384/361/347 yards

.A short opening hole, the par 4 1^st hole doglegs slightly to the left around some large fairway bunkers. A bunker long right defines the right edge of the fairway for longer hitters. The best line off the tee is centre to just left of centre which will provide the best angle into the green. However given the length of the hole and the relatively lofted approach club, anywhere on the fairway should enable a golfer to get close with his second.

 The green is raised at the front left and falls gently to the rear right of the green surface – this makes it difficult getting close to front right pin positions, especially when approaching from the right of the hole.

After the trials of the first green, the second hole may come as some relief. The tee shot is relatively open with plenty of room to miss. The best approach is from the right side of the fairway, but shots played too far right may find the approach to the green blocked by trees. A more aggressive line is down the left side of the hole; however the approach then needs to be played over the greenside bunker on the left. 

The green surface is relatively benign and should yield plenty of birdies

The main feature on the drive at the 3rd is the large bunker on the right side of the fairway. Longer hitters may like to try and carry this bunker with their driver which will leave them with a very good shot at being on the green in 2. But most will play short or to the left of this bunker.

The monsoon drain comes into play on the second shot and golfers must make a decision whether to carry the drain or lay up short. Carrying the drain brings with it the advantage of a better angle and more open approach into the green, however it also carries the risk of both the drain and of the many bunkers lying in wait short left of the green. For sensible players or shorter hitters, a better approach will be to lay-up well short of the canal leaving a full wedge shot for better control and backspin.

 A deep bunker closely guards the front right of the green and another on the left comes into play for longer players going for the green in two (as they need to use the slopes on the left of the green to guide their shots onto the putting surface).

A challenging medium length par 3, play on the 4^th Hole is heavily influenced by the trees along the boundary which crowd the tee shot, especially for those who draw the ball excessively. The green is a medium sized target, pushed up and with a predominant slope of left to right, it will tend to favour players who can move the ball right to left. Deep and formidable bunkers surround the green although there is an opening provided front right for weaker players to run their shots on.

 The raised green is sited very close to the drainage canal on the left and that must be avoided at all costs if a large score is to be avoided. In addition a deep bunker at the rear of the green awaits overeager approaches.

Although relatively short for a par 5, the hole presents plenty of challenges for golfers of all abilities. Long straight hitters will of course be rewarded with plenty of opportunities for birdies.

. The 6^th green is quite heavily bunkered, predominantly in front left, and is open on the right, similar to hole 4. The green is an unusual shape with “wings” to the left and back right. This shape, combined with the shaping of the green means that depending upon the flag location either a fade or draw will be the preferred shot on the day.

The dogleg right par 4 7^th hole is the toughest par 4 on this

 nine, with length, trees and the monsoon drain all

combining to make things difficult for the golfer. Huge

mahogany trees on the inside of the dogleg have a big

affect on the tee shot and longer hitters will probably

continue to select 3 wood to avoid these trees.

 The preferred line into the green is from the centre to

right of the fairway as the green is aligned from right

to left. The green is set very close to the monsoon

drain but missing right is no picnic due to the strong

contour of the green.

A short and attractive looking par 4, Hole 8 favours accuracy over brute length.

A central fairway bunker short of the green complicates the approach club selection by making the green appear closer than it is although this bunker will rarely come into play except for the very longest of hitters who may have to chip over it.

The green is one of the smallest on the course and like most of the greens it is a push up design, fairly simple in shape and contour. Due to the shortness of the hole small, deep pot bunkers surround it. The green is designed for a wedge or short iron approach and size appropriately.

 The green has been designed to favour a left to right shot from the centre to left side of the fairway. Bunkering to the right of the green is well defined and deep. There is a slight ridge from the high point on the left of the green that will complicate approaches into the green. There is also a small ridge running diagonally from front left to back right which makes back pin positions particularly difficult to get to.

A moderate length-opening hole, the par 4 10^th appropriately tees off straight at the twin towers of KLCC, highlighting the unique location of RSGC.

The fairway is bunkered on the right with a series of bunkers set into ridges starting out at about 242 yards from the back tee and choking down the fairway at about 303 yards.

There is plenty of room for shorter hitters but longer hitters will find the demand on their accuracy increases the longer they hit the ball. Longer hitters playing strategically may thus wish to play an iron or fairway wood off the tee for position.

The best line off the tee is centre to left of centre as this provides the best line into the green. Too far left and tree canopies will start to cramp shot options.  The green is small, angled right to left (front to back) and favours an approach from the centre to left side of the fairway near the tree line.

