving range with 78 bays, plus putting/practice areas |
| Course Type | Parkland |
| Address | 10, Jalan 1/70D, Off Jalan Bukit Kiara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Phone | +60 3 2011 9188 |
| email@klgcc.com | |
| Website | Official Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club website |
Why We Wanted to Play the East Course at KLGCC
KLGCC had been on our golfing radar for quite some time.
The club has two championship courses, the West and East, and since we were going to be in Kuala Lumpur, we decided we wanted to play both.
The East Course was first.
We had an 8:40 tee time, so we were up and out of our apartment early.
We arrived almost an hour before our tee time, paid our fees, and made our way to the Caddy Master.
There weren’t many golfers around. In fact, there were so few that we were told we could head out whenever we were ready.
We normally like to hit a few balls before a round, but we’d played a couple of days earlier at the unique Carey Island Golf Club and decided to just go for it.
Sometimes that’s the best way to start a round!
Our caddy Jifri was waiting for us, and with our bags loaded onto the buggy, we headed for the first tee.
Playing the East Course at KLGCC
The original East Course played 6,597 yards from the championship tees with a par of 71. I played from the blue tees at 6,243 yards, while Menekşe played from the reds at 5,295 yards.
It was a good test without being unnecessarily long.
Playing the East Course Front Nine
I couldn’t have asked for a better start, parring the opening three holes.
The third was particularly memorable — a tight par 4 that immediately gave us a taste of what the East Course was going to demand.
Accuracy mattered.
The course wasn’t simply about hitting the ball as far as possible. Bunkers, water, elevation changes and some interesting approaches meant that choosing the right line was often more important than distance.
After our good start, we slipped into a little four-hole funk.
That’s golf!
Fortunately, we settled things down again and finished the front nine with back-to-back pars.
But the highlight of the front nine wasn’t on our scorecard.
It was beside the fairway.
We Found a Dinosaur!
Well… almost. 😄
Jifri was the first to notice our visitor on the downhill ninth.
A huge water monitor had wandered onto the course.
We’d seen water monitors in several places during our travels through Asia, including a rather entertaining territorial argument between two of them at Kelab Golf Seri Selangor.
But this guy was enormous!
Thankfully, he seemed completely uninterested in the two golfers standing there admiring him.
We, on the other hand, were fascinated.
It’s moments like this that remind us why we love playing golf around the world. You never quite know what you’re going to encounter between the first and eighteenth holes.
Playing the East Course Back Nine
If the front nine was enjoyable, the back nine was where the East Course really came alive for us.
The 11th was one of our favorites.
Hole 11
The 11th is a long par 4 and a beautiful golf hole, with the fairway framed by some impressive bunkering.
Jifri gave me the line.
Naturally, I promptly found one of those beautiful fairway bunkers!
To be fair, it wasn’t Jifri’s fault. The hole simply demands a good tee shot, and when you miss your line, those bunkers are waiting.
Even from the sand, though, it was a hole we really enjoyed.
It was beautiful, it made you think, and it rewarded a good decision.
And that was something we particularly liked about the East Course.
The Signature Hole: The Par 3 15th
Then came the 15th.
At around 140 yards, this par 3 was probably the signature hole of the original East Course.
The green was surrounded by water, so there wasn’t much room for indecision.
The pin was positioned on the far right, but I decided discretion was the better part of valor. I took a firm 9-iron and aimed for the center.
Good swing.
Good contact.
I held my breath and waited.
Eventually, the ball safely found the middle of the green.
Exhale!
Menekşe had a slightly different experience. She struck a really solid 6-iron and pulled it just a little. The ball landed on the green but didn’t hold, taking one hop before disappearing.
There is nothing more frustrating in golf than a well-struck shot that doesn’t get the reward it deserves!
Unfortunately, that was Menekşe’s favorite golf ball.
But Jifri came to the rescue.
As we left the green, he apparently said something to one of the greens crew. By the time we reached the 16th tee, Menekşe was once again holding the same golf ball.
Thank you, Jifri!
It’s a small thing, but it perfectly summed up what we liked about having a good caddy. Jifri knew the course, knew the lines, and seemed to know where everything was.
He was a big part of our KLGCC experience.
What Makes The East Course Special?
For us, the East Course had a completely different personality from the West Course.
The West Course is longer and has the more obvious championship feel. But the East Course felt more intimate and noticeably quieter.
We had the course almost to ourselves for much of the day.
The course may have been shorter, but it certainly wasn’t easy. Bunkers were everywhere, water came into play on several holes, and inaccurate approaches could quickly become expensive.
For us, the East Course was all about strategy rather than sheer length.
The question wasn’t always, “How far can I hit this?”
Sometimes it was simply:
“Where should I hit it?”
And that’s what made it fun.
What You Need to Know Before You Go to The KLGCC
The East Course Is Currently Closed
This is the most important thing to know.
The East Course we played is no longer available in its original form.
KLGCC is carrying out a major redesign in partnership with Sir Nick Faldo and Faldo Design. The first nine holes are expected to reopen in October 2026, the second nine in December 2026, with the full 18-hole course anticipated to reopen in March 2027.
Expect Tropical Weather
Located just a chipshot north of the equator, Kuala Lumpur has a year-round tropical climate, with plenty of sunshine, rain and humidity.
We spent the month of May in KL, and have been back multiple times, and it seemingly rained hard every day around 3 pm, usually lasting 20 to 30 minutes. We’ve heard that our experience with these late-afternoon showers is quite typical.
So, bring plenty of water, pack a rain jacket, and throw a spare golf glove into your bag. You’ll be glad you did!
