

244
Borneo Bulletin Yearbook 2021
GOLFING
Gol ng is one of the nation’s favourite sports,
with multiple championship-grade golf courses
scattered throughout the country. Brunei
Darussalam’s warm sunny weather with clear
blue skies easily encourages the popularity of
this outdoor sport.
The Empire Brunei
Situated within this luxurious hotel’s compound
is this world-class 18-hole golf course designed
by Jack Nicklaus, a legendary American golfer.
Renowned as one of Asia’s nest and ranked
among Asia’s leading golf courses in the World
Travel Awards, The Empire Brunei is well loved
with its immaculate landscape and elaborate
greens from the surrounding rainforest. The
course also treats players with a gorgeous view
of the South China Sea. The golf course has
hosted royalty and heads of states from around
the world. It also played host to prestigious golf
tournaments including the Asian Tour, Aberdeen
Senior Masters, Brunei Open and the Royal Trophy.
Location: The Empire Brunei, Jerudong
Tel: 241 8222
Royal Brunei Golf & Country Club
Designed by Ron Fream, a world-renowned
American golf course architect, this golf course
is one of the best in the world. Fream described
it as the “Augusta National of Asia” due to its
reputation of being one of the best manicured
golf courses in Asia. Nestled within a jungle
landscape, it is distinctive for its narrow, tree-
anked fairways, leading to relatively small
greens; this gives players’ short game skills a
real challenge.
Location: Jerudong Park, Jerudong
Tel: 261 1582
Pantai Mentiri Golf Club
With greens among the best in Southeast Asia,
the Pantai Mentiri Golf Club is a 6,105-metre,
par-72 course suitable for seasoned golfers
and professionals. The golf course is peppered
with water hazards throughout its compound,
offering a challenge for golfers who wish to prove
themselves to be among the best. Golfers with a
handicap of 10 and above will struggle to achieve
a net par score. In 1999, the golf course played host
to the golf event during the 20
th
Southeast Asian
Games, as well as a slew of other amateur and
professional tournaments throughout the years.
Location: Jalan Kota Batu,
Bandar Seri Begawan
Tel: 279 1021
Royal Brunei Airlines Golf Club
Brunei’s rst 18-hole public golf course is located
near the Brunei International Airport and designed
by world-renowned golf architect Max Wexler. The
golf course features a at terrain with lakes spread
throughout the course serving as irrigation. The
golf course is considered challenging for golfers
due to the preservation of its original vegetation
as well as the addition of the lakes.
Location: Brunei International Airport,
Berakas
Tel: 234 3724
Panaga Golf Club
Managed by the Panaga Club, this golf course
is located along Jalan Utara, with Brunei Shell
Petroleum’s headquarters not far off. Its close
proximity to the sea in combination with its low-
lying lands means the course’s ponds and ditches
are susceptible to be lled with seawater when a
high tide occurs. In 1978, the golf course hosted
the widely successful Brunei Open. It also conducts
the annual Panaga Open, a local gol ng event.
Location: Panaga Club, Seria
Tel: 337 2265, 337 5754, 337 2234