Hole 11 is an interesting par 5. There is a cluster of bunkers in this location guarding the inside of the dogleg from greedy players. The bunkers start at about 237 yards and finish at about 270 yards so longer hitters may still be tempted to carry them. Doing so has its risks however as an overcooked fade may well end up under trees.

 The best play for most will be well away from the bunkers – playing away from the bunkers in this manner increases the length of the hole however and may remove any chance of getting home in 2.

 A series of bunkers down the left side, a bunker on the right and a large tree define the strategies for the second shot. The best shot is to play left carrying the bunker complex there that provides the best line into the green which is protected by the large rain tree. More conservative and shorter hitters can play right away from bunkers, however to do so brings into play both the short fairway bunker and the tree which will then need to be negotiated in some fashion.

Long, straight and tough describe the par 4 12^th Hole.

The best shot off the tee is down the centre of the tight looking fairway. This will keep players away from the fairway bunkers on the left (at 242 – 264 yards) and also provide a better line into the green. Too far right however and the target trees at the end of the fairway start to come into play and limit shot options.

 The green is angled right to left and will favour drawn approaches.

 The mound on the right of the green complicates recovery for golfers who have bailed out too conservatively as they will have to come over this mound to the green.

A medium length par 4, the 13^th looks like an attractive driving hole after the tight 12^th. There are no fairway bunkers on this hole and the best play is down the right side that not only takes yards off the hole but will also set up the best angle into the green. 

The green is bunkered left front and long right – the bunker long right is a nasty little one that will both protect a back right position as well as capture off line shots that run off the right side of the green.

The green has a subtle long ridge that basically bisects it into right and left portions requiring very accurate play to the correct side. The back bunker and right side fall off combine to protect the flat tournament pin position at the rear of the green.

A long par 3, the green can be approached with a running drawn shot from the right side of the green, however such a shot will need to flirt with a bunker about 22 yards short of the putting surface. Running shots will also need to be kept on line as any shot a little to the right will run-off into the bunker and leave players with a difficult long bunker shot. Players can also approach the pin directly, but will need to carry all the way to the putting surface.

The green falls strongly back to front and right to left. A bunker that covers the entire front left side of the green protects  pin positions to the rear of the green. Fire away!

Hole 15 is one of the longest and toughest par 5’s in KL.

 The existing old style mounding on the left of the hole has been retained and defines the tee shot. Aggressive players seeking to cut distance off the hole as well as obtain an advantage of angle will

try to carry this mounding. A carry of about 253 yards from the back is required to carry the mounding with the right fairway bunkers extending to about 286 yards off the tee.

The second shot is dominated by the lake and players need to avoid it at all costs. Bunkers on the right side at about 407 yards (from tee) and then a series from 473 to 517 yards that choke down the fairway provide additional challenge. The first fairway bunkers generally only provide challenge for shorter hitters and those who have screwed up their tee shot, however the second series will really challenge the better player.

The 15th green is an elevated medium sized green. The green is set up in a butterfly fashion to favour shots from either the right or left side of the fairway, the preferred angle (either near the lake or fairway bunkers) will depend upon the pin position of the day.

A short par 4, the lake on the left of the hole is the dominant feature on the tee shot at Hole 16.

The ideal play is long and left, as close to the lake as possible as this greatly improves the approach into the small contoured green.

The bunkered mound on the right of the green hides much of the green from players approaching the green from the right side of the fairway. The right side of the green will therefore only be visible to golfers who have flirted with the water on their tee shot.

 The green is vexingly shaped and golfers with long approaches would be advised to hit to the left, more accommodating side.

One of the signature holes of the course the Volcano

17^th would be an unusual hole on most courses, though

 it seems to fit in well at RSGC.  Although only a short

 iron hole, the 17^th has potential to be a card wrecker,

given the elevation of thesmall green surrounded by

bunkers

A great driving hole, the dogleg 18^th plays from elevated tees to a generous fairway.

The lake while in view off the tee is not really in play for decent golfers. Trees hug the left side of the fairway and to hit into them is to basically ruin any chance of par on the hole. There is significant amount of room to the right and golfers who are not so straight or long would be advised to aim centre to centre right of the fairway – although doing so does not provide you with the best view or shot into the green. 

The green is large and quite well contoured, particularly on the front right where the green rolls off severely. Due to the length of the hole the green can be approached by a running right to left draw. However care will need to be taken both with the short frontal bunker and also with the slope on the front right of the green; a running shot will need to be well judged in order to remain on the green surface and not end up in a tough position on the right side of the green.