English Is Widely Spoken
Malay (Bahasa Melayu) is Malaysia’s official language, but English is widely used in business, tourism and everyday life. We found Kuala Lumpur extremely easy to navigate as English speakers, including when getting around and dealing with restaurants, hotels and golf clubs.
Give Yourself Time to Warm Up
KLGCC has an impressive three-level driving range with 78 bays, along with Trackman technology.
We’re not huge fans of hitting balls from bays, so we would have preferred a more traditional practice area, but the facility is certainly comprehensive.
And one thing we absolutely loved? The clubhouse. It is one of the nicest we’ve seen during our golfing travels.
For more practical information about visiting Kuala Lumpur, including getting around, where to stay, and what to do between rounds, check out our guide to The Best of Travel and Golf in Kuala Lumpur.
How To Get to The Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club
The Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club is located in Bukit Kiara, about 8 kilometres from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, making it an easy golf day from most parts of the city.
Flying to Kuala Lumpur
For international golfers, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) is the main gateway. The airport is about 55–60 kilometres from KLGCC by road, and the drive can take around 45 minutes in good traffic, although we’d allow considerably more time during Kuala Lumpur’s busy periods.
Getting to the Golf Course
Because KLGCC is right in Kuala Lumpur, we wouldn’t bother renting a car just to play golf. We used Grab to get to the course and found it an easy option.
If you’re traveling with golf clubs, however, remember that they may take up considerably more room than a normal piece of luggage. When booking a ride, make sure you choose a vehicle with enough space for your golf bags and any other luggage you have with you.
Malaysia drives on the left, so keep that in mind if you decide to rent a car. For us, though, Grab was much easier than dealing with Kuala Lumpur traffic and parking.
KLGCC recommends that golfers report to the Golf Registration Centre at least 30 minutes before their tee time, so we’d give yourself a little extra time for traffic.
And one final tip: if you’re planning your golf around Kuala Lumpur sightseeing, remember that this is a busy city. A journey that looks short on a map can take considerably longer when traffic decides to join your golf game!
When you make it to KLGCC, do yourself a favor and make sure to include the East Course in your playing itinerary. It is one of the best golf courses in Malaysia!
Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur
Where you stay in Kuala Lumpur can make a big difference to your overall golf-and-travel experience. For us, there are two areas that stand out, depending on what you want from your trip.
Best for a Golf Splurge: KLCC and the Golden Triangle
If you’re looking to splurge, the KLCC and Golden Triangle area is hard to beat. You’ll find some of Kuala Lumpur’s best luxury hotels, restaurants, and shopping, with the Petronas Twin Towers and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur right nearby.
And while you’ll have a little farther to travel to KLGCC than if you stayed right next to the course, you’ll be staying in the heart of Kuala Lumpur — which means plenty to do when you’re not on the golf course.
Our Choice: Bukit Bintang
For us, Bukit Bintang was a fantastic base during our time in KL. We loved the restaurants, cafés and nightlife, and it was a great place to experience the energy of the city.
The trade-off is a longer Grab ride to KLGCC, particularly when traffic is heavy. But if you want to explore Kuala Lumpur between tee times, we think it’s a great choice.
And that’s where our interactive map comes in handy. Use it below to explore accommodation options and find the base that works best for your trip.
For more of our favorite neighborhoods, food, and attractions, check out our guide to The Best of Travel and Golf in Kuala Lumpur.
And if you’d rather see KL than read about it, check out our Kuala Lumpur Travel Vlog 🇲🇾 Food, Cafés & Hidden Gems on YouTube!
Other Golf Courses Near Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club
If you’re turning a round at KLGCC into a bigger Kuala Lumpur golf adventure, you have some excellent options nearby.
The West Course at KLGCC
The obvious choice is the West Course at KLGCC. Constantly ranked among the top 100 golf courses in the world by Golf Digest, The West Course is a beautiful championship layout surrounded by lush tropical greenery, with plenty of room to test your game.
The Mines Resort & Golf Club
We also really enjoyed The Mines Resort & Golf Club, a Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed championship course south of Kuala Lumpur. The course combines generous fairways with plenty of strategic water and some memorable holes. We particularly loved the sixth and eleventh. The Mines currently welcomes visitors, making it an interesting option for the traveling golfer.
Kelab Golf Seri Selangor
Another course we enjoyed was Kelab Golf Seri Selangor, an 18-hole Ross Watson-designed course in Petaling Jaya. We found it a fun and very playable course, and its location makes it a convenient addition if you’re already exploring the Klang Valley.
Our Verdict: Would We Play the East Course Again?
Absolutely!
Well… technically, we can’t play the same East Course again because it’s being completely redesigned!
But when the new course opens, we’d love to return and see what Sir Nick Faldo and Faldo Design have created.
Our memories of the original East Course are incredibly positive.
We loved the quieter atmosphere, the risk-and-reward design, the beautiful back nine and, of course, our caddy Jifri.
For us, the East Course was proof that you don’t always have to play the course everyone is talking about. It was one of the five rounds that stood out most to us in Malaysia, and you can see where it landed on our list in 5 Best Golf Courses in Malaysia.
Sometimes the quieter option turns out to be the one that gives you the memories you’ll talk about for years.
And when the renovated East Course reopens, we’d definitely put both KLGCC courses on the itinerary.
Ready to Explore More Golf?
The East Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club was just one course on our worldwide golf journey. If you’d like to see where else we’ve played, explored, and discovered along the way, there’s plenty more to explore.
Planning your own Malaysia golf adventure? Explore all our Malaysia golf blogs, course reviews, travel tips, and favorite places to stay.
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