Laguna Golf Bintan

Winding through diverse terrain made up of natural wetlands, virgin forest and beachfront coconut groves, the undulating front nine and the flatter back both feature a number of memorable holes. This is especially the case as the course runs along the palm-fringed coast of the South China Sea, not least on the visually stunning par-3 8th, which requires a tricky tee shot across the beach and a rocky outcrop to a small green surrounded by trees. Away from the beautiful seaside holes, there is still plenty to challenge you, with a tough closing stretch from the snaking 15th onwards where water comes into play a number of times. This is overall a pretty tough course to master, with some tight tee shots to negotiate and accurate approach play required to avoid the relatively shallow bunkers and the longish grass that borders the smallish greens. One further thing to watch out for are the monkeys who will look to steal unprotected belongings from those not staying vigilant.

While things are still not perfect, the slightly slow greens no doubt a result of the frequent monsoon rains at certain times of the year, things here are definitely much improved, and if Laguna Bintan continues its investment programme it should soon be restored to its rightful place amongst the very best courses in the region.